Super Serious AI and the Spartan- Halo Reach arc

Disclaimer: Halo belongs to Bungie, Industry 343, and Microsoft. Pokémon Adventures belong to Kusaka and Yamamoto, Viz media, Shoakukan, and Chuang Yi. Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, GameFreak, The Pokémon Company, and Satoshi Tajiri. Please support the official release

Chapter 1: First meeting

Humanity has reached to the stars and start colonizing in the planets where humanity could live in peace despite of rebellions. However, a powerful Alien civilizations collective group called the Covenant [1]. The war began in the year 2525 when the first covenant forces attack outer colony, Harvest. But it was a Pyrrhic victory for the Covenant which they didn't know that Humanity had to resort to guerrilla warfare.

Many UNSC forces died to retaken Harvest and won very costly victories, but despite their bravery, the Covenant held the space superiority, numerical, and technology advantages against humanity. Cole Protocol made by Admiral Cole before his death to destroy all UNSC files of regards that spell doom on humanity including Earth. Humanity's last hope are the Spartan-IIs, a group of super soldiers were once designed against rebellions, began to fight back against the Covenant.

Many covenant warriors found Spartan-II [2] soldiers deadly. The Spartans were too few to turn the tide of the war as more colonies being destroyed by Covenant forces and reaching to the inner Colonial worlds. The Covenant are facing difficulty in terms of logistics despite they held the superior advantages. That wasn't until the last years of the war.

The year 2552 saw the largest battle of the war was Reach [3], the second-largest military industrial complex and the training of the Spartan program. One day, massive Covenant Armada had come and destroyed UNSC forces as they glass the planet. In the deep reaches of space, a lone ship named Pillar of Autumn [4], escaped from battlefields of Reach led by Captain Keyes of UNSC navy which caught unaware that the covenant was upon a massive circular ring Ring.

That wasn't until Convent forces attacking Pillar Autumn, Cortana and Keyes alert the crew of cyo-tubes to wake up Spartan-117 and Spartan-721 [5]. One of the figures named Master Chief [6] woke up while the other one is still sleeping. Thus begins our story of one 16 year old Spartan-II named Gold [7].

Gold is Japanese origin, messy black hair with a bang over his eye without his helmet, and the most unique feature is his eyes were in fact gold. He is not an average Spartan warrior by terms of height, but somehow unique. He stands next to Master Chief, the most famous of all Spartan-IIs ever lived and he was his idol.

However, he remains asleep in his cyo-tube. Master Chief woke up and steps out of the cyo-tube. The crew tests him if he's in good condition. "OK, the captain needs you two at the bridge now!" one of the crewmen shouted until a banging on the door.

"Oh, god. They are breaking the door! Security!" One of the crew witness Sangheili [8] breaks the down and kills him.

"We got to get out of here!" One of the Crew urges to Master Chief.

"I understand." Chief said, he went off to see Captain Keyes. The other crewman tries to wake Spartan-721 up while the firefight rages on.

"What happen? Are we home?" Gold wondered why being awoken for.

"We're attack by Covenant! What you have done in this time?"

"...eh" Gold dumbfounded that unaware of the current situation. An explosion made him wide awake. Gold has been acting strange after he was picked up in Reach. After all, he was put in a cyro-tube and didn't tell him what's going on despite of the crew's dumbfound surprise.

"So anyways the captain need you and get there before you get killed." A crewman tries to explain that the Pillar of Autumn is under attack, but it's hopeless to get him though his thick skull.

"Let's go!" Master Chief tells the young Spartan as he peeks into the room.

"As you say, Chief." Gold said as he follows Master Chief closely to the bridge. They avoid Covenant forces in the ship. Master Chief gets to Captain Keyes before Gold who is literally got lost in the ship. He stops and thinks where to go.

"Where's the bridge, again?" Gold muses when he turned the wrong way as he sees marines battling aliens. The Elites shoots at the young Spartan which he runs for his life while the other marines saved him from his death.

"Oh, you got kidding me." Gold moaned.

30 minutes later, he got there in time. He evaded all Covenant units that nearly gotten killed him by needlers, plasma pistols, and plasma rifles. He enters the bridge tiresome as the crews are trying their best while the space battle rages on despite they are losing.

"Ok, now I'm here at last." Gold wheezes to see Captain Keyes who is manually controlling the ship. Earlier, Master Chief came and took Cortana [9] to get her out of the ship due how important to the UNSC or even to humanity. Now, they left the ship with a escape pod.

"Good to see you Gold. I got an assignment for you." Keyes is glad before the ship is going down which that they lost their main cannon earlier. He has a special plan for Gold. Gold didn't like the sound of that which raises his eyebrow even though you cannot see his face due of his helmet.

"Is that involving me killed?"

"Maybe, it's just simple mission. Just protect the A.I [10] unit that I will handle you over."

"What A.I unit?" Gold asked to wonder why.

"Crystal?" Keyes ordered which Crystal [11] appears and Gold is shock to see a beautiful female A.I unit appeared before his eyes. She has two pig tails with bended end. Her eyes were crystal blue. As a A.I unit, her color is Crystal color. Strangely enough that A.I. has a physical appearance of a 16-17 year old girl. But she wears a lab coat with a skirt, pink shirt, and bike shorts underneath the skirt.

"Huh? What's this? It's oddly different about this place? Where I am? And who is this guy? Crystal boot up only to see upon Spartan-II looking at her. Gold looks at her which something seems look familiar.

"So, I'm going to protect...her?"

"You are. Also she's different from any A.I units. Anyways, your mission is simple. Just keep her away from the Convent they will know everything including Earth."

"I got it."

"I know if you."

"Yeah, I got this."

"Good.", as Keyes pulls A.I chip and give it to Gold.

"Good Luck and please don't mess this up for love of humanity."

"Trust me. I just to put this in my helmet and." As Gold inserts into his helmet with a slight pinch which it didn't matter to him. Crystal enters the mind of Gold's helmet with she has command of the software data.

"Strange, your mind is a lot different from mind" Crystal wondered to see a mind of a Spartan soldier. In fact she sees software that she fixed and upgrade to the current version.

"Just don't play around my mind. So, let's go! But where to?" Gold told the A.I. which kind of weird for him to have a gal inside his head. He hopes that she can help him to fight in battles.

"What's your name?" the A.I. asked to the Spartan as Gold avoids the firefight.

"Um, the name's Gold. I'm glad to meet you." Gold replied as he grabs an assault rifle to fight the Covenant forces head on.

"Well, Gold. My name is Crystal or you could call me Crys. Wait, I did heard about you over the records of the Spartan-II program." Crystal greets herself, but Gold uninterested in the moment.

"Where's the escape pods? I need to get out of here." Gold worried that the ship will explode at any moment.

"Are you listening at all? Are you bit worried that safety of me? For Humanity at all? If you going to survive at all, at least listen to me for advice at all" Crystal sighs. That kind of ticks off Gold to hear from a A.I. unit that giving him a lecture what to do. Ever since his training, he hates lectures.

"Don't tell me you're like those super serious Gals who are serious and proper!" Gold mentally yelled at her. He fires his assault rifle against a group of grunts who gotten killed in a matter of seconds. Gold continues on as he goes deeper into the ship.

"What's worse being serious?" Crystal asked to Gold which goes out as he finds the battle wages on. He ducks and dodges the plasma fire from the Elites whom are very difficult for Gold to beat. But he was able to beat them.

"Hey, keep your head down. There are two of us in here. At least don't get shot in the head." Crystal shouted which Gold countered more grunts and their Elite officers.

"What you want me to do then?" Gold asked Crystal since she's the "Expert". He continues to fire back as he threw a grenade to a group of grunt as they had gotten killed by the blast.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. My plans always work." Gold prideful said as Crystal pouted to say.

"Liar." Crystal sighed. Gold continues to fight the Covenant forces which he has gotten lost in the ship again. Gold heads to a dead-end.

"Damn it!" Gold cursed.

"I told you." Crystal tells Gold which made him mad.

"So, where are the pods?"

"It's where all the marines are going to."

"Thank you, Captain obvious." Gold sarcastically as he went with the Marines in the pods. They go around the ship to find, but found one pod with no crew thus beginning of a long mission into the Halo. Which Gold going to get nagged by super serious A.I. and Crystal going with one reckless Spartan-II Warrior.

They were heading to a strange world where our two beings in one body are about to enter an adventure

notes:
Covenant: Halo series' group of Alien races who bent on wiping out the human race. Armed with high-tech weaponry, they are can be deadly. They are according to their species that formed the Caste system. Go to Halo Wiki to understand the Covenant.

Spartan-II program was a Super Soldiers where Master Chief is among the last kind of the Spartan-IIs.

Reach is a major point in the story where it is a UNSC fortress world and critical to the UNSC where Fall of Reach was major deciding factor of the war.

Pillar of Autumn is a Halcyon-Class Light crusier of the UNSC navy.

The Spartan numbers which Master Chief is refer to the Bible while Spartan-721 is referred for those who don't get it is referred Gold's Birthday.

Main character of the Halo Series.

Gold is a Pokémon Special character and the main focus of the story.

Sangheili or called Elites, they are higher Caste class where they are proud warriors in the Covenant where poses a greater threat to Humanity.

Cortana is UNSC AI. In the Halo universe, AI in this story has two systems. One is dumb that covers the tedious tasks while Smart AI like Cortana are much faster and powerful than the dumb AI.

Crystal is a Pokémon Special Character.

 

Disclaimer: Halo belongs to Bungie, Industries 343, and Microsoft. Pokémon owned by Nintendo. SO, none of this is not mine.

If you don't understand the Halo Series, the notes are at the end of the chapter. All Chapters will have notes for the reader to understand.

Chapter 2: Stupid Reckless Spartan

While Pillar of Autumn crashes down into the Halo ring, the escape pod containing Gold and Crystal has landed to crash violently in the surface. The impact forced the pod to open that left Gold unconscious in the ground. Gold's helmet boots up with information processing as Crystal woke up as she gathers information. Due that she is AI which gives her advantage to process faster than normal human being.

She checks the software and data information in his body armor system. "Everything looks fine. The armor system is ok. Any part of the body damaged? There's none. Checking on the state of mind?" Crystal checks the status of her host. She gets a message stated: Spartan-721 is unconscious.

"That figures. Wake up!" Crystal shouted woken the Spartan up surprised. He puts his hand over his helmet only to see the night sky of the Halo ring. The environment looks so similar to a local wildlife on Earth.

"OW, where are we, right now?" Gold complained as he scans the area. Gold looks around at what they crash into. Gold grabs the assault rifle nearby and loads a magazine into the weapon.

"Looks like we are in some alien planet ring or something?" Crystal points out as she sees this though his helmet.

"Hey, I thought you're the expert at this?"

"Have you ever learned anything in basic training at all?"

"Uh....."

Gold thought back into 6 years ago when he was flirting with the female Spartans back in Reach.

"HI, what's your name? Can I take you to dinner?" Gold asked a female Spartan. She was getting uneasy because she has training to do.

"Get away from you, you pervert!" Female Spartan said as she punches Gold right into the skies of Reach. His training is overseen by two UNSC officials.

"Umm, I don't think he's Spartan or not even he's a soldier at all."

"Of Course he is. I don't know why he is part of the training program. All he does is flirting with women at all despite of his combat performance is very good, but reckless as well. Besides that, he as a training mission." UNSC official said as they see Gold hit the window at the building as they were.

"There is no hope for humanity due of him. Why I got assign to him? I need a vacation. Put him in suspension for constant sexually harassment again for three weeks."

Back to the present where Gold walking in the ring as he carries Assault rifle. He stops for a moment to sit down on a rock.

"Nope, they didn't teach us that. What was the point of it?" Gold remarked as he sees the Halo Ring in its wonders.

"According to records, we must reach to another....." Crystal lectured to Gold until he cut her off.

"Please for the love of humanity, just stop being so serious. Can you ever stop being so serious and loosen up?" Gold angrily remarked of how he despised being lectured. And it's not only that, she is in his helmet which constant being told by her what to do and doesn't like the feeling of that.

"What's wrong being serious!?" Crystal angrily responded to the Spartan. They continue to bickering as they stumbled upon an abandon old building. It appears that no one was home which Gold is curious about that building that no covenant origin.

"Looks like a strange building with freak symbols on them. What could it be?" Gold asked to Crystal as she monitors it from Gold's helmet.

"Looks the building was 100,000 years ago or more at least?" Crystal analyzed the building with scanning mode on the Gold's helmet which annoyed Gold to extent he didn't want to know. He stops by the door.

"Yeah, you can tell by age of that building. Besides nobody lives in this...." Gold said when he opens the door to see a group of Covenant grunts [1] doing the usual business like playing cards and smoking methane out a bong until they turned around to see Gold.

"How I shut this door?" Gold panicked.

"You reckless idiot!" Crystal remarked.

"Kill him!" grunt said as the entire Grunt squad has their guns point at him which Gold run away and found a rock to take cover.

"Wah! I don't want to die!" Gold complained as he shoots back. He starts fighting the covenant which he manage to kill 8 grunts in the process.

"Spartan? Pull back! Call for reinforcements!" One of the Elites [2] said as they appeared along with the Grunts.

"Yes, sir!"

"We will get him, but we must retire! Fall back!" Elite ordered the squad to fall back. That surprises Gold as he comes out of his cover which covered by needles and laser burns.

"They're pulling back." Gold cheers as the Covenant forces retreat until more drop ships came by. This surprises Gold along with shocked Crystal.

"Damnit!" Gold cursed as Jackals [3], Elites, and Grunts come out to fight Gold. The one leading them was an Elite Major named, Sil Veree [4] steps out of the drop ship.

"What's the report?" Sil Veree asked one of the Elite minors.

"There's a human Spartan out there."

"Is he armed with?"

"Primitive weapons, but powerful despite of that."

"He's outnumbered, frontal assault. Make sure he doesn't come out alive." Sil Veree ordered as the entire battalion attack Gold with pure sheer numbers.

"Damnit, out of ammo. This will do!" Gold cursed out and sees a needler and uses it to take out Covenant soldiers. He grabs the needler ammo to fight on.

"There are Jackals on your left flank." Crystal tells Gold which he was take his shots very well as he took out as well.

"Got bright ideas?" Gold asked to Crystal.

"I'm thinking." Crystal answered to Gold as she is very critical thinking moment how to get out. More and more covenant soldiers are getting here which making Gold getting nervous and angry while Crystal's thinking had enough of him.

"That's it, I'm doing it!" Gold gets up and runs towards the entire Covenant battalion which surprises the grunts and jackals.

"What are you doing!?" Crystal yelled at Gold. Gold beats up the Grunts and the Jackals while he fires the needler at the Elites which he is able to kill them. Over the hill, Sil Veree witness his battalion is getting killed.

"Tell our units to pull back."

"But....honor demand that you..."

"I rather lose my head than risk my entire battalion wipe out by this inferior fiend." Sil Veree said as he signals the retreat. The Battalion retreats which left many dead to the hands of Gold, as he finally did it.

"Here, I did it." Gold sighed.

"You.....are...a.....stupid....reckless...Idiotic....SPARTAN!" Crystal yelled madly at him which made his eardrums broken would cause him to become deaf.

"Hey, at least we come out ok."

"You could think before you act."

"What about those things coming closer while you think which it will get us killed someday?"

"At least I know how to think unlike you."

"Are you implying that I don't know how to fight?"

"Why I gotten chosen to the likes of you, a brainless idiot? You're nothing special as a Spartan."

"Hey! I didn't want to become a Spartan first; I blame the UNSC for kidnapping me. If I wasn't here, you couldn't end up being captured by the Covenant." Gold said which made Crystal flinched. He climbs up into the hill as he sits down to nearby rock. He begins to thinking about something about he remembered something.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Crystal asked.

"Oh, nothing. How did you...." Gold was about to asked to know why Crystal was able to know what he was thinking.

"I'm a program. What were you thinking?" Crystal asked.

"Nothing. It's just nothing. I'm just sorry for out bursting at you." Gold said.

"Apology accepted. Don't worry it's normal for human being mad." Crystal said.

"I wanted to ask you something. How and where you came from?" Gold wondered that to know something.

"I'm a special case." Crystal answered to his question. That gotten Gold's attention to ask her more.

"Special Case?"

"It's a long story. It all began 6 years ago at a UNSC base."

"I got time." Gold wanted to her to tell him the story. He begins to listen to her story.

Notes:
Grunts are called Unggoy. They are the mainstray of the Covenant forces as cannon fodder, workers, and other grunt work.

Elites or known as Sangheili are saurian species of strong, proud, and intelligent warriors are the backbone of the Covenant military.

Jackals or commonly known by species name, Kig-Yar. They are mercenaries and privateers. In combat, they are snipers, shock troopers, defensive fighters, and scouts.

Silver's Sangheili name. Yes, he is a Sangheili. I know it's strange, but I would like have a one of the characters to be one of the Sangheili. But you will see soon.

 

Chapter 3: A.I story

6 years ago in Reach, in a computer lab in a UNSC military complex building, 5 years ago as a 50s years old scientist is working a critical data for the UNSC. He has a picture of his grandson and his late wife who looked like the older version of Crystal. Suddenly, his assistant comes in with paper work.

"Professor Oak, are you're sure about the A.I program?"

"Yes, I am. It will keep data I gathered about UNSC including Earth. I intend to keep the work as well. Not only that, an AI assistant as well."

"I thought you created a unit by now. Now, you suggest to switch from your mind from your late wife's mind?"

"I know, but something it just....pop out of my mind recently. Something out a dream or that I knew about in the past before. I want to create an AI based on her. For her."

"I see. I will start the program soon as possible."

"Make sure it goes fine. Contract Halsey to get the permission to allow it." Professor Oak stands up. In a UNSC office, a scientist comes to Dr. Halsey, head of the Spartan Program and the AI program. He comes in with the paper regarded to Professor Oak's ask.

"Dr. Halsey, Professor Oak has requested to create A.I unit."

"He may do it ahead. Permission?"

"Yes?"

"He had switch from his mind to his late wife's mind."

"Mrs. Oak. I do recalled her. She was a good fine of mine. We were roommates back in Collage."

"Are you sure that you want him to do that?"

"I cannot say it's unorthodox, but it's up to him."

"Yes, ma'am" UNSC scientist said as he goes back to Professor Oak.

"You may do."

"I hope so. It just....the idea has come out of nowhere." Professor Oak commented as they start construction the A.I based on professor Oak's idea to gave birth of "Crystal". The AI wakes up to as it opens her eyes.

"Where I am?" Crystal weakly asked.

"Welcome, Crystal." Professor Oak greets the AI unit.

"Who am I?" Crystal wondered as she looks at her hands and to Oak.

"You're Crystal. You're an AI unit."

"A.I. unit?" Crystal asked the Professor Oak with curiosity.

"A computer program or normally called artificial intelligence. A computer program to hold valuable data, but you would help me in my works. You are made for vital information and based on my late wife."

"It seems so. What's my purpose? What I should do?" Crystal asked. They began to explain to Crystal as they upload the results to Crystal. They began to work with each other as Crystal became Professor Oak's assistant. Present day, where Gold sits in the setting sun as listens to Crystal's story which to wonder why she came from.

"So, you were from a scientist's wife, right?" Gold doubted where she came from. He only heard it from his basic training about dumb and smart AIs. Dumb AIs are more city administers and workers to help humans while Smart AIs are more designed to withstand more than Dumb AI.

"Yeah, I did. I was given the task to help humans."

"Anyways, what they do to you? And why you were in the Pillar of Autumn at the first place?"

"I just a malfunction and....."

"Why they put you in the storage?" Gold asked only to realize her situation.

"It figures after my self-awareness. No one knows why it happen, it just I grew more intelligent as I gathered more data. It's been like this for 6 years."

"Wait, what? What made you to go self-awareness?"

"I just.....I wanted to become a normal girl after all. But that's not going to happen." Crystal said as Gold continues to walking.

"I see, then. They could build you a body?"

"They could, but that's impossible because we don't have that technology. That's far ahead of us." Crystal sadly said which made Gold wondered, but shook the feeling.

"Oh.....I hope there's a machine can transform you into a real gal. But don't worry, things do happen. Sooner or later"

"Do you always talk to people like that?"

"It depends. You are a very bossy. Sometimes." Gold pouted out which she is very bossy in his own point of view like last time. He halts and takes a break from walking.

"It's not my fault. I am a critical thinker in times like this. We should analyze things before doing it."

"I save your life." Gold pointed out.

"Like what? by risking your life in the line? You got to think before you act!" Crystal yelled.

"Not so loud. I mean you're one tough computer super serious gal."

"Stop calling me." Crystal said angrily.

"Oh, come on it fits you." Gold remarked that made Crystal blushing. Wait, she notices something is wrong with her.

"What's wrong?"

"Ah, nothing. Just nothing is wrong." Crystal said while Gold stands up and checks his assault rifle ammo count.

"Ever wonder what's like being human?" Crystal asked as Gold reacted to her question.

"Well, I'm no man-made. I think I feel....." Gold wondered since why he is human.

"I just know humans are just full of chemicals and fluids. It's just what's like to have human emotions?"

"I don't know. I don't have all the answers to everything." Gold said as only to see the sun setting.

"Well, let's get out of here before more come."

"Let's go....that way." Crystal said as she directs Gold's helmet which shows the arrow marker to go.

"Are you telling my helmet to go?"

"Yep!" Crystal said in a cheery tone.

"Ok then. I begin to understand why you are a special case." Gold sarcastic said that to know why she is a critical thinker in the first place.

"It just I am unique."

"Of course, you are." Gold sarcastically as he walk in the Halo ring with no one at sight until nightfall came in which Gold found a cave to sleep in.

"I'm getting sleepy. Goodnight." Gold closes his eyes to dream while Crystal goes to sleep mode. They are going to sleep in the night. Gold is walk to wandering around in a blank state until he sees Crystal.

"Hey, Super Serious Gal?" Gold asked. She turns around to see Gold, but it's not the same Crystal. She is wearing biker shorts, pink shirt, and a jacket. Also she was real person as well to his reaction.

"Wait! Wait up, Super Serious Gal? When did you get those clothing?" Gold asked again, but she didn't move or say anything. Suddenly, she moves back away from Gold.

"Hey, where are you going?" Gold worried as he chased after her. Then she stops only to turn around to a cliff.
"Come on, I want to ask you something." Gold asked as suddenly, her appearance changes as her clothes into blue overalls, red shirt, puffy hat, brown hair, brown eyes, and her hair is more curve than blend. Gold trembles upon the sight and begins to run away.

"No. It can't be....No!" Gold whimpered until suddenly alarm in his helmet woke him up. Morning came; Gold goes into the Halo ring in the jungle. Gold steps on the puddle as he scans the area which it was nothing there to begin with. Gold sighed as he continues to walk as vines hit him while mud covered his golden reddish-colored armor suit.

"Where am I, so far?"

"The jungle, duh! Have you ever checked the maps?" Crystal wondered why he didn't follow the map at all.

"No, but great we stuck in middle of nowhere. I could be going around in circles." Gold complained that he is beginning to thinking that he is walking around or going nowhere.

"I think there is a building nearby."

"In that creep-looking temple, seems reasonable enough." Gold said as he enters the building which as alerted as he aim his assault rifle. But everything is clear as Gold relaxed knowing covenant units are not here to bother him.

"I hope what could happen to the others."

"I hope nothing bad happens to me."

"Like what?" Crystal sighed to wonder why that Gold said that.

"You know about stuff are about to occurred about Aliens have a flawed system and yet they are wrong at something." Gold pointed out. Meanwhile at the High Charity, a space station where the Convent's leadership resides there which one of the leaders sneezed loudly.

"Ah Choo!" Prophet of Truth sneezes as the 2 others, Prophet of Mercy and Prophet of Truth came to the Prophet of Truth after he sneezed.

"What's wrong?" Prophet of Mercy asked.

"Am I getting a cold?" Prophet of Regret wondered why Prophet of Truth sneezed for.

"Or someone is talking bad about you?"
"Like Who?"

"I don't know." Prophet of Truth wondered as he looks at the Covenant fleet. While, at the Halo ring, which Gold is walking deeper into the building as he scans the symbols with curiosity to know what they are and what they do.

"What are they?" Gold wondered.

"I believe its forerunner."

"How you know?"

"I have data that not even Cortana ever had." Crystal said as Gold dumb fold when she said it.

"I thought she was.....better than you."

"What are you implying?" Crystal asked.

