ONI Into Darkness (TPF)

The ONI Into Darkness (: XI-456) is an ship with a focus on reconnaissance and covert operations. Under the Winter-class and designed by the Watershed Division, it became a crucial asset for supporting operations in the Post-War era. The Prowler entered service in and supported multiple operations deep behind enemy lines. Into Darkness has supported high-risk missions across the Office of Naval Intelligence. 
==Design Details==
===Hull and Superstructure===
Unlike many of the other Prowler designs, Into Darkness appears much more like a star fighter or starliner compared to a warship. The goal was to provide maneuverability in both atmospheric and exo-atmospheric environments. She sports an aerodynamic frame with sweptback wings, and a narrow cockpit, resembling much of an aerospace fighter. Designers embraced a more aerodynamic design, meeting the multi-environment requirement. Its small size made people believe it was another sub-prowler class replacement for the but remained a Prowler. The panels became a core component with the usage of metametals to provide the baseline stealth layers. The metametals provided a pathway for active camouflage and standard multi-spectral camouflage much like the rest of the Winter-class. Due to its design, it is not as versatile as a and carries the same amount of passengers as a . She focuses on transporting small teams the size of a squad or fireteam with other supplies to support a mission.
===Propulsion===
Under the Block II design, the Into Darkness started with the PR275/XI fusion drives, building off the design for the UNSC Infinity. Into Darkness was the first of her block to receive a prototype slipspace drive after the previous was stripped for another prowler. It's classified under the Codex as a modified CODEN V series within the Pandora Class. Into Darkness benefited through the experimental and prototype drives to meet mission demands. The complexity of the drives led to Watershed Division compartmentalizing their designs and forcing the ships to be repaired within Watershed Division to protect their secrets.
===Armaments and Sensors===
Into Darkness was designed for reconnaissance and surveillance, not to engage hostiles. Its speed and agility gets the ship out of dangerous zones with combat being the last resort. The arsenal was designed as a means of defensive combat to take out immediate threats, lay down mines to slow down pursuers and, modify the point defense lasers with electronic warfare capabilities to disrupt pursuing sensors. The following armaments are:
*2x 
*3x 
*3x 
*3x Magna-425 
Notably, the M995 Backstop had the capabilities of switching consumables to have various options in engaging threats. Heat sinks and jammers provided an array of options for Into Darkness to engage her targets. Non-kinetic options became the go-to option for disrupting enemy technologies to conceal the ship. She received the Magna-425 Pulse Laser turret package as another primary countermeasure to evade lock-on tracking projectiles. The three pop-up turrets, one behind the cockpit and one on each wing, were installed for anti-missile defense. She also received an update Electronic Warfare Countermeasure Dispenser developed within Watershed Division.
The cloaking technologies installed made it possible to distort emission and sensor profiles. The addition of programmable optical camouflage allowed for the prowler to adapt to the environment easier than other ships. The integration of a Forerunner Baffler in 2557, with the help of reverse-engineering, allowed for a massive upgrade to cloaking capabilities and to appear almost invisible. The optical camouflage became some of the best when working in an optimal environment without the chance of failure. The upgrades allowed for hidden thermal emissions and the chance to evade some of the most advanced UNSC detection techniques.
The intelligence suite has a holotable with the capabilities of providing raw intelligence from its sensors and hyperscanner. Into Darkness was developed to have advanced collection and dissemination to give the Mission Commander and Ground Force Commander the best idea of how to conduct the operation. If required, the holotable had a slot for a Dumb AI for Shipboard Management in Intelligence, Operations, and Logistics. Under the Aerospace Sensor and Systems Office, Into Darkness received routine updates to its intelligence suite to perform better intelligence analysis.
==History==
===Construction===
The Watershed Division planned for Into Darkness to enter into service in within the Block II line of Prowlers. Developed under the Special Projects Office, she began construction in at the Special Assembly Plant around . In 2552, the development of Into Darkness was put on Temporary Hold due to the and many of its essential parts were stripped to be imported to other prowlers ahead in their development cycle. She was placed on Construction Hold by the Watershed Special Projects Office prior to the and the hold was lifted following the end of the Human-Covenant War. Being one of the prowlers stripped, she was placed under a Deep Reconnaissance Experimental Project to incorporate experimental technologies to make it a specialized mission prowler.
Throughout the Post-War development, she was placed on Priority Development by the Special Projects Office and in mid , received the name Into Darkness by the Deputy Commander of the ONI Prowler Corps. Throughout the rest of 2553, Into Darkness underwent a number of upgrades from weaponry to propulsion with a focus on infiltration to hardened targets other prowlers couldn't penetrate. She underwent Space Trials at the New Carthage Test and Training Range as the second prowler under the DREX Project. The prowler became the first line of testing active camouflage on a stealth vessel and showcased the issues of operating active camo. By 2554, she was commissioned by the Commander of Prowler Group 22 and home port at , above . She was housed in a restricted area of an ONI Prowler Corps Hangar known as Hangar 42 within internal logs.
