UNSC Transmission 08871D-00

United Nations Space Command Transmission 08871D-00 was a classified communiqué sent to Captain Preston J. Cole by Admiral Harold Stanforth on June 13, 2503. It gave Cole advanced warning of his recall to Reach and the imminent arrest of his wife Lyrenne Castilla, recommending that he bring Castilla in himself in order to clear his name.

Acting on Stanforth's advice, Cole traveled to Roost after receiving the transmission. Once there, however, he found that Castilla had fled, leaving incriminating evidence that caused him to conclude that Stanforth had been right about her identity. Subsequently, Cole was brought to Reach for debriefing and faced charges of treason. However, due to immense pressure from Stanforth and the public these charges were ultimately not filed and Cole was instead reassigned to a desk job on Earth. There, he was soon forced into early retirement.

In 2552, UNSC Transmission 08871D-00 was included within Historical/Psychological Analysis of Cole, Preston J., an intelligence report filed by Codename: SURGEON to Codename: USUAL SUSPECTS.

Classified Communiqué from Admiral Harold Stanforth to Captain Preston Cole \ June 13, 2503 (Military Calendar)

United Nations Space Command Transmission 08871D-00

Encryption Code: Red

Public Key: file / Albatross-Seven-Lucifer-Zeno /

From: Admiral Harold Stanforth, Commanding Officer, UNSC Leviathan / UNSC Sector Three Commander/ (UNSC Service Number: 00834-19223-HS)

To: Captain Preston Cole, Commanding Officer, UNSC Gorgon (UNSC Service Number: 00814-13094-BQ)

Subject: TROUBLE

Classification: EYES ONLY (BGA Directive)

This is bad, Preston. Sit down if you're standing.

There are new orders coming down from CENTCOM, and you're not going to like them: You're going to Reach.

Let me start with the hardest thing.

The woman you've been having a relationship with for the last seventeen months, one Lyrenne Castilla, is part of the insurgency. Hell, she's not a part of it; she's a high-ranking member - we think commanding one of their ships.

ONI has all the details. I've seen their intelligence reports, and I believe those usually-lying-through-their-teeth SOBs. They've been tracking her insurgent alter ego for a long time and just discovered her civilian identity.

It's simple: She's been playing you, Preston.

ONI is coming for you, too, claiming that she's been pumping you for classified ship patrol routes and technical information.

So here's how it's going to play out:

1. New orders are being transmitted from Reach CENTCOM.
2. You will be confined to quarters on the Gorgon with no access to communications until the Prowler Edge of Umbra arrives in system.
3. The Umbra will then transport you to Reach where ONI will put you through the debriefing of your life.
4. After that - what happens is anyone's guess. I'll wager ONI can't court-martial unless they can prove you willingly collaborated, because they built you into a military genius superstar back home. But whatever they're going to do - it ain't going to be pretty.

I'm breaking regs and telling you this because I don't believe for a hot second you would have gotten yourself deliberately involved in this - or that you'd be stupid enough to divulge ship locations or technical secrets to some pretty girl.

You've got three hours. Find Lyrenne before ONI gets her. Bring her in yourself. That'll go a long way toward clearing your name and ending this.

Good luck.

Harold

Production note

UNSC Transmission 08871D-00 refers to Harold Stanforth as holding the rank of Admiral and commanding the UNSC Leviathan and FLEETCOM Sector Three in 2503; however, elsewhere it has been established that Stanforth was a Vice Admiral at the end of his career, that the Leviathan could not have entered service before 2510, and that Stanforth became commander of FLEETCOM Sector Three sometime after his resignation as Section Chief of ONI Section Three, a post he held from 2512 to 2530. For more information about these discrepancies, see here.

List of appearances

• Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
  • The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole (First appearance)