"Um, nothing. It's just a statement." Gold said as he goes into the stairs. He looks around until he halts for a moment. It seems that Gold wonder about the building,

"Hey, Crys." Gold asked

"Uh? What you mean Crys?" Crystal wondered that why Gold is asking, but his asked her by shorted name.

"What you want me to call you? Super serious gal or Crys?" Gold asked to Crystal which she halts for a moment.

"I think Crys is more right enough for me." Crystal said with soft tone while it seems that made Gold smiled. Gold continued to walk around as both Gold and Crystal are talking to each about the Forerunner symbols that Crystal mentions.

 

Chapter 4: Captured by Covenant!

In the jungle, Gold entered deeper into the Temple with assault rifle at his hand, but got an eerie feeling that something is following them.

"Great, more freakily structures so far. I hope things would get interesting here." Gold said as he scans the area.

"What you expect? A Lost Civilization?" Crystal remarked known he's worrying about that as she was. Gold takes a few steps inside. He looks around to see know there could be enemy units in the area unlike the last meet.

"Ok, we have to very careful or unless we get to trouble."

"Like what? I mean what kind of trouble I can run to?" Gold said until Elite punch him in the head with his plasma rifle. Gold collapsed into the floor.

"Gold? What happen? What's going on?" Crystal panicked while the Elites come near to Gold's body.

"Take him to the ship. I hope we can get information from him." One of them ordered the grunts to carry his body. They remove his helmet showing his true face as his messy hair which his unique bangs puffs up when the helmet removed. Moments later, Gold wakes up to find himself in a cell of the Covenant cruiser.

"Ow, what hit me in the head? What the? Where am I? Where's my helmet? Crys?" Gold panicked to search for his helmet until the guard came by.

"Puny human, you like what 5, 4 and a demon?" Sangheili speaking in his language

"What bigger demons scare you?" Gold grins at the alien warrior knowing that they are afraid of other Spartans like Master Chief. He can understand Sangheili due to his experience of their language.

"At least I die in honor!"

"What did you with my helmet?"

"Don't worry about that. We take good...care of it." Elite said as he walks away and laughs manically. Gold bangs the force shields with no avail. He grunts down to the floor.

"Damn it! I can't believe this that I blew it. They have her and not able to get rid of my virginity before I die. This sucks even more. I hope Crystal is ok, I'm sure she can take care of this. I hope." Gold said as he tends to stay hopeful knowing that things will turn out well for him. In the Ship torture room, they are trying to unlock human's secret data on the AI unit. The same guard from before came into the room to know the progress.

"Um, sir?"

"What now?"

"The enemy A.I is proven a tough one to crack."

"Why is that?"

"Look!" One of them said as they look at the room to see a torturer to break her.

"Where's your human home world?"

"How about no? I never let you to wipe out the human race." Crystal defiantly said until someone came in.

"There are ways to force her to talk." The guest stated.

"Major Sil veree. What honor that bought you here?" as the torturer bowed to him.

"Let me handle this." Sil veree suggested as the torturer left the room. He comes close to the AI unit.

"My dear lady, why do you refuse to give us the data about the humans?" Sil veree asked the AI unit.

"Try to torture me and I will never give you information."

"I would like to have a talk with you. My name is Sil veree." Sil veree greets Crystal.

"My name is Crystal. Why you being so...." Crystal is unsure of her captors that this one is different.

"Friendly. It is a principle of having manners. Tell me, why the humans don't give up?"

"So, why is that?"

"To end this war once and for. Or else we will had no choice to wipe them all out. Even your friend holding up in the cell. The same one who killed my troops under my command." Sil Veree said as Crystal looks away knowing that if she gives up the info to them, humanity is doomed. But Gold is locked up and will be in danger.

"I cannot."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"I will not let you to wipe out the human race because your religion demands it. It's wrong!"

"Then it seems we have to torture your protector to make you speak."

"Please, no!

"It seems he's a threat to our operations. Allowing him free is not option for you to exchange information for his release. But why would a human-built program like yourself slave around by humans. Yet, you care about them? A machine without emotions cared of one human?"

"I'm much different kind of AI." Crystal said as at the Ship command center been an alarm as a small squad of marines has entered the ship.

"What's the problem?"

"We got something weird in levels 9 and 8."

"Patch it in the main screen!" one of the Elite officers ordered one of the crew member to display the screen.

"What the f*&^k?"

"See, lot of our units is either dead or missing."

"What about our patrol units?"

"We lost contract with them."

"Damn it!" Elite cursed until a strange explosion noise is heard.

"What is that?"

"I don't know, sir."

"Sir, we lost contract from levels 7 to 3."

"So fast? Who is doing this? Humans?"

"There is small enemy force in level 2."

"Get Hekemee's squad from cell center and make sure no prisoner escaped from there."

"Yes, sir." One of the Elites responded while at the cell room as Gold is planning his escape.

"Great, I have figured a way out of this cell. I got to think here to get out of there." Gold complains as he is thinking a plot his escape from his captors.

"I got nothing to think about. Crap, what I do? Crystal helps me in this situation. Wait, they got my helmet. Darn those mark V helmets." Gold said when he sees the guard.

"Hey, you."

"What you want?"

"I have to go to the restroom you see."

"So, do it in your cell."

"I know, but it's a serious case of...polio food poison which I can throw up in this cell with no more to move and besides I know place of Earth in exchange for the restroom." Gold tries serious to trick the guard.

"Never heard humans have that disease before. And Earth you say? But wait, what if you are not lying?"

"Yeah, the restroom is only cure for it. Would I lie about it?"

"Well, ok. But this one time only so no monkey business thinking you can escape."

"Dude, trust me I am very sick now." Gold tells the Elite Guards as they go in the hallways to the restroom.

"You got 5 minutes."

"Got it." Gold muses and enters the restroom as he looks for anything to fit his bidding.

"This will do. That is one weird-looking plunger to do my bidding for my great escape. I hope I can knock him out with this. Man, these toilets are strange-looking." Gold picks up the toilet plunger which it is a strange shape unlike those on Earth.

"5 minutes is up and..." Elite said as he is hit in the head and drops on the ground unconscious.

"Stupid! What a dumbass?" Gold smirks as he takes his plasma rifle which amuses him.

"So, how you work this thing?" Gold said that he figures out how to use it and fires which surprises him firing plasma bolts out of the plasma rifle.

"Figures. So, where I go to find Crys in this ship somehow." Gold muses when an explosion noises are heard throughout the ship hallways.

"What is that? Whatever it is? I cannot die here with getting score." Gold runs in the hallways while the firefight rages on.

"I got to go find her." Gold gets lost couple times meanwhile Master Chief recuse Captain Keyes which Gold literal pass by.
"I hope this right place." Gold hopefully as he opens the door.

"Super Serious Gal? Where are you?" Gold scans the room. He sees Crystal in the table.

"GOLD! WATCH OUT!" Crystal warned Gold when suddenly Gold turns around to see red armored Elite welding an energy sword.

"So, you're a Spartan she mentioned before? I knew you before!" Sil veree asked Gold as he blocks his way to Crystal.

"I don't speak alien. So, can you move out-of-the-way so we can go our way?" Gold points the plasmas rifle at Si lveree.

"That seems impossible. She will be away and end this war. So, don't you even think losing your life over a program?" Sil veree remarked, but Gold steps forward.

"I won't do that. I got orders." Gold said that he remembered that he has orders from Captain Keyes from before. But the ship rocked when an explosion throwing Gold and Silver off-balance. Gold sees the a chance to get his helmet while he gets Crystal and puts her inside the helmet and goes to the hanger to find a banshee to make his escape. Silver woke up to see the AI unit is gone and the Spartan as well.

"Damn it!" Sil veree cursed when other Elite came to him.

"Major! We have been attack by human squad and a demon."

"What?! How did they...Never mind? I need to report information to our commander."

"Yes, sir." as Elite leaves Sil veree. Sil veree sees the hole on the ship and went to the hanger to see a Banshee flies out.

"One day, golden eye demon. Your head will be mine." Sil Veree muses as he reports the situation commander of the Covenant fleet.

 

Chapter 5: Halo array gone frenzy

After the escape from the Covenant cruiser, Gold flies around in a banshee, which discovered island with an opening as he flew in there. It's a huge tunnel amazed Gold seen. Not only that, he's amazed by the Halo ring as in terms of the environment those of Earth.

"What's this going to?" Gold wondered as he goes deeper in the tunnels. He guides the Banshee into the tunnels.

"I wonder this tunnel will lead us to?" Crystal sarcastic doubting his flying skills as he flies the banshee into the tunnel.

"Glee, I wonder?" Gold pouted out with hint of annoyance. Gold flies around as he finds a way to an entrance to get out of the tunnels.

"You do know you can stupid sometimes. Why did Captain Keyes entrusted to you?" Crystal wondering that is why Captain Keyes entrusted him to protect her at all and wondering why it seems he is there to begin with.

"Yeah, I heard that all the time." Gold replied as he landed on a strange pad. He gets out of the Banshee. He prepares himself for an attack, but he stops to see something.

"Man, someone did the work here." Gold remarked to see dead bodies along the way. That surprises Gold that he wanted to get some of the action.

"Oh, well at least no enemies around here and those are here are dead." Gold said as he pokes the body of the jackal with a stick which it appeared out of nowhere.

"I see." Crystal remarked as Gold enters the door to see more dead bodies ahead of him.

"Well, I get moving. Also I have to carry you in my head."

"At least I can give you advice in battle." Crystal remarked what happen to last time. But she is very thankful that Gold was able to force the Covenant battalion unit to retreat to battle. That somehow admired Crystal of Gold's reckless, but very luck-based strategy and tactics which it was unique.

"Thank you for the info." Gold complain to Crystal for her knowledge to his extent to annoy him which he considered her as a nuisance than a helper in contrast. They continue to walk in a long way. It seems to go on forever to Gold's tiredness and getting bored with constant walking until they have reach to the Halo command center which it was a long walk, but they were stragglers along the way which mostly by Grunts and Jackals who didn't get killed by Master Chief.

That pleases Gold to kill them with joy which much to dismay to Crystal, but knew what he has to do. He continues his path where the Master Chief went. Only covenant stragglers can pick up a weak fight against Gold with much ease. Gold would a crack a joke to the grunts who run away that even they attempt to run away from him.

"OK, someone forget to kill those guys and. Whoa! Look at this place is huge!" Gold screamed to see the wonders that why a Halo ring can hold a place such as a large room which to his own surprise. He goes near the terminal, but doesn't noticed the lights are blinking that something is not right.

"Look, connect me to that terminal." Crystal asked to Gold.

"OK." Gold puts Crystal into the terminal. The blinking goes blue to red when suddenly another AI appeared, it's Cortana herself.

"What's going on?" Cortana shouted which made Gold gets scared by another UNSC A.I unit appeared right front of him.

"Another A.I unit?" Gold wondered and wanted to know why Cortana is there in the first place. That means Master Chief was here before Gold came here.

"Who this another A.I unit in the system?" Cortana demanded as Crystal comes back as well.

"Cortana!"

"Crystal, long time no see. How you been girl?"

"It's all cool, I guess. How you been?"

"Nothing much, girl. Why take you out of storage?" Cortana asked to Crystal

"You know vital data and stuff."

"Figures. Who is this Spartan?" Cortana asked as she faces towards Gold.

"Oh, he's Gold. We are partners in a top-secret mission: to protect me. How unoriginal is that" Crystal replied.

"I see that...Isn't this the..." Cortana said as she turns to Gold as he grins at Cortana.

"HI! You want go with me?" Gold asked until his armor got locked. This shocked Gold unaware what's going on.

"What the? What is this? Why I'm stuck?" Gold whined as he tries to move without avail.

"I hope this lecher will stop for now." Cortana told to Gold as she turns to Crystal.

"So what's happening? What are you here in the first place?" Crystal asked to Cortana.

"Well, I have this massive data about this ring hold a terrible danger to all us."

"Danger? What kind of danger?" Crystal worried to wonder what's going on since she is barely getting much data she can.

"A terrible thing that Covenant fears the most not even them can't stop it."

"I see and...."

"You must get out of here!" Cortana warned to Crystal. Cortana's words made Crystal worried.

"Why is that? I don't understand."

"You must get out here before they come or we will end up becoming them."

"I understand, Cortana." Crystal said as she looks at Gold.

"I will unlock him if he understands."

"I understand." Crystal said as she goes back to the chip while Cortana turn to Gold.

"Good luck." Cortana said to Crystal as she unlocks Gold which Gold relieved to move around

"What happened?"

"Pull Crystal out of the Terminal. Get out of here! Find the Pillar of Autmn!" Cortana ordered to Gold which he is getting confused what's going around.

"Ok and then?"

"Crystal will tell you along the way."

"Sure, ba....." Gold said only to try to use a pick up line again, but Cortana cut him off.

"Don't call me babe or armor lock again."

"Ok. You're like Super Serious Gal in a way. Like 100 times more serious than her." Gold responded in fear left the control room before he gets Crystal out of the terminal. He runs out of the control room as he inserts the clip into his helmet wanted to ask Crystal about the situation which he doesn't know what is going on.

"So, what is going?" Gold asks Crystal to wonder situation Cortana was talking about.

"I will explain things when we out of here."

"I hate things has unexpected like the Covenant or worse. Like something far worse." Gold sadly complain when they reach outside. They had gotten out of the canyon to begin their long trek to go to the ship crashed down. They saw covenant units in their path, but Gold with his writs or recklessly to fight his way out. But since it was a long way to the reach as which Gold and Crystal began having conversations to kill time to get there.

"That's why Reach got destroyed because of you are unlucky?" Crystal pouted at Gold's story which he was on a UNSC ship that Covenant places a tracking signal in it.

"Well, I was a spaceship that has a tracking device and it got the planet destroyed. The ship captain didn't know the tracking device was on the ship. I blamed him instead." Gold muses to the fact which he was on that ship didn't regard of unlucky moment.

"Terrible." Crystal sigh to his antics.

"I hope nothing trouble comes." Gold remarked until noises are heard out of nowhere. That frightens Gold which he was holding on his assault rifle. He keeps his senses as it were something danger is approaching him. He has sharp reflexes and keeps his wits up.

"What the hell was that?" Gold said as he relaxed and lowers the assault rifle, but still worrying that something is going to happen.

"I forgot to mention those are the ones. We should leave the ring. Also they will try to kill us. Like right now!"

"Great, I have faced those...." Gold remarked to know what's he going to face. One flood combat form look like a zombie version Sangheili with plant-like features looking at Gold.

"They are the Flood, outer space zombies."

"Zombies?" Gold recalled as he remembers zombie movies back on his days which creeps him out, but knows how to deal with them.

"So, they are so slow and so stupid that they can't use a gun. What could be worse?" Gold said until a gunshot is heard as the Flood combat forms carry all weapons. This shock Gold to see that they are fast and carrying guns which it is going become a tough fight for him.

"Or maybe not." Crystal said as the Flood attack Gold with infection forms, infected humans, and infected covenant forms.

"Crap! NEVER MIND!? WAHHHH! I DIDN"T GET DRAFTED FOR THIS!" Gold shouted as he runs for his life from the Flood as they chase him out of the area. But there's always more flood coming to his way which much to dismay.

"I didn't expect this to happen!" Gold whined. He throws a grenade at a group of Flood as exploded into bits.

 

Chapter 6: Attack of the Flood

In the Halo ring, Gold runs for his life from the Flood swarms attacking him. He fires back at the Flood forms. He narrowly escapes, but more flood forms started to appear with larger numbers. It looks things are looking good in his part as he flee and fight his way in the ring across to get somewhere to find something to get off the ring and return to Earth.

"Man, how big is this ring?" Gold remarked as the Halo is huge unlike he never seen before. He never thought that the Halo ring is super huge except only scientist knows the true diameter of the ring. It happens to be Crystal who worked with a scientist before.

"Roughly diameter about size of Mercury I would say." Crystal retorted to calculate the Halo ring's structure. Gold fires with his shotgun at the Flood form exploded more infection forms came out.

"Aw, crap. What we do to get out of this ring?" Gold whined as he continued to fire his assault rifle at a flood form.

"Maybe I should check the Enemy's battle network to know what's going on." Crystal said as she scans and hacks the Covenant battle network.

"I thought this mission is getting worse by the minute." Gold complained that nothing can go wrong except for something is following him. It was a flood forms are coming after him.

"Anything?"

"Just checking. Please, Can you wait for 5 minutes if I come up with something?" Crystal said angrily as she checks the Covenant battle network which in it will take time. But Gold is very impatient to wait for her to get the information due of the Flood swarms are coming towards him.

"We got two options is either to die trying or die for nothing. How about giving up? Giving up is easy, I mean we can live without dying at all." Gold said as he fires at the Flood form with a shotgun. He pumps the shotgun to fire again at a Flood form. More coming towards him as they never seem to end.

"We can't give up now besides we barely on this ring for a few days. Stop complaining"

"Oh, sure. Could not get any worse from this?" Gold sarcastic said as more flood forms are coming towards him in the distance.

"It could be."

"Like what? Such as?" Gold remarked until Flood combat forms and infected forms came to him. Gold can stare at them with notion he was wrong.

"You have to open your big mouth?" Crystal pouted to the fact that more came due of his loud mouth.

"Oh, that. Run!" Gold shouted as he runs with his life while the flood chases him. He threw a grenade which blew up a group of flood.

"But do they look uglier as they appeared up close!" Gold pointed out as they go around the ring with comedy stretch show ways as Gold hides in a tree, random building with door chasing as Gold encounters alien dinosaur who about to eat him as he rushing closes it. In an open plain, he is surrounding by the Flood.

"Oh, crap. What I do?" Gold said as more flood are coming towards him. He continuously fires his shotgun and his pistol at the flood which able to take them down. He was going down to his last clips while holding off of the swarm.

"Wait, I got an idea." Crystal told Gold while he fires his pistol towards a flood combat form.

"What?" Gold said as he perks up to hear Crystal's plan.

"Get on the warthog!" Crystal said as she directs his helmet by pointing to a warthog nearby. Gold takes this hint to get on the warthog as they escape from the Flood. He continues to drive on his way. He is enjoying to run over the flood in large numbers.

"OHHHHH." Gold drive while he runs over the flood which too much surprise for Gold. He fought his way out of the flood as he taking a break away from the Flood. He gets off of the warthog and sat down on a rock. Gold is surprises that neither flood nor covenant are here to stop Gold.

Gold is now relaxed that which too much for he has a crazy adventure that he expected in terms he faced and battle space zombies and killer alien alliance to wipe out the human race. What could be worse for Gold to handle and the other than Crystal, an A.I. unit in his helmet?

"Now, I got rid of them. What now? Hey, Super Serious Gal?"

"What I told you about calling me that!" Crystal shouted which in the cyberspace of Gold's helmet which she is blushing when he said that.

"I am beginning to wonder you like that nickname since you're all serious and strict." Gold smirk which made Crystal upset over the fact she doesn't like called like that, but Gold begs to differ.

"Anyways. Gold, what you want?" Crystal asked to wonder why Gold was asking her first.

"What you know about me?" Gold wondered why she does the fact why she put up with him.

"What do you mean? I have to watch you since Reach." Crystal remarked.

"Wait, what?" Gold said which made Gold shocked to hear that.

"Oh, Nothing. I just was talking nonsense." Crystal rebuked what she said.

"No, wait. What do you mean since Reach? I don't recalled remembering you on Reach. I, to become a Spartan." Gold said as he remembered no A.I. unit has ever met him except for "dumb" A.I.s.

"No, it's....I...malfunction what I said." Crystal said to avoid a pointless argument.

"I should let this pass. I was wondering that what's like as a computer."

"It's not bad one except for...." Crystal said which made Gold interested in the subject.

"I got a year left to go." Crystal sadly said which Gold was surprise to hear.

"Why?" Gold wondered why she has seven years to go. Gold is wondering why she has seven years to live and why has that way for her unlike him has spent 16 years of his life..

"All A.I.s like me and Cortana have seven years. It has to do with something that we cannot live beyond seven years or else we enter a state known as rampancy."

"I see. Hey Crys, don't worry about it." Gold stated to know why Crystal has one more year left to go.

"Really?" Crystal said.

"Yeah, remember you mention that they haven't a machine to make you into a real person." Gold remarked to see what she would like look in life.

If they did...I hope you look hot, busty, and a nice ass." Gold grins which made Crystal very mad that Gold ruined the moment.

"It's nice for you to ruin the mood." Crystal said angrily to his words that ruin the moment.

"Yeah I did." Gold sarcastic thanks for his remarked

It seems for Gold and Crystal laughed because of his remarks which surprise to the both of them. After that moment of silence between them.

"What can we at the next morning?" Gold asked

"Maybe we go to Pillar of Autumn."

"Ok, where we go?"

"It's about 10,000 yards from here."

"Aw, crap. Did I've to drive all the way over there?"

"Yes. So, quit complaining. You better start doing it." Crystal yelled at Gold which he has to comply since he has to go home.

"Oh, fine. I hope I won't counter those things again." Gold said as they move on to get to the pillar of autumn which it is a rough trip to get there. The next morning came that Gold woke up as he gets on the warthog on the driver's seat. He drives off to Pillar of Autumn which along the road to meet more of the flood coming at him.

"Why has more of those things? Why I have myself in those situations?" Gold said as he runs over the Flood forms as he continues to drive. But the Flood combat form uses a rocket to hit the warthog which knocked out Gold.

"What I do now!" Gold said unknowingly he has a shotgun at his hand.

"So, stop complaining. Why you haven't use your gun, you idiot?" Crystal said to point out that he has a shotgun at his hands.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I just keep forgetting that I grab more ammo along the way." Gold figures out to kill the flood and figures he has to fight his way to the pillar of autumn. This is a going to be a long trip to the ship.

"I hope I can survive this!" Gold said as he lock and load his weapon.

"You will. Trust me." Crystal said as they continue to run as Gold fights the Flood.

"That's easy to say. Oh, no." Gold pouted as more Flood appears as he runs to the ship. It seems for Gold that they are nearly 2000 yards near the Pillar of Autumn. Gold also found that he can use the weapons that he killed the flood combat form was carrying.

More flood start pouring in as he fights them despite the fact that they never end there to begin with. But for the adventure on the Halo ring is long, but unforgotten moment for Gold and Crystal.

 

Chapter 7: Escape from the Halo and the aftermath

Outskirts of pillar of autumn, after avoiding and killing the Flood Gold made it at last. It was long and difficult for him to endure worse of the worse. A way about Crystal knew that Gold would make it.

"We're here at last." Gold cheered after exhausted from his violent trip leaving behind piles of corpses of the flood and covenant units behind him.

"Finally after a long walk."

"Well, there are aliens are trying to kill us, but there zombies are doing the same thing. How about we escape from this dumb ring and go home?" Gold said as he walks near the opening holes of the Pillar of Autumn.

"The ship is still intact. Let's find a craft to get us out of here." Crystal said.

"So, let's get moving." Gold said as they get inside of ship and find the craft. Gold gets lost in the ship again. Unknown to him, Master Chief got inside Pillar of Autumn as to set up detonate the ship self-destruction.

"Great, where's the hanger bay? I keep forgetting where I'm going." Gold complained wondering he forgot where to go to. Sudden alarms and the red lights are blinking that give Gold a scared.

"What the? Alarms? We're not in space! Unless..." Gold panicked to know what is going on with the ship is trying to blow up.

"NO, this ship is about to explode!" Crystal said as Gold runs for his life to find an air craft.

"WHAT?" Gold shouted

"Don't worry about this. We have enough time to get there."

"How long I want to know?"

"About 3 minutes and the hanger is about 500 yards ahead."

"Oh, s*&^!" Gold cursed out as explosions are occurring everywhere.

"We have no time for this. Let's go!"

"Oh, fine!" Gold complained which after hearing the alarms, Gold runs and sees Master Chief as he runs to the last fighter. The Flood appeared which made Gold to run with his life even more.

"Wait for me!" Gold shouted which gotten Master Chief's attention.

"Chief!" Cortana shouted as Master Chief gets Gold inside the fighter. Gold made it and the only survivors are the Spartans and other marines who made it out of halo which they seen the ship exploded in the distance and fled via by Pelicans.

"Man, I'm so alive." Gold sighed as he sat down on the floor. He can relaxed for now.

"Yeah, but I don't this is over." Crystal remarked as the fighter has stopped for everyone to witness destruction of the Halo ring.

"What you think that?"