===Early Missions===
Into Darkness was assigned to the ONI Prowler Corps under Prowler Group 22, Prowler Squadron 2-22 with Administrative Control while Operational Control varied across . She spent time within ONI Section Three and Naval Special Weapons with Tactical Control assigned to the Mission Commander, often the Lieutenant Commander in command of Into Darkness. Her first mission came late in 2554 deploying a to , marking its first Covenant colony space infiltration mission. She picked up the team a month later and showcased its capabilities of getting to hardened targets. Between 2554 and , she ran multiple infiltration and extraction missions for elite special warfare units, covert action teams, and LONEWOLF operatives. She was reported around , the , and frontier Covenant colonies close to UNSC Controlled Space.
By , she began running intelligence collection operations for ONI Section One on High-Value Targets on and . Missions were focused on the and while also monitoring the . She ran a high-risk covert mission into the Exclusion Zone to extract Forerunner technology in early then transferred to Prowler Development Group 4 to undergo upgrades and further testing. She arrived at the ONI Space Test and Evaluation Yard - to add technological advancements and other experimental capabilities. Following her time in the yard, she was deployed in late 2557 to run two around . 
In the lead up to the , Into Darkness ran reconnaissance missions around Requiem and collected information about fleet activities. She conducted Operational Preparation of the Battlefield and ran scans on activities. Returning, they picked up Team Osage and inserted the team onto the shield world. She remained near Requiem for the remainder of the campaign conducting intelligence collection against the Silent Blade and other High-Value Targets. The abrupt destruction of Requiem caused Into Darkness to decloak, pick up Team Osage in a hot extraction and become spotted in 2558. Away from the public eye, Into Darkness remained classified and didn't exist.
Throughout 2558, the prowler supported multiple missions around the . She deployed Team Osage for many strike missions across the JO-Zone and frontier. In August, she was in port at Midpoint Anchorage to receive routine updates to its intelligence suite when the Created Conflict broke out.
===Created Conflict===
Prior to the declaration of the Reclamation by , Into Darkness linked up with the UNSC Vegas and was attached to ONI Special Activities Division. During the breakout of conflict, she evaded the Created by disappearing into the frontier colonies with Team Osage conducting a number of operations. They utilized the UNSC Frontier Command network of resupplying and refitting to avoid giving away the Vegas location. Into Darkness played a pivotal role in Operation: OAKSTAR and hunting down Created Cells across the Inner Colonies.
She inserted Team Osage onto and while earning her first combat kill by taking out a above . Into Darkness provided jamming and deployed communication satellites for a BattleNet. After their success, the ship conducted operations against the after learning about the . She supported Operation: TORN TUNDRA on and combat operations on . Other missions included and . By the end of the Created Crisis, Into Darkness was ordered to a Watershed Sensitive Activities Space Yard for refits and repairs. She was awarded a Navy Unit Commendation for the missions conducted during the Created Crisis. After leaving the space yard, she became a base of operations for Team Osage.
===Post-Created Crisis===
Into Darkness ran deep space reconnaissance missions to survey the and track the Jiralhanae exodus. She continued to function as a force enabler for Team Osage until 2563. Reassigned to Prowler Reconnaissance Squadron 10 under Prowler Reconnaissance Group 02, Into Darkness began conducting covert survey missions on hardened military targets. She was loaned out to Section One and Four for conducting mission specific operations. Notable missions included and the to analyze the strength of the . Later, she helped laid the groundwork for establishing the Deep Slipspace Communication Node Network.
From 2566 to 2569, Into Darkness supported the PATHFINDER Program and Operation: OPTIMIZE SHADOW by conducting military exploration and reconnaissance of former Covenant space for military strike options. She ran missions focused on Sangheili colonies and Points of Interest with the goal of establishing a Remote Logistical Support Activity to strike deep behind enemy lines. The Prowler worked closely with UNSC Astronavigation in mapping out regions and selecting optimal locations througout OPTIMIZE SHADOW.
==Crew==
===Current===
*Commander: Lieutenant Commander Marko Laht (2561 - Present)
*Navigator: Lieutenant, Junior Grade Roman Pascari (2561 - Present)
*Tactical Director: Warrant Officer Adalfredo Licciardello
*Surveillance Controller: Petty Officer First Class Anfreide Louis
*Technician: Petty Officer Second Class Aisha Huseina
===Former===
*Commander
**LCDR Karmenu Ferriggi (2554 to 2557)
**LCDR Fabiana Stewart (2557 to 2561)
*Tactical Director: Lieutenant Oriana-A058/Aniela Kasowska (2558 - 2560)
*Surveillance Controller: Petty Officer First Class Samuel-B256 (2558 - 2560)
*Technician: Petty Officer Second Class Darrick-G274/Isidora-G159 (2558 - 2560)
*Attached Units: Known of
**RCT Blackbriar (2554)
**Team Osage (2558 to 2564)
==Notes and Development==