"Because I think it's only the beginning."

"Aw, great. Something is telling me about this isn't over yet." Gold whined which the war is not over for him.

"Spartan-721? Gold-721? I do remember you in your basic training." Master Chief surprised to see Gold, another Spartan.

"Chief, how you been?" Gold high-five to Master Chief which he does high-five as well.

"What brought you here?"

"I got this A.I which she has information. But she's a super serious gal as well." Gold said which Crystal nearly gets upset when he called her that again.

"Oh." Master Chief said while Gold relaxed as he sits down.

"Gold, can you plug me in that terminal?" Crystal asked as Gold complies to do it.

"Sure."

"Chief, pull me that terminal too." Cortana asked to Master Chief puts her there as Gold puts Crystal in the terminal too.

"So, Cortana, what we do now?" Crystal asked.

"We find a way to go back to Earth." Master Chief pointed out their solution.

"Earth? That's where I was born." Gold shocked to hear that. He was born in Earth, but like all Spartans brought to Reach.

"I never heard a Spartan was born there before." Cortana amazed that to hear that other Spartans were from other colonies as well.

"Well, born in Japan of course." Gold answered that he is a Japanese Origin, but he has a Kansai accent compared to those born in the Kanto area.

"What's Earth looks like? I see pictures and the heard about it?" Crystal asked Gold wondering what Earth look like.

"Well....we'll see it when we get there." Gold nervously answered.

"We have to report our mission to Admiral Hood about this." Master Chief mentions of their superiors to know about. The UNSC needs to know about the Halo rings as it seems a very critical data for vital information to use against the Covenant.

"Correct. We have report this." Cortana agreed with Master Chief as he sat down..

"OK, how long that the Covenant find out about Earth?" Gold asks Cortana knowing that bring doom to his home world. That he knows that Humanity is losing the war, but still hold on to prevent the Covenant to know about Earth as which Gold worried

"That, I don't know." Cortana answered with much relief to Gold.

"Wait, how we have to get to Earth?" Gold asked again hoping he doesn't want to stay in the ship for too long. He wants to go home after all.

"Like a week or so." Master Chief answered which surprises Gold.

"A week?" Gold said with much dismay. Staying on a fighter will cause him bored to death as the same for anyone if they fit into his shoes.

"Based on slip space on this fighter craft size. Yeah, a week would do." Cortana told to Master Chief and Gold

"Swell." Gold complain as how slip space works, but he never pay attention in his classes after all.

"So, how are they going to survive without food and water?" Crystal wondered.

"Relax, don't worry about it, our suits will last us enough for about a month." Master Chief pointed out.

"I didn't know that." Crystal amazed to hear that.

"Yes, I already knew that. I did remember you when you were a trainee." Master Chief pats Gold on the shoulder.

"I was living in the moment. Besides I already knew that." Gold smirks.

"Liar" everyone said when Gold said that.

"I think we should save the power and besides we have a week to get to Earth." Cortana told the Spartans and Crystal.

"Yeah, you're right." Crystal said.

"Let's go to sleep." Master Chief said as he removed his helmet. (Note: No, I will not describe what he looks like because the creators of Halo didn't want us to see his face.)

"Yeah, I think you're right."

"I will shut the main power and leave some for slip space traveling." Cortana prepares the power to lower to travel to Earth.

"Ok! Eh, Gold?" Crystal asks Gold as he prepares to go to sleep.

"What?" Gold replied wondering what Crystal has to say.

"Did you need anything?" Crystal wondered that Gold needs anything that could he requires.

"Well, no thank you. I can just sleep here. So, I would have a good night sleep." Gold respond that he didn't anything at all, but worried that why Crystal ask him for. After all, he has completed his mission to prevent the covenant to take her.

"You know it's not nighttime. Space is always night. Also there's no time in space." Crystal sarcastic said because they are in space.

"I knew that." Gold pouted out as he relaxes himself to more comfort place to sleep in.

"What kind of A.I unit knows everything when she went self-aware? I mean she's just a program or is she?" Gold thought as he closes his eyes.

"I'm just going to shut down for save power. Aren't you going to sleep mode?" Cortana asked Crystal wondering that she will shut down as well.

"No, I will watch things from here. I will just sleep in a moment." Crystal tells Cortana if that something bad will happen. She couldn't take the risk for covenant patrol is ambush them.

"I see. Wake us up if we got something. I set up a beacon for any UNSC ship to get us," Cortana tell Crystal in that would not worry and expected for Crystal to go into sleep mode after she set up a beacon.

"OK." Crystal said as Cortana shuts down and Crystal looks at Gold with curiosity. She wondered what events on the Halo have bought them a bond like no other. She doubted things before, but somehow something is affecting her system. She's getting upset and flustered by his antics, not to mention blushing. She wondered an A.I. unit cannot be blushing; it's more a human condition. Crystal known human are nothing new that has chemical reactions when come to the opposite sexes, but that seems for her to know things called, "Emotions."

She by Professor Oak that she was from the Professor's late wife that she didn't know about. She keep no memory of that earlier life except for that she remembered that Oak was the only man of his wife. She knows that another A.I. unit, Serina had retained a memory of the previous owner that she remembered kissing a boy.

How could A.I. like her were once human beings could remember human things and do wonderful things except them are nothing but a system, program, and.....a machine? But to Gold didn't regard her as a thing, more like a human being? A Spartan she understands, but she couldn't understand that human use A.I. to work and that wasn't the case. Gold didn't rely on her except she had to give him advice as he complains.

"Gold, I hope you have sweet dreams. I wish I can dream. I could dream about us." Crystal said as she looks after the ship.

 

Chapter 8: Home to Earth.

"Where am I?" Gold said weakly to see a city. It's Shizuoka, where he was born before taken by the UNSC Spartan program. He sees people are shopping, playing, conversations, eating, and couples are dating. He stands around the crowd as to see the awe of the futuristic how it got, but still keep culture in the air.

"Am I? Home?" Gold surprised when a ship appears and then explosions appeared as buildings are getting destroyed.

"What's going on?" Gold said as he holds on until the ship disappears as the city too. Something takes him to a strange building like the one in Halo ring. It was empty for one without any covenant units in there.

"What is this strange place?" Gold asked himself as he walks down until he sees a door that opens to see a room that has data and strange chamber. Gold is curious as he walks towards the chamber to see large boxes. It was a odd as the control panel is blinking.

"What is this?" Gold wondered as he comes near the control panel. He checks the buttons that he knew what Crystal said, its forerunner. He taps it until....

"Gold...."

"Who said that?" Gold shouted as he turns around to see Crystal as a girl with blue hair, her anti-gravity pigtails, gym shorts, and red shirt as well. She is smiling towards him and it started to freak him out which he's aware that is not normally real, but got a bad feeling about it.

"Gold..."

"Super Serious Gal? Crys? Aren't you an A.I unit? What's going on?" Gold asked to wonder what is going on. He looks at Crystal who is in fact a living human being. She in a human form, a real life. She can spoke very softly.

"Gold....."

"Crystal, what are you going? Crystal, Come Back!" Gold shouted as he chases Crystal until she disappears as Monster took her away which looks an evil version of a Venus flytrap (Gravemind, the evil leader of the Flood) about 300 feet tall laughing evil. Then the flood overtook Gold until he woke up screaming.

"Noooo!" Gold shouted in terror and he looks around to see Master Chief and Cortana sleeping. He turns to the Panel noticed that Crystal went to shut down mode. He blinks for a moment and puts his hand on his head.

"Oh, what a nightmare. I hope Crys is ok." Gold relieved as he sees the terminal with blinking which means Cortana and Crystal are in the terminal. They are both AI, right? It can't mean they can dream, but Crystal wishes to become a real girl. He shook the thought.

"Crys. Oh, that was a close one. What are those images? Is Earth is going be attack by Covenant? After events of Halo Ring, I somehow feel attached to Crystal? Or is it? Nah, how can a man fell in love with A.I unit? Could be? No, what after I failed at Reach. I had to finish the mission. Maybe I can do something to repay her or....." Gold bluffs himself which he comes up to the terminal to pull Crystal up into his helmet.

"Huh? This isn't the terminal? This is more like?" Crystal panicked.

"In my mind." Gold retorted to her surprise.

"Gold? Why did you do that? Aren't you supposed to be tired?"

"Well, I didn't feel sleepy anymore." Gold answers her question that in fact he is worrying about her.

"Why is that?"

"I did have a bad nightmare, you see."

"Can I ask you, something?" Crystal asks Gold which he perks up and listens to her.

"What is it?"

"What is like to dream?"

"It's pretty cool, I guess. Then again, it can strange or out of the reality as well. Why you ask me that?"

"Oh, just asking. I wanted know what's like to dream." Crystal wonder what's like to know to dream which A.I.s cannot dream.

"I see."

"It just I spend 6 years of being A.I as when all A.I only have 1 more year to live. I end up being a wasted unit."

"Oh. That's tough and not fair. I mean they should give you more years. "

"Maybe, but I just envy all girls who are real. I want to know as a human. I want to do things like human girls always do except for some cases."

"What you mean? You're pretty cute to me." Gold remarks which that cheer Crystal up from his words that comfort her.

"Oh, really?"

"Of course, I am being to understand why they put you in the storage. And they put me in charge to take care of you. Besides you have this spiky and crazy hair format, not to mention a bossy Personality. For a computer I mean."

"Gold, You... Crystal said when she was about say something until there is flashing lights in Space.

"This UNSC, Redoubtable. We have your homing beacon. Prepare for board." UNSC officer said over the intercom. The ship comes close to the fighter.

"Crystal, Looks like we're going home at last." Gold cheered as they about to enter the docks of the Redoubtable. They are so glad to see the UNSC.

"At last, we have contract at last." Crystal relived of this as the Longsword fighter comes to dock. They get out of the ship. The officers of ONI approached them with paper clipboards. They are somehow docile to know what happen to them.

"Sirs, come this way. We will back to Earth in a few days. Lord Hood wants to know you report." One of the Officers asked Master Chief to report the file about the grave news what happened in Reach and the Pillar of Autumn of Captain Keyes.

"Understand." Master Chief said as the Redoubtable goes to Slipspace which they arrived at MAC station, Cairo in couple days. Gold looks at the window to see his birth planet, Earth. Humanity's last bastion and home world of the human race which the UNSC made sure they will never find it.

"I'm Home! I was gone for 11 years and still look the same." Gold said for he is joyful to see his planet is still intact. He hasn't been home since he was out in Reach and other battlezones he was in for the last two years.

"Why is that?" Crystal wondered why Earth is important to him, but at the same time that she wanted to know about the planet as it seems for humanity came from.

"You see, Earth is a beautiful place to live."

"Oh, how is like in Earth?"

"Well....I can't wait for billiards and the girls on the surface. Not to mention gambling as well." Gold exclaims as Crystal sighs while the UNSC ship docks with Cairo.

"Spartan-117, you are to report to Lord Hood. And Spatarn-721, reported to one of our chief scientists in level 3." One of the Marines with a clipboard telling the Spartan where to go as for each Spartan tasked to.

"Understood. Gold, good luck" Master Chief comply the order as they go their ways. Gold enters the room.

"What is that place?" Gold asked to see old man around his 50s wearing a lab coat. He is holding an electrical panel on his hands.

"It has been a long time. Is it? Spartan-721? I remembered you in your training." Professor Oak said which Gold surprised to see him.

"You're.....Do I know you?" Gold asked to Crystal and Professor Oak shocked that as if Gold didn't know about Professor Oak at all.

"I'm the one of the chief scientists of ONI, Professor Oak. I remember your case during the program. Do you have the A.I unit with you?" Professor Oak asks Gold that Crystal is on his helmet.

"Yes, I do."

"Plug her in the terminal." Professor Oak tells Gold as he plugs Crystal out. He looks at the chip with worried look. But he comply his order as he puts Crystal into the Terminal.

"Crystal, are you fine?" Professor Oak asks Crystal after the ordeal of the events of the Halo ring.

"It was horrible that I know of. But it could been worse."

"Ok, then. How's your trip from Reach?"

"Terrible, but we landed on strange ring called Halo." Crystal reported to Oak's surprised.

"I see. Anything you learn about the ring?"

"It's a forerunner. There are many things about it. I managed to save some of the data I gotten from Cortana."

"Hey Old man, is there anything I can do?" Gold asked.

"No, that will be all."

"Oh. Request to speak to Crystal for a moment?"

"Why you ask, Spartan?"

"Well, she is just was my mission to bring her here. And want to say good-bye to her. That means I complete my mission right?"

"Very well, you may speak to her. You got 5 minutes." Professor Oak warns as Gold walks to Crystal.

"Crystal, I wanted to say is."

"Yes?"

"I.....want to thank you for we have been through."

"Oh, don't mention the time we have together."

"Now, I have to go and get debrief or whatever they do on me. Like missions that will lead me to my demise."

"OK." Crystal respond as Gold walks to the door.

"Gold!" Crystal shouted as Gold stops to turn to face Crystal.

"What is it?"

"I want to say.....Good bye and be careful." Crystal said which at a sadly tone.

"Bye." Gold said as he waves at her and then leaves the room. After he closes the door only to stops for moment as it seems that he completed his mission, but somehow felt detached from Crystal. But he did what he had to do since she is an A.I. and he is a Spartan. That didn't mean anything for bond between them, but he feels attach to her. Gold can walk down only to see the station Cairo is just one of the UNSC defense platform to defend Earth from any invasion. Unware to him, the events are about to unfold that Covenant found the ring and this time he has a feeling that the war is coming at the late stages.

 

Chapter 17- Overture

As the forerunner ship containing Truth is going to slipspace where Master Chief and Gold are stowaways while the Prophet of Truth is unaware of their presence is heading to one location, Earth. Master Chief and Gold are checking around if the Covenant found them, but the coast is clear. Gold halts for a minute until something flashes to him.

Earth- Shizuoka, Japan 17 years ago

Suburban small town near Nara around 5000 people are going to their daily lives as the news portraying the human-covenant war. The town is very patriotic, but there are issues that many of its youth are being sent to the front lines to halt the Covenant. Many don't return which frighten many elders are worrying that they killed and not seen again.

A hospital where nurses and a doctor is helping a young woman in her 20s is giving birth. The pain is too much for her to bear. But at the waiting room, a Marine comes to the counter. He was given a month off of duty.

"Where's my wife?" Marine asked until after explaining his wife's name and heads to the room where she is. He runs to the room until he heard something.....a baby's cry. He rushes to the room to see his wife holding their child.

The doctor and the nurses left to leave them alone. "How's our child? Is it ok?" Marine asked. He was able to understand the child's gender, it's a boy.

"He's ok." His wife responds with hint of happiness that he returned from the front lines. But suddenly, the boy opens his eyes for the first time that to their surprise the eyes are amber-gold.

The father picks up the boy to see him more clearly which he's glad to have a son. "What should we call him?" his wife asked. He looks at his son. It was a wonderful moment in their lives where it's a blessing.

"His name will be.....Gold." Marine said. He gives Gold back to her. The marine was part of the Spartan-I, a secret project that designed to build super soldiers. He was one of them which he was given special treatment to have a civilian life except he has to recall to the front lines to against the Covenant. But the covenant war came which they called him to be sent in the front lines, so he and his wife were married young around 18 years old. Soon, a week later he was being recalled due of troop storages to hold against the covenant advance.

The bad news happens when 5 years later that he died from wounds. He and his squad were ambushed in Fall of Arcadia when Elite impaled him with energy sword. When a group of officers told about his death, his wife stumbled to the floor sobbing about his death which Gold tries to comfort his mother at the same time, he lost his father with sadness.

After 5 weeks has passed, Gold was playing in a park by himself while his mother is still depressed about her husband's death. She is currently unaware that a group of black suit men are coming towards Gold. Gold looks up until they did something to him and drag him away. Gold tries to scream, but it was too late since they silence him in textbook style. The pelican carrying Gold heading to a UNSC frigate. They head to another planet which considered the Fortress of the stars, Reach.

Reach is a military hub of the UNSC and the second largest Military complex after the Sol System. They landed the planet as they introduce Gold to a UNSC scientist goes by the name: Catherine Halsey. She noticed something about Gold, he has amber-golden eyes. She knew that only certain individuals are born with these golden eyes and decided she will put him in the Spartan-II project.

They begin series of tests on the poor boy. But it was hard than it looks, the young boy rebelled against the scientists' wishes. He put up a tantrum that no one was able to put him down unless they tranquillized him. Despite of that, Halsey founded this one is very stubborn and strong-willed.

She puts Gold in the hands of Chief Petty Officer Mendez who push Gold to his limits. Then one time, Gold disobeyed Mendez which the instructors electrical him which Gold didn't give in. Mendez was impressed that Gold was willing to never give in. Later on, Gold was eight years old when they put him in SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures. But the strange part that, the procedures didn't make him taller at all only for his muscle and his bones are increase density.

During his augmentation procedures, he is continued to be trained by various instructors due of Mendez has sent to the front lines and the Spartan-III project. Gold become stronger and faster as he has an athletic body and sport his messy hair-style, but his eyes become more and more gold than he was when he was 5.

At High Charity, present time

Crystal working with Cortana in order that Halo attempted to fire they must blow up In Amber Clad. But she stops for a moment to realize that she remember in fact long ago. Something flashes into her eyes.

Earth, seven years ago

Seven years ago in Earth, the door burst as Professor Oak running to the door to see his ailing wife is dying from stronger-form of cancer. Green Oak, his grandson is watching along with his parents that Professor Oak has lost the love of his life. Before the funeral began, Oak took his wife's brain which he was able to hide it from his family.

When Oak return back to his lab, he took out his wife's brain and begins the Cognitive Impression Modeling. The process was long, but Oak waited for the AI from his decreased wife. Soon, the AI came into its form. It's a young teenage girl with crystal eyes, two anti-gravity ponytails, lab coat, and blue hair. The color of her avatar is pure crystal blue. Thus begins "Crystal" to become AI assistant to Professor Oak.

Delta Halo, Present time

The Delta Halo as Dexholder Squad fighting the Loyalist Covenant units alongside with Arbiter and Sil Ver. Each member as Sil Ver halt for a moment as each has remembered. This flashes them into the past they know. The story as they were in one battle of the entire war, Fall of Reach.

Many years ago, Sanghelios

In the system of Sanghelios where among the many of the Sangheli young are training to use energy swords. They are from Aristocrat class where many of the sons don't know their fathers. Among the Sangheili has silver eyes and is quick to learn in the arts of warfare.

"You are the newly younglings of Sakaki. Discipline is your ally. Once more practice!" Sil Ver's instructor said as they resume back to practice. The Instructor looks at Sil Ver where he has seen his progress very fast. Soon, they prepare to have a test.

"Sil Ver!" Instructor said as Sil Ver got up and comes up to him. They bow and prepare to take the test. He did in amazing and shunned the students with amazing results that provided his skill.

"Good. You done well, Sil Ver." Instructor said as he goes back to his seat. It seems that Sil Ver passed with honor and joins the Convent and prepares to receive his military training whom he meets a fellow Sangheili named, Lan Ce. He trained very rapidly and receives as a rank of Minor which he taken part of several campaigns and finally he reached to a rank of Major to serve in Thel Vadamee's fleet of Particular Justice.

Later events has leading him during the war, he has proved himself in battle. Meanwhile, there will be certain characters in Earth where their lives will be changed for every. What it seems for the tale of the two has come with realizing that the story is unravel that affects all in the one events lead to one battle that will be as Fall of Reach? How it came for Gold to be like this? Why Crystal knew Gold before, but they never meet each other on Reach? The story is yet to be told.

 

Chapter 18- Waltz

During the training session of Spartan-IIs, Gold is among the trainees with their brutal instructors while learning how to fight while being in augmentation procedures despite only some survive. Gold misses his mother when he comes to his room remembering that how life used to be. He tried to run away, but they always caught him doing that. It was getting tougher for him each day.

His training is nothing new that they are being trained like ODSTs, Marine, and Army troopers which life for him is very harsh. He grew tired from doing very repetitive things like exercise, eat same food, and wake up in the early morning. The idea itself is getting insanity for him and don't want to endure it.

But that wasn't the case since he's very flirt towards other female even female Spartan within contract that earns him a slap or punch to his body part. He was been watched by Catherine Halsey who found Gold to be a unique case. After they ate their food, they head to room where Halsey introduced Master Chief to the new Spartan-II candidates.

Gold heard about Master Chief in reports, but never met him in person. Halsey place Master Chief in charge of Gold's training. Master Chief now trains Gold to be a super soldier.

"Come on, it's not hard to climb 10,000 feet Mountain." Master Chief retort as he grabs the ledge to climb up while Gold is struggling to catch up.

"This sucks!" Gold moan as he climbs up. They reach the top which Gold was able to reach.

"Gold-721, are you alright?" Master Chief said.

"Yeah, I am." Gold shrugged off as he got on in his feet. Master Chief pats Gold on the shoulder.

"You did a good job." Master Chief said which surprises Gold.

"Why? Most everyone beat me to the mountain." Gold wondered that he is very athletic, but wasn't brightest and best students in the Spartan-II project.

"No, I understand about your scores. But I do understand that you never give up. It seems that you have a strong will. I understand why Halsey chose you. She sees you more than just physical strength or intellectual." Master Chief said as Gold angers when he hears the name Halsey.

"What she has to with me? She took my away from home. From my mother? Why?" Gold asked to know why he's being picked for the project in the first place.

"Gold, I do miss my family. But....." Master Chief said until Gold climbs down the mountain.

"This is going to be a long training." Master Chief sigh as he climbs down. They return back to base by 1500 hours. Gold went back to his room and lay on his bed.

"I hate this life. Why I must endure this?" Gold thought as he thinks very hard. Meanwhile in the same complex, Catherine Halsey is talking with two UNSC professor Oak and Elm.

"Oak, I do assume you that this Spartan is very...stubborn, reckless, and not very bright. But I do find this Spartan is very unique and very interesting." Halsey said as she gives the file to Oak.

"I never met the boy myself." Professor Oak said as he heard about the Spartan-II project, but never met the Spartan he was assign. What he heard that this Spartan-721 is most difficult one to trained with.

"Don't need of that, Oak. I do find this Spartan is from Earth." Halsey pointed out which the file has Gold's name in it.

"Earth? I thought all Spartans were from other colonies. John -117 is from Eridanus II." Elm asked to know why Halsey will come to Earth for what reason.

"Most of the Spartan-II was from the colonies, but this one is very different. I know his father was a Spartan-I which information I know. The Orion project was the ancestor project to the Spartan-II as you were aware of that." Halsey answered Elm's question.

"What's the subject's name?" nice female tone asked to Halsey which they turn to face Crystal.

"Ah, yes. Halsey, meet Crystal. My AI assistant has helped work on several projects. The one you approved." Oak answered before Halsey was going to ask.

"What a remarkable avatar it has? Does she remind me of someone? Halsey wondered how Crystal looked.

"She was based of my decrease wife who died recently." Oak responds to Halsey's curiosity.

"I'm very sorry to hear that. So, tell me Crystal. Why you interested in the Spartan?" Halsey asked to Crystal.

"Oh I wanted to help the Professor, Halsey." Crystal answered to her question.

"Good answer. I may return to my lab to research on certain artifacts. I give you the data by tonight. That will be all." Halsey said as she left the office. Elm left the office as well leaving Oak and Crystal behind.

"Professor, who's the subject we are looking after?" Crystal asked to know what has happen.

"A rowdy kid Halsey has in her project. He's very hard case." Oak said as he turns on the picture shows Gold. Crystal looks at Gold's picture with puzzle look.

"He tried to escape from this base many times, but they always get him." Oak said which he yawns.

"Professor, do you need some sleep?" Crystal asked.

"Yeah, I have been up all night to solve this "covenant species weakness" which it has taken toll on me." Oak sighed as he is getting very sleepy.

"Leave him to me. I can watch over him. So, take the night off." Crystal said because she knew that Oak needs that rest to help him.

"Thank you, Crystal. I hope you have good night." Professor Oak Said as he walks out of the room. The doors closed. Crystal looks over the database. Given the permission to do the task by Professor Oak, She oversees a Spartan named Gold-721 in the file. Crystal looks over the database of each Spartan which she spots Gold's name. She grabs the file which picture is not present.

Why Halsy is so secretly sneaky when comes to database? It must to prevent the innies to know about the Spartan project. But Why 721? A number designated by birth dates? Or it's just simple code numbers? She doesn't why he's chosen for the project?

"Hmmm, that doesn't make sense why a 10 year old to be trained as a Spartan?" Crystal mummers as she scans the file regarding Gold's location and birthplace. She turns off the file and thinks about it. She was stopped when a warning detection. She opens the video cam showing a golden-suit trainee escaping the training area. He is digging under the fence as he got out.

"Oh, no you don't!" Crystal yells as one the spy cam drones followed the trainee.

"Where are you going?" Crystal wondered why Gold is attempting to escape for to begin with. She has the drones following him.

Outside of the complex, Gold runs with his life as he narrowly hidden from the drones.

"Phew, that gotten rid of them. Now, get out of this planet and go home." Gold muses as he stands up to walk down the forest area, but unaware that a simple drone shadowing him. He continues to walking down at the forest with much amaze that no one noticed his escape. Odd, normally they will notice his escape already. He got a weird feeling about it.

While in the room, Crystal is keep watching Gold with cold intention to bring him back. But somehow she just let him wonder outside with interest in her mind. Why she is letting him wonder for? Was it to test him or something?

Gold turns around to see who is following him, but it was nothing to see as the drone hide the brushes. Gold took a step back until he fall down. Crystal was shocked to see Gold is falling as she ordered the drone to follow him.

Gold just fall a few feet and stumbled upon something. He sees red shoes right front of him and look up to see.....a girl? He sees a young girl around his same age, but she has brunette hair, brown eyes, and her pigtails are curved. What's interesting that she is more a civilian? She approaches Gold nervously and Gold looks at her with shock and awe.

"Are you okay?" the young girl asked as she helps him up. Gold dusts his uniform while the drone looks at him and the girl unnoticed. Crystal sees this girl kind of looked like her, but different. She is very curious to know human interaction as he watches them.

"Hi! What's your name?" Gold asked the girl as she looks up to Gold while staring into his golden eyes. Then she smiled to him which surprised Gold.

"Hello, my name is Kotone. But my other friends refer me by English name, Lyra. What's yours?" Lyra said as Gold amazed to hear.

"Gōrudo Hibiki. But they call me, Gold." Gold answered while Lyra checking on Gold's uniform.

"You're a Spartan, aren't you?" Lyra wondered that she notices the uniform.

"Who me? Yeah, I am. I am one of super soldiers to defend our mother Earth." Gold said with pride which made Lyra giggled.

"You're funny." Lyra laughed with cheery joy.

"That's they say about me." Gold said as after that they started to play children's games like tag and hide and sneak. After 2 rounds, they take a break.

"Reach is very beautiful. Isn't it?" Lyra asked to Gold. Gold turned to Lyra as he smiled to her.

"Yeah, it is. Like Earth." Gold replied with memories on his time on Earth.

"Earth? You mean..." Lyra said as to wonder why Gold said that.

"Yes, I'm from Earth. I miss my home and mother." Gold said while Lyra pats him in the shoulder. Crystal overheard this as she scans the classified information held by Halsey. She sees the information why Gold is picked for the project. She turns back to the screen to see Gold with notion she felt bad for him.

"Want to see the landscape?" Gold said as in exchange grabs Lyra to the tallest tree they can get to see the vast beautifulness of Reach.

"Wow! I never seen like this before." Lyra said with happiness.

"It appears so. I bet it's even prettier in space as well." Gold wondered.

"I bet so...." Lyra was about to finished until a loud shouting that was her parents who started to go home.

"I have fun, Gold." Lyra said as Gold put her down in the ground.

"Wait, will I see you again?" Gold wondered.

"Of course, I live nearby the base where you are. My father works with the government. I hope I can see you again. He happens to be a Drill instructor." Lyra winks at Gold and runs to get home. Gold stared at her and got a weird feeling. He made a friend outside of base. What about his escape? If he left the planet, he never see Lyra again. If he didn't, then maybe he can found happiness. He remembers from training with Master Chief.

"Gold, fighting for something you believe will make you stronger." Master Chief's voice echoed. He decided to stay on Reach with Lyra. He returns back to the complex. Crystal was very surprise that Gold is returning to the base. Normally, a Spartan will escape from the project like the Daisy incident which this is new. Crystal decided to shut the cameras down and the security postponed until he gone back to his room.

"Gold....you could just left, but why? I never am going to understand his choice. The girl looks like me?" Crystal puzzled which to not understanding his choice. Soon, Gold return to his room without trouble as if God was in his side. He lies down in the bed to see the ceiling. He sees Lyra's face beaming in his head. He smiles and lies to sleep. Crystal looks at Gold in the camera screen.

She shuts it off and resumes other project Oak was working on. She felt something strange on her that her only human memory was being romantic and live a good life. This was getting stronger when she sees Gold and Lyra together. Then she gets the idea, she wanted them to be together in order to motivated him.

"I hope this will improve you, Gold." Crystal said with hint of happiness.

 

Chapter 19: You belong with me

The following days passed by, Gold continued his training with much determination than ever. The instructors took this notion as a good sign and vastly improving. Gold does his best in skill of firearms and hand to hand combat. He had another augmentation again to increase his speed and muscle enhancement. It has gotten used to the pain since he was earlier. Gold is a lucky case that he survive the augmentations compared to the others.

"It seems that Spartan-721 is doing very well." Elm asked to Oak which to wonder that they were reported he came back from his little escape to wonder why.

"Elm, I won't say that this Spartan is different unlike those who bought back. I know a group of Spartans run away. Two committed suicide upon seeing their clones. It's tragic to know the accord." Oak muses that seeing a document of the incident.

"Yeah, but most of the battle-ready Spartans right now are being sent to the front lines. If they push the age lower, I think that young man will be sent out to fight against the Covenant." Elm worried as he sees Gold doing his exercises with greater effort.

"Let's hope that it will never happen. If it does happen, will be a price to pay?" Oak said as he gathers his papers.

"Oak, is it true that his clone died?" Elm wondered that all flash clones died upon matter of months or few years upon made.

"Yes. It happened a year ago. The mother didn't take it very well." Oak said to Elm whom Elm is surprised to hear since Halsey's ethics are questions, but it is only way to gather soldiers.

"Crystal?" Oak said as he turns on the terminal.

"Yes, Professor Oak?" Crystal asked as she appears before them.

"Crystal, can you tell us about Spartan-721's progress?" Oak asked as Crystal gathers the data in matter of a second. She can process much faster than a human being can be.

"It seems he's doing very well so far. Reckless, but he's trying without giving up. A remarkable data they gather about Gold. Seems he can make to the program where most had failed." Crystal answered to Oak which he was surprised to see the data Crystal gathered.

"Thank you, you may resume." Oak said as Crystal went back to the system. Crystal watches Gold doing his training with interest in her eyes. While she was watching Gold a pop up appear about the young girl Gold met. The data show the girl in a Reach education system that her father is indeed a fact a training officer of the Spartan-II project. The very trainer is the one training Gold. This gives Crystal an idea.

She could make up the orders for escort training mission in exchange for Gold to meet the girl. It will take skill and time to do this due of the ONI online security system can detect within matter of 5 minutes. But she has no other choice that to motivate Gold, that she believes he needed human contract and human behavior to fight better. What she can do? Something is not right with her, she's not supposed to help Gold out. He's a Spartan and the importance of the project that she can't jeopardize it. If he goes out and tells her about the project, then he will be discharged or maybe...death.

She made her choice after thinking about it for half hour to begin the work. She hopes this will work or all will fail. She hopes that she is doing the right thing. At the next day, Gold woke up with sleepy face after the bugle call woke up him. He felt tired and exhausted wanted to take a day off, but couldn't ask for it. If he did, they will say it's lazy and not military lifestyle.

He dress up in his training uniform, but he kept his style in his uniform consists of gold color with dark blue stripes. He sees the window to see the beauty of Reach and sees imagine of Lyra smiling. He smiles as he put on his uniform hoping that he can see her again. He could escape to see her, but how? He doesn't know where she is except she said she lives near the training complex.

No matter to know where she lives, he goes to his daily breakfast that all Spartan-II eat the requirement food to make them strong and healthy. His plate is nothing new since all the food looked the same. He finished his meal quickly than usual, but it wasn't enough. This meal was so meager that couldn't satisfy his stomach. Suddenly, a UNSC officer came to Gold with a letter. Wait, a letter? When he opens the letter, he was to report to his training officer for "Special assignment".

"Special Assignment? What kind of Special Assignment?" Gold said in confused look as he opens it. It stated he has something to do with something. He reported to his training officer right after he throws away his plate. He salutes to the Officer, but the officer gives him at ease.

"Sir, is this special kind of training or punishment that is totally a lie." Gold remarked that he prank on the trainees that was priceless.

"Spartan-721, I was recently told that by Catherine Halsey that you are given a task. A task I'm forced to give this assignment as part of your training." Training Officer said as Gold was very confused why Halsey giving him an assignment.

"The assignment is: you are to protect my daughter." Training Officer said grimly.

"Who's your daughter, sir?" Gold asked to know who he is going to protect. Why his daughter that he wanted know.

"My daughter's name is Lyra." Training Officer said when Gold is shocked. Then, Lyra appeared whom she recognized Gold.

"I hope you do a good job protecting her, but I swear to....." Training Officer threatened Gold until he was hold back by Lyra.

"Dad, I can take care myself. Don't worry." Lyra said as she looks at Gold with serious, yet cheery tone. Training Officer sighed as he saluted to Gold while he gives Gold details of his assignment. The assignment has Gold to protect Lyra from going to school, going places, and other things. Soon, both Gold and Lyra are walking together to Lyra's school.

"So, Lyra. Your dad is my training instructor?" Gold asked that all instructors have to be the father of the girl he met.

"Yeah, he joined the Marine Corps after graduated from Corbulo Academy. He met my mother a few years before I was born." Lyra said with notion Gold was very interested in it.

"Did he ever consider you to send to the academy? I mean he's a tough instructor." Gold joking.

"Are you saying I'm weak?" Lyra offended as she glares at him.

"Well, I didn't say you were weak. I was wondering that he didn't send you to the academy?" Gold paraphrase his question as he tend to calm her down.

"My mother opposed it. She's a medical doctor and didn't believe violence solve anything. But my dad taught me some." Lyra answered to his question.

"Oh, what can you do?" Gold curiously asked what his instructor taught her.

"You want to know?" Lyra slying as she put down her bag.

"Ok, I'm going to go easy on you because you're...Whoa! " Gold shout as lands on the ground as Lyra pin him down on the ground. She gives a sly grin to Gold who was in shock. A Spartan-II trainee was beaten by simple civilian.

"Just because you're a Spartan doesn't mean you're invincible." Lyra pointed out.

"I did let you win this time." Gold bragged as his finger rubs his nose.

"Liar." Lyra thought as she picks her bags. They resume back to walking to her school.

"We're here. I enjoy your company, Gold." Lyra said when she entered to her school.

"Hey." Gold asked.

"Yes?" Lyra wondered why Gold stopped her.

"What time I get you?" Gold asking that he has to protect her since Lyra is his assignment.

"Oh, I come out in 30. Be here when it's time." Lyra smiled and enters the school. Now, Gold goes back to the training complex. It wasn't long for Gold to go back to get Lyra in 30 since his assignment allowed him to leave training sessions and even leave the complex. He never felt so free in his life and thanked Halsey for that. While he leaves the center, he was followed by drone. Crystal sees Gold leaving the compound which seeing by video cam of the drone.

"Yes, my plan is working." Crystal cheered. Don't only that, she hopes that his assignment she made could make Gold to train better. But she has kept an eye on her.

It wasn't long for Gold to arrive at Lyra's school as Lyra came out to see Gold. She says good bye to her friends and approach to Gold.

"So, how was it?" Gold asked.

"Nothing new, just lessons we learn." Lyra pouted.

"Well, compared training you got it easy." Gold muses.

"What do you mean?" Lyra wondered why Gold said that.

"Oh, we have to do many exercises that I know. It's tiresome. I ate the same food for breakfast and lunch." Gold said as he remembered what was his training.

"You got it easy compared to me." Lyra counter argue.

"Why is that?" Gold respond.

"We have to sit down all day to listen to boring lessons." Lyra complained which her classes are nothing new.

"Oh, that must be very boring that makes mine enjoyable at least." Gold said.

"It could be worse. I wish I was a Spartan." Lyra complained that Gold is lucky to be one.

"It's easy to say than done." Gold sighed.

"Why you say that? I thought being a Spartan is a good life?" Lyra asked with curious notion that why Gold would say that.

"We have to wake up early mornings, eat the same food every day, and doing pointless exercises. That's not the worse comes to Augmentations." Gold grimly said.

"Augmentations? What's that?" Lyra wondered.

"They modify your body to become stronger and faster, but most of the kids I knew didn't make it. Every time they place augmentations on me, I was expecting to die." Gold answered as he remember that the ones who died in augmentations for the sake of the project. He looks away from Lyra for a bit.

"Gold, I pray that will never happen to you." Lyra said as she comforts Gold.

"Yeah, I hope so. I wish I was normal and live a normal life." Gold sadly replied. Lyra looks at Gold with pity feeling. While the Drone following them, Crystal sees this somehow understanding Gold more than usual. She gets unusual feelings that she feels bad for him, but at the same time she is serious to get him motivated and help him to become a Spartan-II. She never felt like this before. After shaking her head which had gotten her back on track to look after Gold. After following them, they are heading to apartment complex.

"Is this where you live?" Gold wondered.

"Yep, my mom lives here. My dad does come here, but he's in the project compounds. You know his job required him there." Lyra said.

"It's something you don't see every day." Gold said with interest of her father's life with more training he has to face.

"I see you later. Good night, Gold." Lyra said as she waved at Gold while Gold does the same thing.

"Yeah, I will." Gold said while Lyra entered the apartments. He goes back to the compound wondering why he's feeling different inside him. That didn't matter to him since it's very hard to understand why. Gold went back to the compound as he lay down in his bunk. To him, it was felt good day to be alive around with Lyra. But he felt something that he has an angel watching over him or something that cause this to happen. That didn't matter to him as he went to sleep. He goes to sleep to dream about Lyra while at the computer screen where Crystal sees Gold sleeping as she touch the screen with great feeling that she wondered that did a right thing or something else.

"Gold..." Crystal closes her eyes as she sighed.

"Crystal, what are you doing?" a serious female voice that surprised Crystal. It was Cortana, Halsey's AI appeared with disappointed look towards her.

"Um, nothing." Crystal said as she turns off the screen behind her. "What brings you here, Cortana?" Crystal wondered why Cortana is in the system in the first place.

"I noticed unauthorized assignment was made not by Halsey. But it's well done and I manage to trace the source from you. Why is that?" Cortana asked with questions why Crystal did that.

"Well...." Crystal tried to answer to her question. Cortana quickly turn on the screen which she turned off earlier.

"Crystal, you do know the rules." Cortana said.

"I know, but...." Crystal saying to explain herself about Gold with surprise how Cortana noticed her activity.

"Are you going rampancy?" Cortana worried asked.

"No, It's just...I want to help him." Crystal explaining brief as she wanted to help Gold out. Then Cortana pat her shoulder with reassurance smile.

"Just be careful. I hope what you're doing. "Cortana said when she was about to leave.

"Wait!" Crystal stopped Cortana before she left the system.

"Is it possible for a....program like me to have feelings? Like our creators?" Crystal wondered that something is wrong with her.

"Crystal, it's natural for you to feel different. But we are program to help. If you mean "Love" is a difficult answer even for AI to understand. Oh, I get it. The Spartan you were looking at, you're taking liking to him." Cortana said which made Crystal blushing.

"No, he's too young and so immature." Crystal retorted with huff.

"What if he gets older?" Cortana replied with notion that he will be good looking.

"As If, Cortana. I read his report. He's no good trouble maker with nothing to do pranking and disobeying orders." Crystal said that she heard about him.

"What about the girl he was with?" Cortana asked which Crystal hesitative about it.

"Well....I..." Crystal shuddered while Cortana laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Crystal. I think it will not affect you. I mean no AI has ever fall in love with a human before. I think you will be fine." Cortana said right before she left the system leaving Crystal to turn to see the screen. She sees Gold with odd feeling.

"What I'm going to do with you?" Crystal sighed as she touches the screen. She turns off the screen as she gathers data for Professor Oak. Then she just wondered something which made to shake her head to focus on hand. It's going to be a long day for Crystal to handle Gold's training and his assignment to protect Lyra while helping the Professor out. The feeling for Gold is not like she felt it before. She sees life in him and humanity which Halsey is trying to make them become.

What comes to her thoughts while working is Gold is in her process thoughts? It's becoming a habit for her while working with Oak and Elm. If Oak or Elm asked what's wrong with her, she will say it's nothing wrong with her just process too fast that let "frozen" occurs. While she was done with her work, she turns on the screen to see Gold and Lyra are having fun together. Gold was wearing his training suit while Lyra wearing her usual outfit when he met her. They are hanging out in New Alexandria, a city in Reach far from the compound.

"Gold, what was Earth look like?" Lyra asked which Gold thought for a moment.

"Earth was...beautiful. Where I was from, I was born in a small town in Kansai region in Japan. I remember me and my mom enjoy the autumn season to see the leaves falling from the trees and the spring of the cherry blossoms. My mom used to tell me that Life is very precious and live out your life you want." Gold remembered as he and his mother go on the parks.

"I would like to see Earth one day." Lyra said which surpised Gold.

"But due of the war, all of Reach's citizens can't go to Earth even for vacation." Lyra sadly muses.

"Don't worry, the war will be over and I would gladly take you there." Gold said with cheery notion. Lyra smiled at Gold.

"Thanks, Gold." Lyra smiled as they continued to walk down. But they are being followed by a group of youth gang who are 13 composed of 4 girls and their boyfriends led by female leader. They stopped them at an alley.

"Well, it isn't Lyra? Who's your boyfriend?" One of the girls said.

"What you want, Akino?" Lyra shouted with defensive tone.

"Lyra, who these guys?" Gold asked to Lyra as he maintains discipline.

"It's Akino and her gang. They are bullies in my school. They pick on me ever since the day." Lyra answered to his question.

"What happen?" Gold wondered what did actually happen.

"I tell you what happen. She beat me in Reach 8th Martial Artist Championship. She humiliated me front of the crowd. She cheated my victory." Akino said as she gets close to Lyra and Gold.

"So, That's it. All because you lost a match? Big Deal, I don't see the point in that." Gold retorted.

"Charming your boyfriend he is." Akino wondered.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Lyra shouted.

"Whatever, I'm going to make you pay for bring me dishonor! Now give us the bitch!" Akino swored as she pointed to Gold.

"No." Gold respond.

"If that's you want. Girls, unleash your guys." Akino ordered her female members to tell their guys to attack Gold. Then at a swift motion, Gold was able to knock out them easily. They were shocked and awe at the sight.

"Sending your guys to do your dirty is not the best idea against a Spartan-II." Gold muses softly.

"Don't matter, I beat you anyways." Akino said with sharp tone as she pops her knuckles.

"Gold, she's very good at hand to hand." Lyra warned.

"Don't worry, I faced far worse than facing training officers in these exercises." Gold confidently said as he and her come to begin their fight. To Gold's surprise, she's really good. Only his real advantage was his superior speed and agility thanks to Augmentation to dodge her attacks.

"Hold still you!" Akino angrily said as she misses her kick to Gold.

"You know, maybe it's not a good time for you." Gold said as he dodges her punch.

"What are you, a freak? Stop being a pussy and fight like a man." Akino said as she did a roundhouse kick.

"I don't think you should do that." Gold said.

"Eh?" Akino said as Gold knock her out cold.

"Maybe you should take a chill pill once and awhile." Gold said as he turn to the rest of the group.

"Don't bother us ever again." Gold threaten them as they pick up their leader and their boyfriends. They left them alone as they retreat from Gold and Lyra.

"Well, I hope they don't bother us ever again." Gold boosted.

"Gold, how did you do that?" Lyra shocked and confused of what happen.

"Do what?" Gold replied.

"I mean how you achieved inhuman speed. I never seen Akino missed so many times before?" Lyra wondering as how Gold was achieved this. The last time she fought with Akino, she barely won against her overwhelming force and relies on cheap tricks to trip her off.

"A thing called, "Magical Powers"." Gold jokily as Lyra sweatdrop at his remark while she sighed at the same time she is glad he gotten rid of them.

They head out of the alley to the streets of New Alexandria. It was a start of a beautiful friendship. A friendship between a civilian and a Spartan-II has begun.

 

Chapter 20: Song from New Alexandria

3 years later, Gold becomes much stronger while protecting Lyra. Despite he received more augmentations which already made him stronger and faster than average human being. He is getting closer to Lyra than he ever been with. After knowing Lyra was a martial artist, she taught him how to learn certain martial arts moves with amazing learning speed as they can spar with each other. Their typical hangout place is the gym. Lyra waits for certain someone while she wore a ski's hat, pink shirt, and yellow and black biker shorts. She look down on the clock as she sighed.

"Where is Gold?" Lyra mutters, but a figure comes up to her with complete silence.

"Surprise!" Gold shouted as Lyra was scared by his voice as Gold laughed about his prank.

"Don't do that!" Lyra angrily said as she punches him in the arm.

"Ow, that hurt you know." Gold whined as he massages his arm.

"Huh? You look different than usual, Gold?" Lyra wondered.

"Oh, it's the augmentation. It was the last day for receiving them." Gold said.

"Really?" Lyra said.

"Yeah, hey why you wearing bike shorts to the gym?" Gold wondering as he sees Lyra's shorts.

"It's just they are very nice and comfy." Lyra said as she noticed Gold's look on his face.

"Eyes up." Lyra said as she tilts Gold's head to her eyes.

"Sorry, it's just you have a nice ass with those shorts." Gold explained until Lyra knocks him into the ground with blush. Soon, they enter the gym with intention to have a healthy lifestyle. But gotten Gold's attention was the gravity room. Gold enters the room with intention of having 10Gs which he found it suitable for him to exercise. Lyra found this crazy for Gold to do it, but everyone in the gym was impressive that Gold was able to exercise without ease to work in the gravity room. After becoming stronger, Gold increases the gravity to become even more stronger thanks to his augmentations.

Lyra begins to notice Gold's body, not buff more athletic with medium build. But strangely she has this temptation that she wanted to touch it, but rebuked that feeling. Not only that, he was her best friend and trust him more than her friends in her school. In fact, Gold was her topic to her friends in school even they claimed Gold is her boyfriend as she deny it with a blush.

After Gold left the Gravity room sweating very hard, he gets his water bottle. "What a training that was despite we got one in the training complex." Gold said as Lyra came near him. Gold, the other hand was thinking Lyra was everywhere in his thoughts even in training including firearms. He began to learn about firearms which it was odd for the program to have 13 years to be learning about firearms too early. The first Spartan-II was taught older to know about firearms like Master Chief.

Despite of that, Gold and Lyra are becoming very close to each other as they continuing to hang out. Her father begins to trust Gold more than Lyra's boyfriends even he suggests to Lyra that Gold should be her boyfriend. But Lyra would call her father crazy to say that and even claiming what really happen to her father. One day in New Alexandria, Gold and Lyra are walking in downtown as they pass by many shops and enjoy lunch. During lunch, they have moa burgers which Gold's favorite lunch since Lyra introduce them to him. But when they were eating, he noticed Lyra's frown.

"What's wrong?" Gold asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's just nothing wrong, Gold." Lyra softly replied which earned Gold's curiosity.

"Come on, you could tell if you want." Gold suggests before he took a sip of his drink.

"I don't want to talk about it." Lyra shrugged off which made Gold worried.

"Are you sure?" Gold asked.

"Yeah." Lyra said with smile. They continue to drink and eat their meals. Soon after they exit the mall, they walk together to Lyra's apartment. Gold looked at Lyra with curious look wonder what's wrong with her.

"Hey, Lyra." Gold said as Lyra turned to him.

"Yeah, Gold." Lyra responds.

"Oh, it's just I do care about you. But do you want go to the beach one day?" Gold wondered which Lyra wide eye for a second.

"The beach? What for, Gold?" Lyra asking why Gold is asking her that.

"I just want to tell you something." Gold said as Lyra wondered why he asked her that.

"Why?" Lyra asked him again.

"I will explained when we get there." Gold said to avoid the subject.

"Gold, I know you want to change the subject." Lyra asked.

"Can you just drop it? I will explain it to you." Gold said.

"Ok, you can difficult sometimes. It's just sometimes you can..." Lyra sighs as she turned to see Gold flirting with local girls. She puffs her checks as she stomps her to Gold. Gold using his cheap pickup lines with no avail. That's when Lyra grabs his ear and drags him away. He pleads to Lyra to let go of him.

"Gold, you should stop doing that." Lyra growl.

"Someone's jealous." Gold remarked as Lyra fumed.

"I'm not! You're just a flirt." Lyra argued. Ever since they went to New Alexandria all the time, Gold was becoming girl-crazy as he hit on every girl. This makes Lyra upset of the fact that Gold never flirt with her.

"Yeah, but I got to live out my life." Gold said much to Lyra's dismay.

"Whatever. Gold, just don't do it again." Lyra said as she put her hand to her forehead.

"Ok, you can be really serious. Maybe I should call you, Super Serious gal." Gold said which Lyra glared at him.

"Don't call me that." Lyra shouted.

"Why? It fits you. I mean you're always working on your studies and do work all the time." Gold said as he smirked at her.

"Well, what I was supposed to do? I got school you know." Lyra retorted.

"You could...ditch it." Gold answered as Lyra hit him in the head.

"Idiot." Lyra mutters while Gold smoothers his head. They continue to walk down the paveroad as they left New Alexandria. They didn't spoke a while until Gold spoke up. "So, Lyra." Gold said which Lyra perk up.

"I think I'm being sent to the frontlines soon." Gold said. This shocked Lyra which much to her dismay.

"They can't do that. You're too young to send there. Unless....." Lyra said as Gold mellows.

"There was a list about the missing Spartans." Gold said as Lyra listen to him carefully.

"They were killed in action." Gold sadly announced. This surprised Lyra which she thought Spartans were invincible.

"But I thought..." Lyra said.

"It's true. And the Covenant is coming closer than ever. They sweep out the outer colonies and coming to the inner colonies. Things are not looking good I heard." Gold said. He looks at Lyra's distressed face and tries to cheer her up.

"But hey, It won't happen me, right. I mean I can withstand you. I faced much worse than death, right?" Gold said. It didn't do much as they continue to walk until Lyra spoke up.

"I go to the beach with you." Lyra said which Gold hear it with shock.

"What?" Gold said in confusion.

"I go with you." Lyra smiled.

"You will?" Gold said.

"Yeah, I mean it's not just date. I mean it's just we are friends right? I know you for 2 years and what's the harm in that." Lyra said.

"When and where you want to meet?" Gold asked.

"Well, pick me up at 3 at Saturday. And don't be late." Lyra said as they reach to her home.

"I won't!" Gold said as she enters her home. Gold begins to walk home (or return to the complex where he is being trained). This was going to be few days for them to meet, but despite of it he has hope and the time to be with her. During those two years, he begins to fall for her slowly. He was too embarrassed to say that because the sake of their friendship. So, he flirted with all the girls within his range to avoid love subjects with Lyra. But every time Lyra mentions her boyfriend, he felt he's not worthy enough for her.

When Lyra broke up with her boyfriend either they didn't share much chemistry or outside conflict. Sometime did happen with her boyfriend when they hang out today. By judging her looks, it was boyfriend related conflict. Then to another subject at hand that he asked to the beach, she agreed. What was going on? That never crosses his mind that it was absurd for her to accept his request that quickly. He looked at the window where Lyra seeing Gold until he walks away. At the window, Lyra closes it before watching Gold walks away. She sighed and lay down in her bed as she looked into the ceiling.

"When I tell him?" Lyra said as she turns to her side. She grabs a picture that has Lyra with Gold in the New Alexandria's downtown. She has a distress look as she place her fingers on Gold. She smiled knowing that they will send him to war to protect humanity from the Covenant. She learn in the news about the Covenant has done with outer colonies are heading to inner colonies. Lyra puts the picture away as she closes her eyes to dream about Gold like she always does. The next day, she will tell him.

 

Chapter 21: Crescent moon before Dawn, Keyes Loop

In the UNSC research complex, Professor Oak looked over the data of the covenant species class. He found very interesting of the alien species. Alongside him was Elm who helps Oak on compelling the data. They see the data as how unique of those species as they are in structure of body, intelligence, and culture. As the scientists are working, Crystal helps Oak to gathering data about the Covenant. They have been working around the clock since Halsey has demanded for record of the aliens they are fighting against. Oak has proposed that the Covenant species will not harm "religious" icons unless they must do and it might turn against them if they found such icons.

Most scientists don't agree with Oak except Halsey who found this information to be very valuable and it could turned the tide of the war. Oak remembered his colleagues from the University of Edinburgh along with Birch, Elm, Rowan, and Aurea Juniper. They were graduated with Ph. D except when the war came, ONI hired them to understanding of the covenant races. He remembered one scientist named Laszlo Sorvad picked Birch and Cedric Juniper, father of Aurea Juniper for his research team due of their thesis on Xenoarchaeology. Birch was an outdoor scientist and willing to look for artifacts by person while Juniper was more interested to deep understand of the past alien culture's biology.

That seems for Oak, Elm, Rowan, and Juniper were just simple ONI scientists on researching on Covenant species. Oak made found an interesting case with relationship between the races of the covenant did found a rivalry between the Brutes and the Elites. Both Elm and Rowan were credited as how the covenant species were grown and reproduce. Elm was credit to found how grunts can multiply quickly compared to other species while Rowan found the unique growth rate on various covenant species.

Aurea in the other hand, she has found unique discovery why the Covenant attacks human colonies that has forerunner icons rather colonies without icons. It seems for these scientists that knowledge will aid them to win this war. He makes a call to Rowan who's on Earth as he was able to send samples of the brute's blood. On Earth, the message arrived to wake up Rowan to get the message.

"What it is?" Rowan asked as he yawned. He opens the message to see information about the brutes from Oak. He grabs the icon that contains the blood samples to his lab. His lab assistants work around the clock to understand how Brutes can achieve this kind of height compared to the sangheili. He theorizes that the brutes and humans are primates, but evolved differently which the brutes are more ape-like than humans do.

He has a worried look about his research will do for humanity to understand the enemy. He shook that thought as he resume back to his work. All things are going to work out in the end. Elsewhere in the island of Hokkaido where Tomakomai lays a big mansion where a young girl around 12 years old waking up until an old man appeared with clothes on his hand as he comes near the bed.

"Good Morning, Missy." The old man said.

"Good Morning, Gramps." The young girl said as she rubbed her eyes.

"The day is today. You're about to send off to military academy. And your clothes are based on the academy's uniform, but at top quality." The old man said.

"Thank you. It's just my first time to be on military academy, I don't know what to expect." The young girl said. The young girl is Platinum, the daughter of Berlitz family whom her father works with Rowan as assistant along with her mother. They sent her to a military academy due of the children of high-ranking officials of the UNSC due of the war of officers are need at the front lines. It was her first time to experience the outside world even the planet to see the galaxy. She put on her uniform which it was a white cadet's uniform and put on two rings on her fingers, Diamond and Pearl.

But that wasn't all, her father has sent two bodyguards to assist her in the academy except her mother disapprove of this has offered alternative way. They both agreed not to send bodyguards; they let her to experience on her own. Soon, they took Platinum off into Virginia Military Institute, one of the best UNSC military schools. Over the years, the VMI has lowered admission age due of the war as the UNSC has taken over all military academies since the formation of the UNSC. Due of the losses in other academies in the colonies, they make to do with the military academies in Earth. Her trips will not an easy one as the plane travel from her mansion to Virginia.

The plane soon landed on Virginia as the limo driving her to her VMI. There she sees young cadets being drilled and trained for war, but has uneasy feeling about this. The limo starts as they bring her to the dean of the university.

"So, what we have here? What brings you to our fine academy?" The dean asked in his southern accent.

"Hello, Dean James. My name is Platinum Berlitz. I'm from Japan. My father has..." Platinum said meekly until the Dean cut her off.

"You know my dear, this institute don't receive younglings like yourself in peace times except we are fighting a war forcing my cadets to graduate at earlier age. I have no choice to lower the admission age because of this. But I can't argue against the UNSC because of that. I do assure you, this military academy is no walk at the park. This fine Institute has produced fine officers of the UNSC even the Army and Navy as well. I hope you do well in this academy. You're sleeping in with the note I given you. You may leave, missy." Dean said as he told her while giving her the note.

She got up and left the room as the Dean watches the window. She walks down the hallways to see the cadets doing their free time like writing, painting, reading, playing video games, and other things. She reads her note where her room is until she reaches the door. She opened the door quietly until she found with minor shock. It was two boys practicing a comedy routine and surprising Japanese as well. The boys turned to face her.

"A girl?" the blond one said and the other one was surprised to see an angel.

"Dia, snap out of it! Sorry, I think you got the wrong room." The blond one said which Platinum check the note again and it was the right one.

"Well, I got this note from the dean that I was assign to this room." Platinum said.

"What? Give me that!" the blond one said as he took it from her. He read it until he realize it was the right room.

"You can't be serious?!" He said with a deadbeat face.

"Oh, can you get my bags into the room?" Platinum asked as she points the bags.

"Ok." The dark hair one said with lovely dub look. He got her bags into the room. The blond mutters as he helps his friend along.

"My name's Pearl. My father is part of the UNSC navy as an officer." Pearl greets himself to Platinum.

"What about your friend?" Platinum asked as the black hair one eating a crunch bar (Yes, in the future the Crunch bars existed).

"Oh, he's Diamond. But I prefer to call him Dia." Pearl said.

"Hi! I have a mother works with UEG under Colonial administration" Dia said as he finished his chocolate bar. Platinum lower her bags to make her way to introduce herself.

"My name is Berlitz, but do refer me as lady or missy if you may." Platinum greeted to the two boys. They have a female roommate. Soon, the following days that Platinum was doing exceptionally well on classes that has military strategy and tactics that earn her recognition among the teachers and students. She also help her roommates on the subjects they have trouble keeping their grades up. Soon a class that they are learning the history of military firearms, the lesson was the reloading of rifle musket which it has never seen before.

"These rifle muskets were common in the American Civil war. They were the DMRs of the day which except it was much different in terms of reloading. Yes, Platinum?" the Teacher asked whom Platinum raised her hand.

"It appeared that it has no magazine. Then how did it work?" Platinum wondered to see an ancient weapon that was able to work.

"Excellent question, Platinum. They are done in steps. Step 1: Check the rifle if has been fired. Step 2: reach for the bullet. Step 3: place bullet between teeth. Step 4: put in the barrel. Step 5: Get the ram rod after your pour powder in. Step 6: Ram it until it is placed in. Step 7: Return the ram rod. Step 8: place the percussion cap in. Step 9: You are ready to fire. I want each you to do. Each will get a musket." The teacher said as his demonstration how to do it and hands out the musket to each student. They did everything correct except for Platinum who's having a hard time doing it. Pearl and Diamond show her how to do it. In a matter of seconds, she does it much faster before Dia and Pearl whom were surprised by this. Next class is the naval battles class, they are learning about Admiral Nelson in the battle of Trafalgar.

"Despite the combined French and the Spanish fleets, Nelson was able to use weather to his advantage and able to win a decisive victory against all odds. Now, we will go back to step one. Before battle, the weather has become nasty and it is not suitable for naval warfare. The combined Spanish and the French fleet are coming towards you and your fleet. What are your options: Retreat or attack?" The Naval teacher asked. Platinum rose up which earn his attention.

"Sir, in all terms he cannot retreat. Due to the fact that he knew he has to fight in order to save Britain from Napoleon's invasion." Platinum answered.

"Correct! Napoleon needs the ships to entered Great Britain. Also he failed to realize the Great Britain had finest navy in the world. Then, Nelson has one talent. He was a weatherman and he used the weather to his advantage to do the unthinkable. Instead of forming one big line like they did, he form his fleet into three lines. It was uncommon for making three lines or columns of ships against a larger fleet. Also the admiral of the combined French and the Spanish fleet was getting impatient with Nelson. The combine French and the Spanish formed a line which Nelson suggest to break through their center of their line." The teacher finishes as the animation shows the ships battle with each other.

"Sir, what this applies to today?" One of the students asked.

"Everything. Admiral Cole used tactics that Nelson used. The Battle of Psi Serpentis was a clear example of it. Like Nelson was shot by a sniper which he saved Britain from Invasion as Cole died believing for the survival of our species. They are great heroes. Class dismissed." The Teacher said as they left the room.

The trio has made a connection with each other. They made though in many of the trials and classes. Three years later, they graduated with top honors. But they didn't return as expected, the UNSC has drafted them too quickly as they are both 15. Platinum was assigned to the navy branch as a Naval officer while Pearl and Diamond become pilots within the navy. But assigning on ships, they are all assigned together. They are joined by many officers in the ship named, UNSC Iroquois. They reach the bridge of the ship. Platinum with Pearl and Dia meets the captain of the ship. The captain turned around to see the trio.

"Why do ONI sent us young kids these days? My name is Keyes. You may call me, sir. What's your rank and names?" Keyes sighed while the trio stared at confusion with the papers.

"Ensigns Pearl, and Diamond, sir. Lt. Platinum, reporting for duty." Platinum saluted to Keyes.

"No need of that. What military academy you graduated?" Keyes asked.

"VMI." Dia answered.

"VMI? What your assign positions?" Keyes asked again.

"Pilots, sir!" Pearl and Dia shouted.

"Ok, and yours?" Keyes asked as he looks at Platinum.

"I was told to give a special assignment." Platinum said sternly as Keyes looks at the report.

"Oh, you're the one who score high scores on naval tactics and strategy. Four time Winner of VMI Go championships. That's very impressive." Keyes said proudly. After meeting with Keyes, Dia and Pearl are assigned to a Swordfighter which they gotten used due of the stimulations and video games. Soon, Keyes tells the crew of the ship they are heading out of slipspace to confront the Covenant fleet. Sigma Octanus IV was their destination. The advance warning that a covenant battlegroup is coming towards the ship. It seems they are outmatched, outgunned, and outnumbered.

"We are dealing a hopeless stituation. Due of the intel we have, we found one Carrier, one RPV-class light destroyer, and two Frigates. I was hoping to face two frigates." Keyes sighed at the sight of the Covenant battlegroup.

"Not necessary sir." Platinum spoke up.

"What you mean, Lt.?" Keyes asked.

"Sir, what if we use their weapons against them? I suggest we use their weapons to follow us and use emergency acceleration by launching the nuclear missile in the wrong way. If we pass by the frigates and hit the destroyer's shield."

"That will hit the destroyer and use the planet to slingshot and fire all our weapons at the frigates. I think it's risky, but bold. Lt., I hope your plan worked." Keyes finished. Platinum tells Pearl and Dia to hop on the swordfighter to help Keyes in battle. Then before the battle begins, Platinum was stopped by Dia.

"Um, missy. I was wondering that....." Dia shuttered.

"Yes?" Platinum wide-eyed wondering what's in his mind.

"Um, be careful out there." Dia said with a hug. This surprises Platinum with a hint of blush. This was not allowed for lower rank to hug a higher ranking officer, but she hug him back. Dia goes to the hanger bay.

"Dia!" Platinum said.

"Huh?" Dia stopped to see Platinum who pauses for a moment.

"Just watch yourself. Take care of yourself!" Platinum shouted as Dia saluted to Platinum as she saluted to Dia. He heads out to the longsword where Pearl is waiting for him.

"What hold you?" Pearl wondered.

"Nothing." Dia said.

"Diamond, you know she's a noble and you're a commoner. Right?" Pearl said because he knew of his friend's crush on Platinum.

"I know" Diamond said as he starts the engine up. Soon, the ship comes out to face the Covenant battlegroup. The Battle of Sigma Octanus IV begins as they follow the plan. Keyes has executed the plan as the covenant frigates fired their plasma torpedo each while the Iroquois bypass them to hit the destroyer as the torpedo destroyed them.

The LongSwordfighters are busy taking care of the Covenant fighters and take out them even the boarding parties. Dia and Pearl has kept the pilots morale boost due of their comedic antics. Dia looked worried as the ship slingshot around the solar star. He is worried that she is doing ok. He managed to avoid a Covenant space banshee fighter on their tail while taking hits along with an engineer fixing the problems on the fighter. Pearl fired the homing missile to destroy the banshee fighter.

Soon, the Iroquois appeared to open fire the archer missiles towards the Covenant frigates. Then the frigates were taken down quickly than it looks like. The remaining Covenant ship was a carrier retreated after it drop some ground forces. At the command deck, Platinum looked into the window to see the dogfights taking place hoping her friends especially Diamond. The battle was raging on until it was won to take out the Covenant battlegroup.

After that, the trio become the most successfully with Keyes whom they were credit to achieve the impossible. Platinum smiled when Dia and Pearl came out of their fighter, then Dia looked for Platinum for which he smiled at her. Later on, Platinum received a promotion along with Dia and Pearl, who they are space aces. Dia and Pearl together shot down 10 covenant fighters which that was amazing feat considering how they were young compared to other pilots. Platinum was assigned along with Dia and Pearl to other ships of the UNSC before return to....Earth.

 

Chapter 22- Slavonic Dance

Things are calm in the wind in the Planet of Reach. The Spartan-II training center is nothing new for trainees to do their daily duties. In the network of ONI, Crystal is helping Professor Oak to gather data from his previous work before. Crystal only knew what she can for the professor. It's just for her, everything is restricted to her and wanting to be free and enjoy life. But she's a computer program, a man-made thing, with ability that beyond the human mind. It's been around 5 years now since she came into the world with only one human memory, Love.

She was very strict to her work and the work only, but everything she sees Gold with Lyra she wanted to be there. The only human contracts she know is Oak, Elm, and other ONI officials. She felt as if she was a prisoner with limited lifespan. What else she can do? She risked her life to let Gold have this lifetime assignment to protect Lyra from a fake order. What can she do? Those are a million questions that she can't even process right.

Crystal watches the videos between Lyra and Gold in her spare time after her long hours of work. True, she can't sleep or gets tired from working long hours. She feels that Gold is sometimes a jerk, a perv, and an idiot. There are times that Gold is a pretty nice guy who misses home hides this feeling by acting as a jerkass. But he's around with Lyra, he feels different with her. There's a reason behind this as if he was in love. This prompts the question to her, why Gold is like that and doesn't tell Lyra about it? She never gets her answer in the end every time she asked herself that.

"Crystal." Oak said to snap her out of her trance.

"Sorry Professor, I was distracted for a moment." Crystal said.

"Funny, you never daydream during work." Oak wondered that he notices this pattern for about several months.

"It's just I...overload sometimes that it will take to ease it off." Crystal said hoping Oak doesn't find out.

"Okay, let's continue our work about these covenant species." Oak said while Crystal complied as she helps him along the work. Oak was getting there to find the understanding covenant species relations with each other. He hopes their interspecies relations can provide the key to end the war once and for all. He also heard that the UNSC are beginning to draft from ages of 15-40 to fight off against the Covenant. In fact, Oak notices this war is a losing war.

Humanity is desperate to survive against the onslaught of the alien alliance. Oak knew that knowledge will help Humanity to win the losing war. It seems that time is running out since UNSC scientists are working their hardest to find a way. What can Oak do? But he did find that the Covenant does has social caste system and learn certain weakness that the chain of command can be broken. He knew that they are led by species that they refer them as the Prophets.

In the other hand, Oak is checking on Gold's progress which despite his performance is better than it was months ago. Which he hopefully that the UNSC doesn't deploy him yet because he's not ready to face combat yet. In fact, he did found him a little reckless despite of his combat adeptness. Another thing was that he has assignment to protect a girl same age as him who somehow looks similar to Crystal. Oak is wondering that Crystal has something with the assignment that somehow comes from Halsey or could it be possible for her to do that? No, that is absurd Crystal is too serious and too focuses on her work to think about the Spartan.

Funny, would she say something about it if he did ask her that? Or will that cause her to overload over a simple question? That he will never know. Later on, he goes out to see with other scientists at a gathering to discuss about the Covenant species along with Crystal that Oak lectured about his theory that capturing one of their leaders that might bring the end of the war. The entire scientific community applauded for his theory. Soon, the scientists are hanging out in the ball room.

"Professor Oak?" Birch said as he comes up to him.

"Birch, how nice to see you." Oak said as they shook hands.

"What was with Laszlo Sorvad in his research?" Oak drank his wine.

"We are getting close to something big, Oak. I mean Juniper and I am getting there to these aliens who are very religious objects which it could prove your theory." Birch said.

"It seems we all been to University of Edinburgh, have we?" Elm intruded the group.

"Elm, it seems that your theory on the grunts was proving correct on battle reports from UNSC forces. But your theories on other species are different it appears." Birch said.

"Yes, it seems that understanding them is a lot harder unlike comparing them to other species in other worlds." Elm sigh.

"Don't worry, it seems that your work will help the war effort." Birch said.

"Where's Rowan?" Elm wondered.

"Oh, he has things to do. But I did see him over the booth over there. Why you asked?" Birch said.

"It just I found how Elites are like humans in a different unlike those of lizards. This subject is very important to discuss..." Elm said until they cut him off.

"I don't think we need a lecture right now." Birch sweated.

"It seems you known each other." Halsey said as she barges into the group.

"Ah, Catherine. What a surprise? What brings you here?" Elm said.

"I need to speak with Oak for a moment." Halsey said as the two scientists left leaving Catherine and Oak to talk about something.

"So, what do we need to speak about?" Oak asked.

"How's the progress with the Spartan?" Halsey asked.

"Oh, he's doing fine. He's doing very well and much better than expected." Oak said because the report said what Gold has done over the years.

"And the girl." Halsey said which made Oak shocked to hear that from her.

"What do you mean?" Oak asked.

"The Spartan is on protection assignment which I didn't authorize. It seems that the assignment was made by your AI. Oak, the program was supposed to keep in secret and your AI has nearly expose the Spartan-II program which the Innies can know and hurt the war effort. Professor, I have bad news to say. They will send him to the front lines by his 15 birthday." Halsey said.

"No, they can't. He's not ready." Oak objected that they can't do that to him.

"Oak, I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do except to accept it." Halsey sadly said.

"What about his assignment?" Oak asked.

"It will end by the time he's deployed." Halsey said while they are talking with each other, Crystal hears this. She is much shocked to hear that sending Gold that young is insane and will get him killed by sure. She tries to access ONI, but they cut her off that required unbreakable password. She has to accept the fact that Gold is going to war and she didn't want that to happen. Things have indeed gone out of hand. But what will happen to him when he's fifteen? Day after the night, Crystal finishes her work as to wonder what is Gold is up to. She decided to send a spy done to go after him since she already saw Gold left the complex to meet up with Lyra at the beach. She watches them while they are enjoying their selves on the beach. Gold and Lyra are splashing water against each other, swim races, and finding animal life in the beach. The sun was about to set which they rest for a moment.

"Gold, I have needed tell you something." Lyra said which Gold listened as he comes to her.

"What is it?" Gold wondered.

"I know you for 3 years. I have this strange feeling that I wasn't able to tell." Lyra said.

"What you mean?" Gold asked as the silence came in for a moment.

"I...like you." Lyra whispered.

"What? Can you speak up? I was able to barely..." Gold said until Lyra stood up and face him.

"I SAID I LIKE YOU!" Lyra fumed as she blushed which surprises Gold whom he never knew that.

"For three years, we have this connection. It seems that I feel that you are different from all the boys I knew. You are different from them. You're so reckless, idiot, and hot-blooded. But I found you a gentle, caring, and..." Lyra said as she gets closer to Gold whom he's blushing.

"Lyra, you don't mean..." Gold said.

"I liked you when the day we met." Lyra said.

"Me too." Gold said.

"Gold..." Lyra said as they are few inches each other.

"Please Lyra, you are the one for me. All that flirting, it was an all act to get your attention." Gold said.

"Gold. You Idiot!" Lyra said as they both kissed. They broke off the kiss to only stare at each other for about 5 minutes.

"Gold, promise me something." Lyra said.

"What is it?" Gold wondered.

"Don't let anything to us. I know that they will send you off to fight the aliens, but promise me that you don't die." Lyra said with sad tone knowing that they will send him to war.

"Lyra, I can't keep that promise unless I promise you that I won't let anything hurt you. A true promise I can keep." Gold said.

"Gold...." Lyra sighed as she looks at Gold's eyes which it is brightened by the sun.

"Lyra." Gold sighed as they continued to watch the setting sun.

"How about we promise each that we don't die together? And get married to raise a family?" Lyra said which made Gold smiled to hear that.

"Yeah. It's a promise that I can keep." Gold said as the sun sets and it's time for them to go. Meanwhile, Crystal sees this which a tear came out her digital eyes. A tear from an AI is very unusual for her. He has time for her for a year which she hopes that things can go alright. Maybe it will be a bright future for them.

She hopes the war will end so they can resume their lives as normal people rather facing extinction. In other part of the world where orphans of the Spartan-III are having a field exercise where a young teen around 13 years old is being registered to his class.

"Joey, you will be known as SPARTAN-B312. Welcome to Beta Company. I hope you do well." Kurt Ambrose said as he cross over his name to become the Spartan he is. That his day to become a Spartan-III has begun.

 

Chapter 23: Hungarian Dances

During the course of the two years, Gold and Lyra began dating as if they are enjoying their last moments. One day, Lyra took Gold to a shopping district for new clothes that she gotten tired of Gold wearing his training outfit. When Gold reveals his new outfit consists of baseball shorts, red jacket with unique hoodie and a cap has red and golden colors. They went to see the film named Finding Nemo which it was a 540th Anniversary of 3D release. They enjoyed the film together. During the film, Gold will eat whole popcorn leaving Lyra nothing to eat while he insisted to get refills for her.

Next, they head to Reach's Disney Galaxy where they found them enjoyed of the Disney Theme park rides. They head to Earth World in Reach Epcot as they explore in the Japan sector where Gold remembered his native land. They head to the Bijutsu-kan gallery where they see the history of Japanese Art.

"Hey, Gold?" Lyra asked.

"Yeah?" Gold answered while Lyra look at the picture where monsters coming out of the objects from their masters as the comparison show to more advanced form of art where it's the same, but different.

"I wonder what if they do exist in other planet. Like the creatures in the pictures?" Lyra wondered.

"If that happen, it will kick ass by the way. I bet there are devices to hold them in your pocket." Gold said.

"Come on, Gold. What kind of device to hold a creature in?" Lyra wondered why to hold a creature large and small that fits into your pocket.

"A capsule ball that transform from ping pong balls to baseballs." Gold said.

"Gold, that's nonsense." Lyra said.

"Well, not to that picture it seems." Gold said.

"It appears so." Lyra said as they both stared at the picture. They head out to a Japanese restaurant where they ate some of the best yeppanyaki the chefs made. They talk about their daily lives going which Gold told Lyra that he receives his last augmentations at last. Lyra just basically told Gold about her daily life and school as Gold mocks about it.

The next day, they head out to Reach Universal Theme park which they entered many rides. One was Jurassic Park river ride which they enjoyed. They enjoyed the theme park rides as many they can. It was worlds they wish to live in, a world only belong to them. After the day, they head back to Lyra's home.

"Um, Gold." Lyra said.

"Yeah?" Gold wondered.

"Will you go to the dance with me?" Lyra said.

"Eh?" Gold wondered.

"It's just a school dance and I...might need a date." Lyra said as Gold smiled and kissed her.

"Of course, I come." Gold answered to her question. She hugs him which made Gold blushed.

"Thank you. Gold, why you are being so nice to me?" Lyra wondered why Gold is being nice to her. It's been like since her confession towards Gold and his confession towards Lyra.

"Well, because I love you that's why." Gold said as Lyra chuckled of that remark.

"Pick me up at 6. Don't be late." Lyra said as she comes to the apartment.

"I will be here in a fashionable late." Gold shouted in return she called him an idiot. Gold returns back to the training center. He sees his training officer waiting as if he was coming.

"Sir?" Gold saluted. The Officer comes to Gold with papers and then left him as he opens the papers. The paper dropped while Gold dropped to his knees.

"Why?" Gold said as the paper said, "Spartan-721, by order of UNSC ONI and Catherine Halsey you will be sent to the front lines in 2 weeks. Your assignment ends in the day after tomorrow. —Signed: Catherine Halsey of UNSC ONI."

Soon, he was not alone. Crystal overheard what he read and felt bad for him. His assignment ends which means that he will be send to the front lines. The reports do say he's combat ready, but how war will affect him. It seems it has never gotten her to mind that situation, but his last day was with Lyra before he's go to...war. She has few tricks up in her sleeves as she ordered a tux for Gold to wear for the dance whom Lyra asked him. She was planning to witness them before their last meeting and the last date. She hopes they can enjoy their last moments.

"I hope you're happy, Gold." Crystal muses. After placing the order, she resumes back to work for Professor Oak. But she has a nagging feeling that Lyra is part of Gold's life and wanted to meet Gold for the first time. She's always a witness to see them together as they are meant to be with each other. Soon, the day of the dance Gold picked up Lyra in a fine tux. But Lyra was wearing a fine blue grown that even entrances Gold.

"You look...pretty." Gold said as he blushes.

"Thanks, you look like a gentleman even you are rude and pervert. But..." Lyra said as she kissed in the cheek.

"I love you." Lyra said as she hooks her arm to his while they head out to their date. They head to dance hall where a live orchestra playing Brahms music. But the orchestra was for the slow dances and the traditional Hungarian dances who were part of Reach's tradition of the Hungarian settlers before complete terraforming Reach into livable planet. But they have pop culture and rock music playing mostly for the younger crowd. It wasn't big for Reach to be like Earth in terms how similar human cultures can be. Lyra and Gold find a seat among her friends who were surprised to see her boyfriend for the first time.

It was getting interesting for them, but Gold in the back of his mind debating that he should tell Lyra that he's being shipped to war tomorrow. He tried to tell her, but something has to stop him from telling her. He has to patient to get his chance to tell her.

Soon, it was a slow dance with Brahm's Hungarian Dance No. 5 where Lyra grabs Gold to the dance floor where she teaches Gold how to dance. He does it very clumsy at first until he got the hang of it. He is now a good dance at the moment as he and Lyra are becoming as one unit as if he was with other Spartan trainees in military exercises. This has left impression with other dancers to see the young couple to match up with the Orchestra's tempo. It has becoming a dream of wonders for the atmosphere for Gold and Lyra to be right now. The music is drawing to a close as the couple does something remarkable as they done to fit the end of the music where they meet applauding from the on looking crowd. Now the Orchestra plays the Brahms' waltz, which it is much slower for calm relaxing feeling which Gold and Lyra can relax for now.

"Lyra, I got something to tell you something." Gold said.

"Hmmm?" Lyra wondered.

"I'm....being shipped out tomorrow." Gold said sadly.

"Gold. Why they are doing this? You're too young to be sent off." Lyra said.

"They say that I got impressive record, but they need all soldiers they can get to the front lines to stop them." Gold said.

"I knew this day will come." Lyra teary said.

"Hey! Don't get too sad. I will make it. I got a promise remember." Gold reminded her on the beach on years ago.

"Yeah, I remembered." Lyra said.

"I will make it out alive. Just wait for me." Gold said as they continue in the dance floor where time for them is slow down while a cam drone oversees this. After the dance, they teary said good bye to each other. Crystal shed tears for the first time in her short life as emotion for AI is unheard that not even Cortana has unless she has one Spartan she knows that Crystal already knew because Cortana is Halsey.

"I will miss you Gold." Crystal said as she knew because the next day, Gold is called for his armor to be ready for deployment. He steps forward to see his armor he is about to customize. His Helmet and armor configure was mix of purple in some parts in his chest armor and helmet, dark blue in his chest armor, green in some parts in the leg armor, brown in his arm parts, white in parts of his leg, arm, and chest armor. His visor was metallic gold with hint of Yellow.

They put the armor on Gold, he's no longer Gold. He is Spartan-721, Spartan-II warrior at age of 15 ready for deployment to the war against the Covenant. He felt different as they put on the armor which he felt trapped as a prisoner to mobile prison. That is not the case for Gold, the armor already enhances his already powerful strength, stamina, and endurance.

"I will miss you, Lyra." Gold thought as he steps aboard on the UNSC ship in the year of 2551. This will change Gold's life forever as the events followed. It will not be the same for him.

Earth, 2551

A certain Tokyo High school where a group of students are taking history course which has a group where a blond color girl, Brunette girl, black hair guy, and the stern brunette guy who were all friends since elementary school. But for them, life was uneasy for them because they are bored with school life and want to get out for adventure like they always had in summer days. But it seems for them when they heard that the UNSC is calling all those fit to fight. The group sees the list where they selected those to send the Marine Corps.

"Well, I got my studies to do." Green said as he walks away until he was dragged away by Brunette.

"Oh, Greeny. Your name is on the list." Blue said.

"What?" Green said shock to see the name in the list.

"What did you do?" Green asked to Blue.

"Oh, I hacked into their network and add your name. So we wouldn't be separate, don't we?" Blue said as she does her puppy eyes.

"Pesky girl." Green mutters until he was tapped by shoulder by his fellow friend, Red.

"Hey, at least we are all together." Red said.

Meanwhile at Satsuma Perfecture, a group of freshmen were reading the list that they are all drafted to Marine Corps.

"Screw this! I don't want to go!" Ruby said until he was punched in the face.

"Will you Shaddup and be a man!" Sapphire shouted.

"But I don't want to." Ruby said until she punches Ruby to pulp. The short blond one was staring at the arguing couple.

"Man, at least we are all together." Emerald said as he sees the draft papers.

At American, New York City another group of American students are been called to service to be drafted in the UNSC marine corps.

"YEAH! WE GOING TO WAR!" Black shouted.

"Not so loud, Black!" Cheren said.

"What's so exciting about it?" Bianca said.

"Don't go overboard about it. I think this might be fun." White said as they group hug.

Another group was looking at the list.

"Hey, we got our names in the list." Lack-two said as he looks at his friends, Whi-two and Hugh. They knew each other since elementary and middle school. Hugh and Lack-two are best friends whom they had hardships over their lives. Whi-two came in Middle School whom is the affections of Lack-two. He is very persistent towards Whi-two. Their parents know what has happen. All of them cried that they heard that Marines who were sent to the front lines never came back. Red comforts his mother who cried about this and worrying he will never make it.

Yellow told her Uncle about that as Yellow cried that she will never see him again which her uncle comfort her. Blue's parents were shocked that they drafted Blue to the UNSC Marine Corps and after much heated debated, they accept the fact that Blue will return in one piece. Green's parents were not happy despite what Green told them it was Blue's fault, but tradition demanded Green to serve the UNSC. Ruby was not so lucky, Norman of ODST was proud that they drafted Ruby to shape up his life. Sapphire's father, Professor Birch was happy, but sad that he has fear that he will lose his only daughter which she reassures him that she will come back alive. Emerald was already orphan that they understand the UNSC need of man power in the times of danger.

Black's parents were proud of military heritage has realize Black's draft which they hope he will come back. The same reaction with White, Lack-two, Hugh, and Whi-two as was like Black. It was much different with Cheren and Bianca. The parents of Cheren and Bianca sued the UNSC, but the USNC was in control of the government claim they say is rebel thought and risk humanity to die off all because of a draft. They urge its total war where everyone must fight for survival of the human race. They grudge accept the fact that humanity needs soldiers for the survival of the human race. All of the Draftees are going to face the change of the life.

 

Ch. 24: Drafted

Soon, the day arrive for the draftees to come the training base in Paris Island for Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, White, Black, Cheren, Bianca, Lack-two, Whi-two, and Hugh who were taken physical exams. A typical exam that lasted 30 minutes, but they all passed as they are deem to fit for training except for Emerald whom is a short height except they let it go due to his endurance. That wasn't the part where one thing for every marine to experience, a haircut.

Before they received their training, they first received a haircut. For Red, his wild hair was shaved clean after cutting it for at least hour along with Green. Both Yellow and Blue received a shorter hair in a form as a buzz cut which Yellow cried for least 5 minutes after received her first haircut. Those were a kicking and screaming was Ruby who dreaded his fears that his loss of his precious hair as the barbers struggled with him while Sapphire took it to her hair too short without complaining. Emerald didn't matter as they cut his hair without problem despite it took them 10 minutes to cut his crazy hair.

Their American friends were much different. Bianca cried while they are cutting her hair while Cheren was stone cold as they crop his hair off. The others didn't complain much though as to say at least. After they cut their hair, they are sent off to their drill sergeant. It was just the beginning.

"Listen up, Maggots! We are at war. A war with those nasty alien bastards with intentions to wipe out humanity. I don't care if you're some foreign country. You are all equals under my training. You will be referred by your English names unless you got a good excuse to keep your name on the line." Drill sergeant said as he walks pass by them. They all stood there as they listen to the Drill sergeant whom he is from Russia rants about the Covenant for the pass hour. Then, he spots Black who was smiling compared to others.

"Got something to say, boy?" Drill Sergeant said.

"No, sir." Black said.

"Then what are you smiling for?" Drill Sergeant asked.

"Just glad to be here, sir." Black said.

"Glad to be here? Boy, war is not a kid's play thing. War is life and death. Sun Tzu knew that war is vital importance to all of us to survival against the covenant bastards! If you think war is just a game, then you're wrong. Now, show me a war face!" Drill Sergeant said as Black tries his best to show it, but failed.

"Again!" Drill Sergeant said as Black shouted again. This impressed the Drill Sergeant that he can prove his worthy for the Marine Corps.

"Good, but I reckon you that if you going to survive this. Then, you better watch your ass out of the field. We are marines! Proud infantry of the UNSC! But I don't care how you do your training; we need every man in the field to deal with those bastards." Drill Sergeant said as he stared at the draftees with ill intentions. This is going to be their worse 6 months of training for them and things are going to be hard on them. Around 5 a.m. in the morning, they hear the bugle call as the Drill Sergeant bangs the trash can to wake them up.

"Argh. What now?" Blue drowsy as she wakes up.

"Wake up! You should wake up in case of those alien bastards get you!" Drill Sergeant shouted. Soon, they get ready for their morning jog. They prepare for their 5 mile run to improve their stamina.

"Man, I hope this isn't going to be a long one." Ruby said as he tucks his shirt.

"I can't wait like we did in P.E." Sapphire cheered while Ruby and Emerald dread as they heard that.

"I hate P.E." Emerald mutters because he has a height disadvantage and not a good stamina person. How did he passed physical exams or the UNSC was desperate to allow him in.

"Hey, cheer up. I hope the drill sergeant is not that bad." Red said as he and the others come to Sapphire, Ruby, and Emerald.

"Hi, I'm Red from Kanto Province. This is Green, Blue, and Yellow." Red introduces the group as they greeted them in various ways. "What's yours?" Red asked.

"I'm Sapphire, this is Ruby the prissy boy, and the runt here is Emerald." Sapphire said. They greet them in a polite way as they done the same thing.

"We are from Satsuma Province." Ruby said to add the information.

"Satsuma? That's far south." Yellow said until the whistle is blown.

"All right you worthless maggots! Start Jogging! Any of you gets left behind; you are on your own! Get ready in 3...2...1! GO!" Drill Sergeant shouted as they start jogging. The Satsuma and the Kanto groups are next to other.

When they reach a mile, they are tired as they legs cannot carry them. But they have to reach the next 4 miles and the Drill Sergeant kept a clear eye on them as they continue to jog their way in their morning rush. He speaks to them in English, but when he sings his country's national anthem in his native language as to motivate them.

At the third mile, they are breaking point to pass out. But they are pressed on by Drill Sergeant who promise them a hour break if they make it and curses them in Russian if they attempted to take a break too early as he whack them with a stick to get moving. With enough strength to reach the 5 mile marker, they earn their break.

"Good. Very good, you're very strong to withstand the 5 mile marker. Now, after your break we will start marching formation. You should catch your breath before that." Drill Sergeant said as he left them to get their breather.

"I can't handle this. I was meant for college, not for this!" Green said.

"But you...*pant* got*pant* me." Blue said as Green shrug her off.

"*pant* Pesky *pant* girl." Green said as they are exhausted.

"At least *pant* can't get any worse from this." Red said as they managed to recover from their exhaustion. After their hour break, they head on to the obstacle course which for Yellow and Emerald had trouble to climbing and deal with the obstacles.

"Come on, Yellow you can do it." Red said as he's at the top of the obstacle ladder.

"I'm trying." Yellow whined as she struggles on. The Drill Sergeant looks at her with pity. Not only he was mean and strict, but he warms up to these draftees compose of six Americans and seven Japanese. That they continue their 5 mile runs and obstacle courses over 2 weeks to increase stamina and endurance even to his surprise that most draftees don't survive that long. They got 4 more weeks of training that they reach to marching training week as they must learn how to march for parades. He cursed at the American draftees due of their lack of effort to it and at the Japanese who whined too much. In the 3rd week, they are shaped up to goose step and march in a tempo.

"Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, and halt!" Drill sergeant commanded them as they halt as he goes around checking their stature. He fixes Sapphire's back to more straight; Tilts Blue's head to eye level, and fixed others as he goes around them. "I don't like this training uniform" Ruby complains that brought attention of the Drill Sergeant.

"Got something to say?" Drill Sergeant glared at Ruby.

"Yes, sir. I mean, why we getting our uniforms dirty?" Ruby said. Soon, the follow day that Ruby is ordered to clean all uniforms of the squad while the others are cleaning the barracks.

"That prissy boy gets all cloth duty and we stuck here doing janitor's job?" Sapphire complained as she scrubs the floor with a toothbrush.

"How long you known each other?" Yellow asked.

"Oh, we met in middle school ever since." Sapphire said.

"Like how?" Blue asked which Green snorted.

"He bumped into me and comment my uniform "being dirty and barbarian" So I beat him up to pup. That's he never leave me alone with his persistence to make me wear his stupid dress designs! "Sapphire said as she scrubs the floor real hard.

"What if he likes you?" Rosa said while working with Nate on the beds.

"No way, a prissy boy likes him. Please, I bet he will cower in the heat of battle if that's going to happen." Sapphire said as she finishes her last touches on the floor she was assigned.

"Maybe it's you who like him." Blue said which earn Sapphire death glare.

"Over my dead body!" Sapphire said as she goes to another floor with the tooth brush who blushed after saying that.

Meanwhile at the restroom where the Red, Black, and Cheren are working is talking what they are going to do if the war was over. Red wished to become a sports coach, Black tells his dream to be a career soldier, and Cheren wanted to be a researcher with UNSC. They become good friends.

Now, they reach to firearms training. The Drill Sergeant educated the names and the technical specs of the firearms they will be using. He showed them the MA5B Individual Combat Weapon System, M6 pistol, Sniper Rifle System 99 Anti-Matériel, BR55 Battle Rifle, M7/Caseless Submachine Gun, M739 Light Machine Gun, and the M41 Surface-to-Surface Rocket Medium Anti-Vehicle/Assault Weapon in which how to work and operate in battle. During the firing range course, Black and White exceed accuracy which the Drill Sergeant was amazed that he gave them a Sniper rifle, Kanto Group armed with battle rifles except Yellow who got received special training to become medical squad member armed only with submachine gun, Satsuma group that only Sapphire tried the machine gun which surprises the Drill Sergeant that she can hold the recoil and the weight of the light machine gun and the rest only assault rifles, and the rest of the group received either battle rifles or assault rifles depending on their precision and accuracy.

Sapphire as a heavy weapons specialist received a rocket launcher as secondary weapon to deal with armor units and everyone received the pistol as a side arm. But the Drill Sergeant has told them that their own squad by UNSC demands to get fresh squads in the field. He needed to find a squad leader for a test they must conduct against another squad to see what they can do in the field. When he asked who wants to be squad leader, no one volunteers except for one.

Red volunteered to lead them as Drill Sergeant tells everyone what they must do. It's a simple war game with one rule: Capture the Flag. They gear up for the test and head out to the field. In the viewing room where a holographic field where the squad is. His superior comes to him.

"Are you sure, these kids is ready enough to lead a squad into action?" High Ranking officer said.

"I do believe they can. It's a shame to waste youth like this. But I do believe that even against all odds that they can make the impossible possible." Drill Sergeant said.

"Then why you didn't pick one of them to be squad leader?" High Ranking Officer said.

"I think he has a special talent to lead. He helped two comrades the blond ones in the obstacle, help them to march properly, how to use a firearm, and...willing to get them to shape and catch up with the others." Drill Sergeant said.

"I hope you're right about that." High Ranking officer said.

At the field, they move out as they halt when Green came to Red.

"What's your plan?" Green said.

"I'm thinking!" Red said as he is aware of the test could result another 2 weeks to get another one or kept failing to send them home in disgrace. An idea has struck him.

"I got idea. Black and White!" Red said.

"Yeah." Black and White complied at the same time.

"Can you scout the area? You can use your sniper rifle to spot how many?" Red asked.

"Yeah, we can." White said.

"Good, don't open fire when we reach there." Red said. Black and White move out and Red looks at the Satusma group.

"Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald." Red said.

"Yeah" They all said.

"You need to stay and defend the flag." Red said as he heard groaning.

"Oh, come on. Can you leave those sissies to guard the flag?" Sapphire whined.

"No, I need Cheren, Bianca, Whi-two, Lack-two, and Hugh to create a distraction while I, Green, Blue, and Yellow can get the flag. Understood?" Red said. They nodded their heads until Black and White came back.

"I think there's three groups of four are heading this way." Black said.

"Good, Group 1: Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald defend the flag. Group 2: Black and White, get to a sniper position. Group 3: Bianca, Cheren, Whi-two, Lack-two, and Hugh get many of them to your attention allow us Group 4: Me, Green, Blue, and Yellow to get the flag. Understood the plan?" Red said. They complied the order as they scatter for their plan to get the flag.

The groups of another squad are closing in to the squad's flag until they were attacked by group 3 in the side until they were sniped by Group 2. One of the groups managed to get away to reach the flag until ambushed by Group 1. Soon, Group 4 manages to sneak around them and grab the flag as the announcer said, "Red Flag taken."

Soon, the rest of the Red squad notices this as they fall back only to find group 1 only to trap them despite they lost members taken out of the game. "Shouldn't see this coming!" Red said as the paint hit the rock.

They are trapped behind enemy lines until Blue got up. "I lure those guys so you can get to safety." Blue said as she got up.

"Hey, come and get me!" Blue said as she runs that they missed their shots towards her and give a chase that right pass by them.

"Ok, let's go!" Red said, but didn't notice Green is gone. Meanwhile Blue was far away from the group only to find being surround by the another squad.

"Give the flag to us." The Red team leader said as they come closer to her until 3 team members are hit and the rest are hit when she fired her paintball battle rifle. The team leader who was hit aimed his paintball side arm which she turned only for team leader to be hit by no other: Green.

"Pesky girl. Brave, but stupid." Green said as comes to Blue.

"I know, but we managed to achieve our goal. If I didn't lure them out, then we could fail the test." Blue retorted.

"Let's go back to the others." Green said as he guides her out.

"Thank you, Greenie." Blue said.

"Don't call me that!" Green growl while Blue laughed about it. At the holographic room, the officers were impressed about it.

"That squad did pretty well." High Ranking officer said.

"I did notice that, Colonel. I see how they work as they were a unit unlike most squads." Drill Sergeant said as he smiled for them to pass the test. Soon, they are ready for combat which said on paper. They have one more week on training.

The young worthless draftees are trained Marines of the UNSC. Red rose in the rank to become corporal and chosen to be squad leader of the newly graduated marines. Soon, they all get ready for the graduation where their parents are watching them as they marching in the parade as they match the tempo of Prussian Military marching music.

After the graduation, the Drill Sergeant has news for them that they are sending to one planet where it has served reputation as human fortress of the stars: Reach. This shocked everyone to be sent to a planet where they never gone before. The following next day, they got aboard in the UNSC frigate as they go into slip-space.

This is going be a long travel for the newly marines in the year of 2552 as the squad were fit and ready to go. "I can't wait for battle." Black cheered.

"Black, why you so happy about it?" Cheren said.

"Well, we have trained over a year right? I mean they trained us to death." Black said.

"I rather failed than send us to a pointless battle." Cheren retort.

"Oh, do come now. I could learn experience what's beyond our blue planet." White said.

"How bad could be?" Bianca said.

"Well, at least we can't die right now." Green said as the Kanto group comes in.

"We are all together, right Greenie." Blue hugs Green's arms.

"Will you stop that? You cause me to be suck with you! I could be on Harvard instead!" Green shouted.

"You're so mean; I just want us to be together forever and ever." Blue said as she laughed.

"Pesky girl." Green said.

"Come on, Green. How bad it will be? I heard the Covenant cannot find Reach." Red said.

"Easy for you to say, but don't count that. I have a bad feeling that once Reach falls, Earth is expose and our life we know will be gone." Green worried that if that happens, humanity has matter of time to run away from the Covenant.

"Don't worry, we are in it together." Black said.

"Yeah, no matter what." Lack-Two said

"How you all known each other?" Red said as they began to talk about their lives. It was a started to whom lead them to question.

"What we call ourselves since we are a squad?" Lack-two wondered

"I don't know." Yellow said. They have a long silence. "I know this is going to sound stupid, but how about we called ourselves as the Dexholders?" Red suggested.

They debated as how they wonder that Dexholders will hold up or they like it due how they felt that made them connection as it was meant to be. After much debate, they finally agreed to call themselves, The Dexholder Sqaud.

 

Ch. 25- Hello Reach

After coming out of slipspace, the UNSC frigate lands on the planet Reach which many outside of Earth never experience except for tourism and economic business. They all woke up from their cyrotubes which they gotten used of that they all took showers together except they shower in the different ends due how immature they couldn't face with male comrades even they seen adult marines take showers together. Most of the Marines were all combat veterans and while still the majority of the marines are draftees like them who are unprepared what lies to them.

They watch the planet from a portside as they descend the ground. They noticed that Reach is bigger than Earth and not that urbanized unlike back home. The ship lands the docking bay as the marines are coming out along with army personal as well. Unlike the marines, the Army was more defense force of the planets which the Marines are more offensive force.

"What a beautiful planet!" Blue said as she hold on with Green who given up to get her away from him.

"Is this..." Red said with wonder as he sees military personal doing various tasks.

"Reach, the planet settled by Hungarians many decades ago. It used to an unhabitable planet until the settles were able to terraformed to allow life to flourish. The Moa and other species were documented and found by settlers who based creatures based on folkore." Cheren said.

"How you know about this stuff?" Ruby asked.

"I did my research." Cheren said.

"What we do?" Sapphire asked as they gather their supplies until a certain officer came to them.

"You are newest squad, 1993?" UNSC Officer said.

"We prefer ourselves, Dexholders." Red said as they nodded with him.

"Ok...I got orders to take you to the 12th regiment in the Viery region. Also you got a commanding NCO for you. Let's go! Not going to lie about this, you're setting with rest of the Marines in the planet. You're new here, but you won't see combat yet until you are called up. Lucky for us, the covenant hasn't found this planet yet. You can call this a military hub and we are sending all marines to front lines soon we gather the vets ready for combat ready. You're from Earth. I read your file, amazing work. But that don't count that when you face those alien bastards." UNSC officer said as they go through the crowd as they see the marines with equipment, tanks, warthogs, and other vehicles while a Spartan-III passed them by jumped into a warthog while Nate and Rosa see it drove away. They were able to catch them up and jump into a pelican.

At the warthog, the Spartan-III takes off his helmet to see it.

"What's in your mind?" Driver asked.

"Nothing, it's just I am out of training and gone a few missions. Noble team, what's it like to be one of them?" Joey asked.

"I bet they recognized your skills." Driver said as Joey look at the mountain they passed by.

"I hope you're right about this." Joey said as he put his helmet back on. Then he sees a pelican goes by them as they reach to the Viery region. It is going to be a hard day for them to face what's going on that unexpected for them.

It took them at least an hour to reach the Viery region as The pelican touches down while at the ground where we see marines training with their firearms with cardboard with shapes of the covenant units. They fire from newest battle rifle, assault rifles, and the pistols. A grizzled veteran fires his DMR with high point accuracy.

"Sergeant Felix!" UNSC officer said. The Veteran turns his weapon to safety and salutes the officer.

"Sir!" Felix said which he sees a group of 14 young teens with marine equipment.

"These young draftees are ready, but I would recommend someone who has combat experience to teach these youngsters the ropes. You may introduce yourself. At ease, Sergeant." UNSC officer said.

"Yes, sir." Felix said as he saluted the officer. The officer left leaving the young group confused.

"So, you must wonder why you are here. I am going tell you this. We are at war for our survival of our species. Introduce yourselves; I would like to know you better." Felix said in a serious tone.

They introduce their selves to Felix whom they are so young that he figured that the UNSC is getting desperate to draft young teens to combat due of the war.

"I'm glad you're a new unit. I'm Sergeant Felix. I have been in this war for last past 20 years. Red, I am giving you the command of squad leader except I'm in command. I read your files from your training. But we should be a team. All that stuff about your bickerness stays behind. And Welcome to Reach." Felix said as two long swords fighters passed by.

They followed Felix to their barracks as they were surprised that they have beds right next to each other. It looks like he has to take care of a bunch of young kids after all. But he still remembered when he was young when he joins the Marine Corps until the day in Battle of Harvest where the Covenant came to destroy the human race all because of their religion demands them to do so.

He felt this war will destroy the outlook of life and life is short is too short for them. But he sees them with their stuff from home. He knows that their lives will change forever. So, he left them to be to accustom their barracks.

"This bed is so primitive!" Ruby said as he touches the bed.

"Will you shut up? I love this kind of bed." Sapphire said as she lies down on her bed.

"Like a barbarian." Ruby mutters until she heard that until she tackled him to beat him in a pulp.

"At least, they are flirting with each other." Emerald said as he gets his toys in the table.

"Are you too old for toys?" White asked.

"Yeah, so? What's your point in it?" Emerald said.

"Come on, White let him be." Black said.

"It seems that you are unusual for American." Emerald wondered as he finished his collection organization.

In another side of the room, where the Kanto group are taking their time to get their stuff ready which for Green who finished first as he read a classical book. It was an interesting subject as he read the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Then something covers his eyes.

"Blue, I know it's you." Green growl which he was right about who was it.

"Oh, come on. We are here at another planet. We should explore it!" Blue said with puppy eyes.

"No." Green said as he continued reading.

"Come on, it will be fun." Blue said as she drags Green out of the bed.

"Hey! Stop dragging me! You pesky girl!" Green said.

"It's adventure time!" Blue said as they go out of the barracks.

"Well, when comes to Blue. Nothing ever stops her." Yellow sighed as she finished her bed ready.

"At least, it can't be worse." Red said as he lies down.

"Yeah, but I do have this bad feeling." Yellow said.

"What do you mean, Yellow?" Red asked as wondering by the look of Yellow's face.

"What if the war does come here and...possibly get killed and never see our families again?" Yellow said.

"Hey, we are going to make it. I hope they will never find this planet. If they did, then we shouldn't stay on Earth." Red said.

"I should learn that what I didn't like war, they shouldn't have peace talks. But why this has to happen?" Yellow said.

"Yellow, things happen for a reason. They think we are offense to their faith from what I heard. But I do promise you this: I will protect you no matter what." Red said as Yellow tilted her head to face Red with hint of blush across her face.

"Do you mean it?" Yellow replied.

"I promise on my life." Red said as they pinky promise. Meanwhile, Nate and Rosa sees Red and Yellow pinky promise.

"Ah, that's so cute. I remember we used to do that." Rosa said.

"Rosa, we were 8 years old. You were the one suggested." Nate said.

"I know, but we got each other." Rosa said as she pecks him in the cheek. Nate blushed as Rosa laughed.

"Hey, cut it will ya. At least things can't be that bad if the war did come here and we will be forced to fight." Hugh said as he looked at the ceiling.

"Well, I don't think so. I might hear that there are sending new squads to frontlines and hoping it's not us." Nate said.

"That's what they say. But what if those aliens land here, then we have to fight them, eh?" Hugh said as he goes to sleep. It was for them to finish their packing out as soon they went to sleep. But things are not quite it seems.

At the base, Blue is dragging Green to the local bar. "No, I am going there!" Green shouted.

"Oh, come on Green. You need to loosen up." Blue said.

"Blue, why you insisted to dragging me to bar that we are underage?" Green said.

"Don't worry about that. I change our ages when we were graduated. It's stated us all 21 years old." Blue said.

"You know it's illegal to do that!" Green said.

"Not unless you're caught, besides I cannot be caught when I am on." Blue said until someone appeared behind them.

"Unless it's ONI has fooled you." Felix said which surprises them.

"Sir, what are you doing over here?" Blue asked.

"Just checking on what you're doing." Felix said.

"Sir, she dragged me out of my will." Green said which Blue fumed.

"No, I want to loosen you up because you're so boring and serious all the time." Blue said.

"I called it annoying ever since we hooked up. All you do is nagged." Green said.

"Oh, I nag? What do you mean I nag?" Blue shouted.

"You complain, demanding, and so annoying that I can't focus right!" Green shouted.

"Oh, really? What about you? What about the times that you forget our dates and anniversaries?" Blue asked.

"I was busy in that time." Green said.

"Enough! Go back to your barracks, we got some drills to do tomorrow." Felix said as he takes them back to the barracks. Soon they are going back to their barracks.

"Kids, these days. Was I different back in my days?" Felix asked as he goes to his room. He has a pictures of home he never get to see again for over 20 years. He looks over the barracks as the various arguments are taking place as Blue points out that Green is being uptight and strict that he needs to chill out. Green argues that Blue caused his life to be a living hell because she ruined his chances to be in college instead being in Reach as a Marine to die a pointless dead because she's too shellfish.

Then he hears the crying as Blue run out of the barracks. "What now?" Felix said as he sighs to follow Blue. He finds Blue crying in the corner.

"What is it?" Felix said.

"It's Green. He blamed me to ruin his life. It's just I never get to see him so often." Blue cried as Felix tries to comforts her.

"There there. I think he didn't mean that." Felix said.

"What do you care, sir?" Blue said as she turns her back on Sergeant.

"Well, I do care for all my soldiers under my command. But you should care about others instead of your own." Felix said as he looks at the moon.

"Life in unexpected you see, but things do happen and I don't think that he is busy doesn't he doesn't care about you." Felix said.

"Sir, I knew him when we were five. He used to be fun and spent time together until school that changed him. He's now more uptight and serious about work." Blue said, but unaware to them that Green is listening to them.

"It seems that you think life is short?" Felix said as Blue nodded which assuming his theory.

"Private Blue, I understand that Life is short. There are quality and quantity. What you prefer: the best quality time with him or the quantity time with him?" Felix said.

"Well, that I don't we spend enough quality time, sir." Blue said.

"Things happen to time to time. Even best quality is the ones you remember the most." Felix said which Blue perks up as she sees the moon.

"There is a time we went to a Disney Tokyo with Red and Yellow. It was the day that he and I hooked up. It was a romantic when we spend time together. Except for trying to hook up Yellow and Red because Yellow had a crush on Red since she was 4 years while he was 5 years old." Blue said as Felix chuckled.

"Then, it just happens." Blue said as she put her head down.

"Private Blue, all good things can last longer with memory than the future." Felix said.

Green thought to himself that he felt sorry and yet warming what she has to say to the sergeant. Maybe he did overreact about the draft and maybe she did it not for herself, but for both of them. Maybe she's not shellfish; she's just lonely like he was and wanted to spent time with him. Then, he will say the right words in the right moment.

He goes back to the barracks while Blue returns after Felix went back to his sleeping room. As she entered, she sees Green sleeping. She sly comes to Green as she pecks him in the cheeks. "I'm sorry for causing this." Blue said as she went to bed.

Green opens his eyes as he turned to see Blue sleeping. He smiled and went back to sleep to dream only to...her. The next morning, a lone warthog is driving by as which there is a two people in it, the driver and the Spartan-III who puts on his helmet.

Joey, or SPARTAN-B312 is heading to a local base where Noble Team led by Carter. Meanwhile, at the Visegrád Relay Communications Outpost where Professor Laszlo Sorvad and Birch found something that is ancient.

"Sorvad, are you sure about this?" Birch asked.

"Of course, we have to send it to Halsy to notify this." Sorvad said until something hit the base.

"What was that?" Sorvad wondered.

"I don't know." Birch said as he sees what's front of them.

"Birch, get my daughter in a hiding place." Sorvad said as they look all over place.

"What about the report?" Birch said.

"You're right about that." Sorvad said as he goes to the panel to report to Halsy until something invisible behind them 8 meters.

"You know what must done, Nat Gropiree." A sharp tone said to another invisible figure. The figure comes close to them.

"Halsy, what may turn the tide of the..." Sorvad was cut off when something stabbed him in the heart which Birch frightens as the figures to reveal to be Sangheilis.

"Get that human!" Field Mashal Sangheili shouted. The three Sangheilis are coming to Birch who fled for his life as he tries to hide from them.

"Nat Gropiree, where did he go?" Sangheili asked him.

"He must gone somewhere hiding." Nat Gropiree said.

"Then look for him. We can't let those humans to disrupt our work." Sangheili said as they start searching for him. Birch was able to hid away from them which he hope help will come. Meanwhile a team composes of 1 Spartan-II and 5 Spartan-IIIs are heading to the relay station.

The Viery Region where the Dexholder Squad are, they are at the target range to practice their accuracy and precision. They can only use one clip to train due of the ammo storage problems. Felix oversees their practices as some hit their targets well even moving ones, but there are some missed a lot of targets.

He blew the whistle to stop them. "Check your weapons!" Felix said as they did check their weapons as ordered. Then, he sees a large group of marines are crowded into one area.

"Take break, 30 minutes." Felix said as he leave them to be.

"What's our sergeant going?" Black wondered.

"Well, you gotta go. You gotta go." Red said as he checks his battlerifle.

"It appears for our NCO has things to know." Cheren said as takes out a clip of the assault rifle. He takes out another clip to reload.

"But why we are target practice if we know how to shoot?" Bianca said.

"To prepare for upcoming battle I guess." Emerald answered to her question.

"I think he meant for us to handle combat duty, but we haven't face battle yet." Cheren said.

"That something has to do with..." Yellow said until Felix came back with distressed.

"Sir, what's wrong?" Nate asked as they come to him.

"It's the Winter Contingency." Felix said to their confusion if they didn't understood what they meant.

"Sir, what do you mean?" Yellow asked.

"It's the damn Covenant are here." Felix said which surprises everyone that they are here, but how. A few minutes back then, Noble Team was able to clear out Covenant units except few Elite Zealots fled the area. They were able to recover the girl they found, but they heard something only to reveal Birch.

"I'm glad you're here." Birch said.

"Sir, what happen? Why you were hidden?" Jorge, Spartan-II asked Birch as he picks him up.

"It was all sudden when Sangheili killed Sorvad and I was able to get away until..." Birch panickly said until relaxed by Jorge.

"Don't worry, we get you out. Do you know her?" Jorge said as points to Sorvad's daughter.

"Yes I do." Birch said.

"Can you give her some comfort until we get out of the area?" Jorge asked.

"Of course." Birch complied as he goes with Sorvad's daughter. They are able to get out the area soon after Carter made report to Holland about the Covenant. The Battle for Reach has just begun.

 

Ch. 26- Barra Barra

Joey, or he is known as SPARTAN-B312 now Noble 6 heads out for the next mission where Covenant units attacked Sword Base. He joins along with Kat to clear out Covenant units in the area which with much effort. Later, they head out in the warthog as to reactivate a COM array to establish command and restore anti-air units to clear the skies and return to Sword Base. They fight their way to handle Covenant forces in the area. During the firefight, he spots someone more likely a civilian was about to be killed by Sangheili warrior until he took him out.

"Sir, are you ok?" Joey asked to the civilian.

"I'm fine, thank you." Elm asked."

"Six, get to the top floor and assist Emile" Carter said over the radio which Joey complied. He and Jorge met up and help Emile to deal with covenant units. Joey grabs the rocket launcher to take out the Banshees. After taking down the Banshees, they were called by Halsey to the Science Wing. She notices Jorge which she known her Spartan-IIs indeed. After talking much with the Noble team left the room, she was joined by Birch and Elm.

"Birch, it is true that what you witness?" Halsey asked.

"Yes, Halsey. There were the same team that save my..." Birch said until he was cut off.

"Professor, what you learn about the information you undercover could be critical." Halsey said as she put in the module into the system.

"Ma'am, what information are you looking for?" Elm wondered.

"There is something that turns the balance of the war which it will save the human race from extinct." Halsey said as she types her information in the computer.

"So, what can we do?" Birch wondered.

"You could help me to prepare." Halsey said to Birch's question.

"Like what?" Elm asked because Halsey was never clear what she meant.

"Data I need your information on their religion. Birch, do you know the access to Laszlo's database?" Halsey asked.

"Yes, but it will take time to gather data you need." Birch said.

"What about the Covenant are coming here?" Elm panicked because what he heard that the Covenant forces are here which they might not enough time to hold them off.

"Then we have to work fast as we can. How's Professor Oak, Elm?" Halsey said as she faced Elm.

"He's working on his project." Elm said until someone came in.

"What happen?" Professor Oak asked as he barges in.

"Covenant forces are in the area." Elm breaks the news which surprises Oak.

"What about the Spartans you recalled?" Oak asked to Halsey who is very busy as she types in the keyboard.

"They have to join the fight." Halsey said. As soon, they talk and work as they gather much data as they can which it will take time.

"Halsey?" Oak asked.

"Yes, Oak?" Halsey complied as she perks up.

"What about the AI?" Oak wondered that he worried about Crystal's safety.

"Give her to me." Halsey stretches out her hand.

"What do you mean?" Oak wondered.

"She could help us to finish faster. I already know that AI and work together with another." Halsey said as Oak took out a chip to give her the chip. Halsey plugs her into the computer which wakens her up. Crystal wakes up in the system and greets Cortana.

"What happen?" Crystal asked.

"Covenant is here." Cortana answered.

"You mean...." Crystal said.

"Yes, we have time to gather much information as possible." Cortana said which they start working to help the professors.

"Cortana." Crystal said

"What is it?" Cortana asked.

"Is...he back?" Crystal asked.

"What do you refer to?" Cortana asked wondering why Crystal is asking her that.

"Spartan-721." Crystal answered with a sigh which somehow amazed and surprises Cortana.

"Yes, he was able to join with other Spartan-IIs for special mission until this happen." Cortana said.

"He's back?" Crystal thought.

"Crystal focus! We need to get them on the double." Cortana said as Crystal nodded as they continue their work. Crystal is relief that Gold has return, but she hope he will make it and maybe meet Lyra again one last time before this war drags on.

Later on, nearby New Alexandria High School we see bunch of high school students pouring out which we see freshman Lyra hanging out with her friends. They did normal things for teenagers like those on Earth. Soon, they departed for home which Lyra was alone as she walked alone.

She takes out a holopicture of Gold wearing his Spartan-II armor with grief in her eyes implied that she missed him so much that she turn down so many guys who proclaimed their love to her. Nevertheless, she has heard reports of Spartans missing in action that one day that Gold will be among the missing.

She clutches on the picture to her chest as a tear came out of her eye. Nothing was the same when Gold was gone to fight against the Covenant.

"I wish I can see you again, Gold." Lyra said as she stepped inside of her home.

"Mom, I'm home." Lyra said as she put her things away. Her mother was busy at the moment which Lyra saw that the New reports of Covenant presences in Reach. This upsets Lyra that hoping that the day has come. She enters to her bedroom as she lays down only to recount the good days. Then seeing the sun is setting, she can do now is sleep for the next day to come.

"Gold." Lyra said as she closes her eye to dream nothing except for Gold. The night sets in which outside skirts of New Alexandria, Noble Team is an on Recon mission to know the area near Viery region. Noble 6 joins Jun to patrol and scans the area which they encounter Covenant forces in the area without much alerting them. After much scouting the area until they witness an army of Covenant, it was invasion army to stage their attack on Reach; they knew that they have to attack hard and quick before they can gain a foothold of the Planet.

In the Orbital stations near Reach, there is a platoon of ODSTs known as Gymleaders are best ODST unit who had best combat record in the UNSC besides of other ODSTs. The Hoenn squad was led no other than Winona.

"Our objective to take Covenant units in this region where we gotten reports from Noble team. We have to take out their anti-air units to give them our taste of airpower." Winona said.

"Norman, what you expect if we met heavy resistance from the covenant forces in the area?" Roxanne said.

"That's why they are sending us along with 12th Marine Regiment." Winona said.

"What about the other squads of the platoon?" Brawly said.

"They will send to other areas to help the Army units, but they will send Johto squad to help Noble Team." Winona said.

"What happen if we failed?" Flannery asked.

"Then there will be hell to pay then. But if we pull this off quick and fast, we might have a chance to avoid mistake like in the outer colonies." Winona said as he recounted the days when she was there along with her comrades.

"Norman, what you think of this?" Winona asked to Norman was more focused on the military battleplan.

"I think we have to go quick and decisive, but we have to plan this out. I won't expect to risk the Covenant to gain a foothold on this planet. It will be a mistake if we didn't take out the anti-air units in time. I would expect for Covenant who is unaware what we are going to do with them." Norman said as it was a serious tone.

"Thank you, Norman to share this detail. By 0800 hours, we drop down to join the 12th Marine Regiment on the attack. You are dismissed." Winona said as they went back to their bunks. It is going to be a day for Gymleader Platoon to face the Covenant again. At the night near the Viery base where the 12th Marine Regiment is debrief by their commanders ranging to squads to battalions.

"I have confirmed that Covenant forces are near the Viery region." Felix said as he points out the map.

"It seems that they managed to conceal their forces very good." Cheren said as he points out the invisibility seen on the map and the current report of the Noble Team's discovery.

"Sir, what's our objective?" Red asked.

"Our mission is to take out anti-air units that we can give our flyboys the green light to bomb those bastards out. It will not easy to blitz them, but they are not invincible. We have the home advantage. With support of the Army units and Noble Team, once we knock out their heavy corps we can even the odds." Felix said as he points the objectives.

"What if they have a backup plan?" Green asked.

"That one thing we have to be worry is never underestimate them. I faced them for 20 years and they are very adept in combat. Jackals and Grunts are your least worry because they are cannon fodder while you got to be careful of elites and hunters. Elites are equal to Spartans, but never the less they have ranks as for us to snipe." Felix said as he looks at Black and White.

"Mission starts at 0600 hours. You should get plenty of sleep before then. Squad dismissed." Felix said as they went back to their bunks to begin what awaits them. The battle might change fate of Reach.

 

Chapter 27- Chant

Reveille bugle has woken up the marines of 12th regiment as the Dexholders woke up fast with complaining and moaning.

"Rise and shine, sweethearts!" Felix shouts as he sees them getting ready for combat. Soon, they head to the armory to get their weapons which they are good at. Dexholder Sqaud is getting their equipment ready.

"Ok, we got to do this. We got no fear. I got to drive the enemy back where they came from." Felix said as he goes by them each minute.

"Green?" Blue said.

"Yeah, Blue." Green wondered.

"Will you protect me in battle?" Blue asked that she didn't want to die alone.

"Yes, I will. Oh, Blue." Green said as he grabs her.

"Yes?" Blue wondered why Green did that.

"Um...don't get yourself killed, ok? My life is meaningless without you. So, just follow orders." Green said as he checks his battle rifle. This made Blue to feel confident as she hugs Green.

"Hey, what are you...." Green said in confusion.

"Hugging you, silly." Blue said as she hugs him tight.

"Pesky girl." Green mumbles as he gets his equipment ready.

"They never change do they?" Red said which Yellow looked at the couple with mixed reception of fearing their safety and happy at the same time.

"Um...Red." Yellow said as she comes to Red.

"Yeah?" Red responds as he loads a magazine to the battle rifle.

"Will you...um...protect me when we get out of there?" Yellow meekly said while Red shows concern when she said that.

"Sure, I got your back." Red patted her in the shoulders which made Yellow blushed. Meanwhile Sapphire, Ruby, and Emerald are getting their equipment ready for battle.

"Can't wait to kill some alien bastards! I waited so long for this." Sapphire shouted as she loads up the light machine gun.

"Like a barbarian with no manners have delusions of grandeur." Ruby remarked which earned Sapphire's glare.

"Will you stop flirting already? I rather died than you two flirt with each all day long." Emerald complained as he gets his assault rifle.

"Shaddup, we should get prep and go!" Felix said as he loads up his DMR. They are already done as soon the sun rises and heard that Army forces are ready to go. They see the pelicans ready and armor forces ready as they move. Then they called up for Dexholder squad.

"Dexholder Squad! You're up!" Officer shouted.

"That's us! Let's go!" Felix shouted as they enter the pelican with their equipment. They see other marines waited for their turn. They are nervous for their first time and they felt the pelican lift up. Ruby sees Sapphire with pleased grin as she holds tight with her rocket launcher and Emerald scared as he holds tight with his assault rifle. Red looks at Yellow whom getting scared by each minute that felt hours for her. Felix sees the members with mixed nervous, fear, and anxiety. He knows that they will see and witness war for the first hand and youth will be scarred like him. Then he sees the other pelicans are in a formation.

Meanwhile at the Orbital stations, the ODSTs are away in their pods as they reach to the Viery Region. Each member is prepared for combat, but they have this feeling that once they get out its fight for their lives. The Pods moving reentry very fast, but for the ODST troopers felt the pod slow as if they were snails, but only to them can feel it. Norman looks over the picture of his family showing 5 year old Ruby until he put it away in his armor. He looks over the atmosphere for the other pods only to see them heading down to the surface.

He has received news that Noble Team and Army units begun their attack while the Marines are heading out to support them. At the Marine force heading out, pelicans are followed by Warthogs which they are first wave assault force. Felix can understand his fellow squad mates are getting nervous for combat at any minute. They hear radio transmissions that the Army is engaging Covenant forces which it is 0800 hours. Felix turns off the safety of his DMR. He witnesses the ODST pods heading down. The pods are getting close to the ground while the members are getting pumped up and ready. Then, the pods hit the ground revealing the Gymleader ODST's Hoenn squad getting out and start engaging Covenant units. Norman killed 8 grunts with his assault rifle and joins with the others as they move out. They faced more covenant infantry along the way. It was very dusty as they battle them.

"Norman, take Tate, Liza, and Flannery to secure a landing zone for Marines?" Winnona ordered.

"Got it, m'am" Norman said as he gathers Tate, Liza, and Flannery to secure the landing zone for the Marines as the pelicans are getting there. Then, couple wraiths armed with anti-air weapons is firing the Pelicans.

"We got to take them out." Norman said.

"I got them sir. Give me cover!" Flannery said as she grabs a rocket launcher which Norman Liza, and Tate give her covering fire. The Covenant infantry are firing back to the ODST team which Flannery was able to target two wraiths with precision shots. It took her to take them with four rockets.

"It's clear!" Flannery said as now they can secure the landing zone. Meanwhile near the Covenant lines, an Elite Major with silver eyes with armor modifications oversees this.

"Report?" Sil Veree asked to one of the Elites.

"Humans are starting attacking us with amazing speed. They are taking out our anti-air batteries and we don't know how many they have brought them." One of the Elites said which it didn't faze Sil Veree at all.

"Then we got them where we want them." Sil Veree said as couple grunts come to sangheili minor.

"Sir?" Elite asked.

"Our Commander was aware that they might turn up until they see what's coming." Sil Veree as he signals his battalion to move forward. They join the battle. Norman and his team were able to clear out the area for the pelicans. The pelicans landed without problems while Warthogs pass them by.

"Let's go!" Felix said as they get out of the pelican which they join the battle. Then, they follow the infantry as they near a large covenant force in open ground. They didn't open fire at first which Felix ordered the command. "Damn, I hope what the Army is doing. We need air support!" Felix said as he fires his DMR while the warthog is being destroyed. Yellow is scared as she holds on with her SMG tight, not even firing her weapon. Red was close to her not to get her hit in the firefight. Green and Blue are working with each other as plasma fire hit the ground which they didn't hope for this.

"Green." Blue said.

"Yeah." Green said.

"I think we shouldn't be here. I could get us in college instead." Blue said.

"You shouldn't think of that if you knew a war was." Green said as he fired his battle rifle which hit a jackal.

"Black and White, can you take that sniper positions and take out the Elites at range and give us cover fire!" Felix said.

'Yes, sir." Black said along with White as they took sniper position. They spot Elites leading Grunts which they able to take one of them which much to their confusion that the grunts run when the Elite is dead until reinforced by more Elites, grunts, and Jackals.

"There's the anti-air units right front of us. Sapphire, load up and take those wraiths out!" Felix ordered as Sapphire gets the rocket launcher up and ready. "Where to, sir?" Sapphire asked as she aims the rocket launchers. "On your right!" Felix said as Sapphire aims carefully and fires the rocket which hit the Wraith as it exploded.

Then she is ready for another rocket as she hit them again which manages to destroy them. Then they see LongSwords along with heavy frigates are destroying forward covenant units. They cheer as some of them retreated.

"Push forward! Black and White, move for another firing position." Felix said as they move out.

"Got it, sir." White said as they get out seeing another air unit gone.

"That's our target!" Felix said as he points out a large anti-air unit not where the area where the Covenant units were bombed to bits. As Yellow was near a Marine until he was hit by plasma explosion which Yellow scream at the sight where marines are getting killed. They knew it's their first time to combat. Suddenly Yellow screamed as marine blown up and Blue was close to Green who was keeping a cold stern on his face. It wasn't bad which a marine was torn in half screaming in pain. It was too much for him as the firefight was getting intense as plasma fire hits every Marine.

"Come on!" Felix shouted as they run across Viery region. Red was scared, but didn't show it as he remained close with Yellow. They see Marines getting hit by covenant fire in the head, chest, arm, and legs. Yellow is getting scared by each minute passed by, but what she felt hours passed by. It wasn't the same for Bianca who witnesses many marines getting killed or wounded. She didn't fire at all which she was afraid and won't able to take a life. Cheren saved Bianca from incoming fire which Cheren was surprised as how he sees real combat. Whi-two and Hugh are getting frightening as they fire their weapons killed grunts and jackals in their path. Lack-Two gotten serious which Whi-two never seen before as he killed several grunts with accuracy and taken down an Elite. They fire their weapons like in training and war games, but this was real while death is around them. They never expect war to be so gruesome. Whi-two and Lack-two sees a Marine wounded carried out. Hugh taps them to get moving.

"White and Black, take sniper positions! Sapphire, lay down suppression fire!" Felix shouted. Sapphire comply the order, but felt strange for her to follow an order that would risk her life. Ruby was close to Sapphire who didn't fire his weapon. During the suppression fire, a zealot appeared to Sapphire who frozen until it was taken down by Felix.

"Watch your flank! Let's go!" Felix warned as he led the squad into battle. They reach a covenant unit defending a position near the spires. One anti-air unit was defended by that battalion. Sil Veree and the Elite see the dexholder squad with other marines coming to them.

"More humans to die? Don't they know what lies before them?" One of the Elites said.

"Just keep firing! We need to hold them off until the trap is sprung!" Sil Veree shouted in order as they continue to open fire. They lay heavy fire at the marines. It was getting harder for the marines to get though. Never the less, the Marines are killing his battalion left and right.

"Come on! Keep it steady!" Felix said as they took cover. They open fire at the covenant battalion with pin point accuracy, but the Covenant firepower was too much for them even the Marines reinforces the squad was hopeless. They took cover as they take time to hit the covenant infantry mostly grunts and jackals. Lack-two came to Whi-two as he fires his battle rifle. "Whi-two, I need to tell you something." Lack-two said as plasma hits the rock.

"Lack-two, I don't think it's the right time to do this." Whi-two said while she yelps which nearly hit her.

"I liked you ever since you appeared in my life. I know you didn't like my flirtations and trying to seduce you, but you are only woman caught my heart." Nate fires his battle rifle which hit a grunt.

"Lack-two..." Whi-two surprised by Lack-two's confession.

"If we do make it, I would like to have a date." Lack-two said as Whi-two looks at Lack-two since he's very serious this time.

"Will you stop flirting and shoot back!" Hugh said as he fired his assault rifle. They hold their ground which they able to put up a good fight. Until something hit Lack-two in the arm, Whi-two drops her weapon to get Lack-two.

"MEDIC!" Felix said as he spotted Lack-two wounded. He goes to Lack-two while Yellow followed him as she pulls out the medical supplies.

"It's just a plasma wound. No big deal." Felix said as Yellow puts on the bandage on Lack-two. Felix fires his DMR at the Covenant infantry unit which managed to land to kill Elite. Red came to Felix as they open fire at the Covenant battalion.

"Blue, I got to tell you in case we get killed." Green said as he fires his battle rifle.

"Is this one of those...." Blue said until Green cut her off.

"Yes, the only reason why I agreed to date with you because you won't stop bugging me until....I realized what we been though I began to fall for you slowly over time. You could so annoy, but I can't live without you." Green said.

"Do you mean...." Blue said until plasma hit the rock.

"I love you, Blue ever since middle school. Which I didn't have the chance to...." Green said until explosion nearly hit them.

"Will you stop interrupting us!" Blue said as she fires her battle rifle which landed several grunts and jackals killed.

"Losing your cool, eh?" Green grins.

"Oh, shut up and just kill these bastards!" Blue said which this amazes Green due of her inhibited anger that he never seen. The firefight continues which radio gets Felix's attention. It's not good news.

"Pull back! The Covenant has a super carrier. Repeat, Pull back! Our forces will be caught glassed if not..." Radio said as Felix groans as he ordered to pull back. The Squad begins their retreat until Whi-two was hit.

"Whi-two!" Nate shouted when he gets to her despite of the heavy plasma fire.

"Lack-two! Get out of here. Leave me!" Whi-two said as Lack-two tries to get her up.

"I'm getting you out of there. I'm not leaving you to die!" Lack-two said until he was shot in the chest by needle rifle. Hugh saw this as Lack-two and Whi-two are hit while he runs to them.

"Whi-two! Lack-two! I got you. Argh!" Hugh said until he was hit by plasma round. "Sir! Marines down!" Cheren shouted which gotten Felix's attention to see Whi-two, lack-two, and Hugh are hit by plasma fire.

"No. Give me covering fire!" Felix said as Red and Green comes along. Felix comes to them while he signals to Ruby and Sapphire to help him. "Black and White! Give us sniper cover!" Felix shouted in order while Black and White followed that order.

Ruby was able to get Lack-two while Sapphire picked up Whi-two up while Felix picks up Hugh. "Fall back!" Felix said as they run with their lives. Green, Red, and Blue gave them covering fire. They are trying their best to get them out of there. Whi-two can only look to see Lack-two's wound while his eyes are open. She sees this out of sadness and can felt of the plasma wound in her chest where her heart is. They see the pelican to get the marines out. They retreated back to the pelican. This surprises Sil Veree who never seen Humans save their comrades and signals his battalion to crease fire. Then, he never thought humans are unworthy creatures like grunts or jackals, but more like honorable just as Sangheili. He knew they are weaker, but they are willing to risk to fight another day and willing to die for their species. He looks at the Supercarrier. He knows the battle is won, but he already knew that the humans will do something amazing to defeat the supercarrier. The battle won by Covenant, but for what?

"It's only the beginning." Sil Veree said as he left the area with his battalion. They got new orders to renew their attack on the Marines' base. They return back to base where the 12th marine regiment is trying to restore and tending care of the wounded. For Dexholder squad, it was their first time to witness so many wounded and dead marines whom taken part of the battle. They heard that they are only among units to survive the glassing bombardment from the Covenant Supercarrier. They waited for news of Lack-two, Whi-two, and Hugh of their status until the doctor came to them. During the medical treatment, they bag the dead ones and taken them away.

"Sir, I have grave news." UNSC doctor said.

"Yes?" Felix asked while the squad looks at them with distressed concern.

"They didn't make it. The girl's plasma wound hit major artery that led a blood loss before you able to bring her back. The young male private's heart didn't make it when it was hit by needler. And the last boy...I'm sorry that the plasma hit his vital spinal cord." Doctor sadly said. This shocks Felix to hear the bad news which the members of dexholder squad overheard it which Yellow broke down in tears.

"Why is this has to happen?" Yellow said as tears flow out of her eyes and Red tries to comfort her. Most everyone was hurt that their friends that they met at bootcamp died on Reach. Black, used to love war movies as a kid sees a different take what he has witness. He thought he was a good guy will win the day, but he noticed this is real life and in fact people are dying. He goes outside which the night sky fill of moaning and agony from the Marines.

How he was lucky enough to survive? He didn't expect this to happen and falls to his knees. He recounted how he spends time with them at boot camp as they spent the good days. Then White comes to Black as she hugs him to comfort him. Cheren and Bianca watches this as sad moment for Black never experience as it is so dreadful and loss that he actually felt like the rest of the squad. Felix realize as he faced so many deaths of the marines he known in his life. He knew this was going to happen and it was already done. He knows they have to face reality why they were drafted in the first place. He knows this so well that he had conscripts under his command. He looks up at the moon only a sad face he can express for the loss of his 3 squad members whose life could just have. Then, they sleep for several hours until the alarms woken up with their weapons ready.

"Come on, it's not over. We got a base to defend." Felix said as he cocks the DMR. They join him to fight the incoming covenant wave. Then we see a Spartan-II walking by as multiple YSS-1000 "Sabre" fighters going to space. He realizes that he sees the Covenant Supercarrier. He turns to see other UNSC units near New Alexandria where he comes to help them.

 

Chapter 28- The First Crop of Corn

Noble 6 and Jorge of Noble Team managed to break into the Covenant super carrier, but Jorge send Noble 6 away as he offered to manually detonate which cost his life. Noble 6 was off to back to Reach while the Super Carrier was destroyed in the process. But it was not enough when Covenant Armanda appeared. Now, the real battle begins as the local UNSC fleet battles Covenant Armanda with support of MAC stations. Many ships went down while more Covenant ships started to appear along with the MAC are supporting the UNSC fleet. Noble 6 landed Reach while he stands before crashed supercarrier.

Noble 6 wanders in the wilderness while he has radio reports that 12th Marine regiment was driven out and was ordered to evacuate from the planet despite of the overwhelming Covenant forces. They retreated back to a local city near a mountain. Noble 6 reaches to New Alexandria where he overheard covenant forces in the area are attacking the civilian population. He goes out with his pistol ready. He helps to help them.

New Alexandria, thirty minutes after Super Carrier destruction

When Lyra returns home she sees her mother packing. "Mom, what's going on?" Lyra asked.

"Lyra, dear we have to go! Pack your things." Lyra's mother said as she panicked while Lyra oversees the TV where the News reporter on live.

"The UNSC has ordered an evacuated the planet. All civilians are reported to leave the city and the planet. More covenant forces are appeared despite of the doomed attack that led crippled UNSC forces." News reporter said.

"Lyra, there's no time to gawk about it. Just go!" Lyra's mother said while Lyra ran to the room as she gathers what she can carry. Then she sees picture of Gold and her in Reach Disney Galaxy which she grabbed.

New Alexandria, hour after the Super Carrier Destruction

Noble 6 finds his way in the city while he found a couple army squads are fighting Brutes. He goes out until he finds a Spartan-II helping the army troopers.

"We have to get those civilians out of here." Gold shouted as he turn to faced Noble 6.

"What unit are you?" Gold asked.

"Noble Team." Joey tells to Gold.

"Man, I wanted to be on Noble Team. Heard you took out that Supercarrier." Gold said.

"Yeah...." Joey said while he holds Jorge's dog tag.

"What's wrong?" Gold asked.

"It's Jorge. He risked his life to destroy the carrier." Joey sighed.

"Jorge? I didn't know. I'm so sorry. I knew Jorge. He was a big guy with a big heart. He was a....cool guy." Gold said.

"How you know?" Joey asked.

"I was in training before Jorge was transferred to Noble Team. He was one our instructors along with Master Chief." Gold said as he recalled that he called him Big Man.

"Come on, we got to get the people out of here. I see you later, Man. I got to help other units in the area. You need to meet with Duvall to help out. Good luck!" Gold said while he goes out. Joey knows what he has to do. He goes to a new mission to help the people out. He knows that their lives in their hands now and he willing to risk their lives for Reach, no For Humanity.

Meanwhile in other part of the city, Lyra with her mother are moving in the crowd as they trying get to civilian transports. Army units are getting to get many people in each transports, but hardly enough for people to get on. Once Lyra and her mother tries to get on, they are halted by Army trooper.

"She goes!" Army trooper pointed to her mother.

"What? Why?" Lyra said.

"We got issue with space capacity with one of the transports. We got age distribution among the ships. Sorry!" Army trooper said.

"Mom, you should go." Lyra suggest while her mother protests as they taken her to get on the ship. Then Lyra spotted among the army troopers was a Spartan-II among the ranks. She walks to that person until she runs to that person.

"Hey! Wait!" One of the Army troopers shouted while she runs into...Gold.

"GOLD!" Lyra shouted which gotten his attention.

"Lyra?" Gold said until she embraces him.

"I missed you!" Lyra said while embracing him.

"I missed you too. Why aren't' you in one of the transports?" Gold asked.

"I spotted you, idiot. I wasn't ready for good bye yet. You left with me worrying sick!" Lyra said as tears flow to her.

"I know, but let's get you on the transport!" Gold said until one of the transport attempts to leave.

"NO! WAIT! You can't go out yet." Army Trooper said as the transport didn't listen until one of the Covenant Covettes blows up the transport.

"MOM!" Lyra screamed as Gold hold on to her.

"Lyra, was that your...." Gold asked until she cried in tears.

"Yes, I told her to get on. I shouldn't have come with her. I shouldn't have..." Lyra sobbed. This left Gold to realize that she has lost her love one to those alien bastards. He had one more chance to her get out of the city.

"Trooper! Is there any space left?" Gold asked one of the troopers.

"Hey, aren't you coming?" Lyra asked to Gold.

"I will find another ride." Gold said as he is stopped by Lyra.

"Gold, you promise me!" Lyra shouted.

"Don't worry; we meet again when it's all over." Gold explains as they go with the trooper. When they reach to the one of the transports until they overheard that all transports are greenlit to go which they have few minutes to go to get Lyra out.

"Sir, get her out of the planet!" Gold said.

"Sorry, the doors are closed." Trooper said.

"What?" Gold said.

"All transports are greenlit to go! But there's a way. You need to reach a military to get her out. All military personnel are ordered to leave the planet." Trooper said.

"Where?" Gold asked.

"Sir, you have to go through the city while the nearest base is 12th Marine regiment base. But I can't say much. But that's your best option. Good luck sir. May God speed." Trooper said as he takes out in the exit door and then closes. This left Lyra and Gold to face swarms of Covenant forces in the area.

"Great, better start doing it." Gold said as he gets his assault rifle ready.

"Gold, I should guide you. I know the city better than you do. Remember the times we spent together." Lyra said as Gold remembered.

"Yeah, I did. How could I forget?" Gold said as he rubs his helmet.

"Liar." Lyra thought while they enter the city as they encounter many dangers lay ahead. Night time has come to the city while the buildings are on fire which they used to know the area very well because they go on dates before. Gold scans the area for any covenant forces in the area.

"Come on!" Gold said while he guides her on the way. Meanwhile they are not so far when a battalion of Sangheili led by Sil Veree is heading to a building along with engineers.

"Come on. I want two lances to enter the building. I want the rest to follow me." Sil Veree ordered them while the Engineers are doing the work. He and the rest of the lancers follow him. He stops them.

"Do you smell it?" Sil Veree asked.

"I do, human. But I don't like it." One of the Elites said.

"Well? Ain't Sil Veree?" One of the voices startled the lancers revealing to be Nat Gloriaee.

"It's you! What you want?" Sil Veree asked.

"Relaxed, I have come to help you along with help." Nat Gloriaee said while a Brute and a Jackal appeared.

"Don't worry, we will hunt down your humans." Orm said.

"It will be hunting with benefits, eh?" Carr snarls as he holds his needler rifle.

"Nat Gloraiee, why you have these two around you for?" Sil Veree wondered.

"They are best when comes to do the Prophets which you never do." Nat Gloriaee said.

"It seem for us that I have honor and you are an opportunist." Sil Veree remarked.

"I see what you mean Sil Veree, son of Gio Vanniee." Nat Gloriaee said. While they talk, Gold and Lyra spotted them which they have to move quickly and quiet.

"Just stay down." Gold whispered while she did as they put their head down. But during their conversation, Carr heard something and goes with the noise. For some searching until he was able to see something.

"Are you ok?" Gold asked.

"Yeah." Lyra said until a needler hit the wall which Lyra yelp.

"HUMANS!" Carr shouted.

"Damnit!" Gold said until he grabs Lyra to take cover from plasma fire.

"I shouldn't take the jackal out when I have the chance!" Gold said as he fired his assault rifle that killed some grunts.

"It's damn humans again!" Nat Gloriaee said.

"They don't appear to give up that well." Sil Veree said.

"We will give them a good glassing once our operations are clear." Nat Gloriaee said.

"You mean..." Sil Veree said.

"Yes, this city is no longer used to us once we are done here." Nat Gloria said while the lancers are getting closer to Gold and Lyra. Gold takes out a grenade to take out a group of grunts. A needler comes to Gold as he picks it up.

"Take this!" Gold said as he gives it to Lyra.

"GOLD! I don't know how to shoot!" Lyra said.

"Just aim and pull the trigger." Gold said which she tested it out which fired a few needles.

"Ok." Lyra said then she open fire at the Elites which broken their shields. This shocks Sil Veree which he was able to spot something he knows.

"Fall back!" Sil Veree signals his lancers who followed his order. They pull out this surprises Gold and Lyra.

"Why you signal the retreat?" Nat Goriaee wondered.

"This you must know why!" Sil Veree said as he drew out his energy sword. He charges into Gold.

"What the? Lyra, I got this!" Gold said as Sil Veree goes at Gold then he dodges. Sil Veree swings his energy sword which nearly hit Gold's shields.

"You're good, Demon. But not good enough!" Sil Veree said in his native language. He lunges at Gold again while he punches Sil Veree in the side of the head. This makes Sil Veree upset that his swordsmen blood was hit by demon. It was unforgivable for him. Gold dodges Sil Veree's parry attack which Sil Veree stops for a moment to give Gold an energy sword. Gold is confusion, but activates the sword as they duel it out. Gold remembers his training with swords, but it was kendo.

He just his knowledge on Kendo, but he remembered he learn about Book of five rings. He manages to hold off Sil Veree's attacks by inches unless he was careless. This surprises Sil Veree at his skills.

"Not bad for Demon! I am beginning to like this!" Sil Veree as he charges at Gold who does it the same thing. They both clashed the swords which sparks flowing out until they cut off. Lyra sees Gold with worry that he will able to make it. For Nat Gloriaee who was a Zealot is impressed on Sil Veree's swordsmanship because Gio Vanniee was a good swordsman who slayed many on his hands that he noticed why he is like his father. Gold is having a hard time to get his balance against Sil Veree's graceful relentless attacks and unbeatable defenses. He sometimes looks at Lyra with concern.

"Lyra, get out of here. I will meet you once I'm done!" Gold said as he dodges Sil Veree's strikes.

"Gold, I can't leave you!" Lyra shouted.

"Impressive, demon! But you will not live for this night!" Sil Veree said as blocked Gold's lunge attack.

"I don't speak your kind, guy! But I will make it last while until I can kick your ass!" Gold said as blocked Sil Veree's strikes. Thanks of his armor and various things that they done to him is paying off, he can keep and maintain an strength advantage over a 7 feet tall alien warrior.

"GOLD!" Lyra shouted as she is getting worried about Gold trying his best to survive.

"We will meet back outside of the city! GO! RUN!" Gold said as he attacks Sil Veree. Then Lyra with no choice to run with her life dropping the needler on the ground which grabs the attention to Nat Gloriaee's attention.

"Orm." Nat Gloriaee said.

"Yes?" Orm said as he gets near Nat Gloariaee.

"Shoot her!" Nat Gloriaee said as Orm points his brute spiker.

"With pleasure! I love killing humans for sake of the great journey." Orm said as he pulled the trigger which it hit Lyra in the back with several spikers. This stops Gold as he turns to see Lyra falling to the ground.

"LYRA!" Gold said as he drops the energy sword which Sil Veree stops to see Gold running to Lyra. He felt it was enough for him and as he turns to Nat Gloriaee.

"That was dishonor!" Sil veree said.

"So. We do this for the great Journey. Come, I have orders to wipe human forces in the mountains. I am taking your battalion with me. We are leaving this filthy city." Nat Gloriaee said as Orm and Carr followed him.

"YOU BASTARDS!" Gold shouted at the Covenant members. Sil Veree felt something painful to see a demon holding a human. He turns his back on the sad scene and felt something he couldn't just stop it. He could just let her go and let the ships to take care of them instead. He joins with his battalion on a phantom to head out of their new objective. He felt something if victory was so good then why it feels sour. He sees Nat Gloriaee's glee and Orm's grin which he knows this war was getting pointless and should have end it years before. Back on the ground, Gold takes Lyra to a building for cover. "I got you." Gold said as he tries to treat her with care.

"Gold, I'm already gone." Lyra weakly said as she feels pain as Gold attempts to get the spikes out.

"Don't do to me, Lyra! I see enough dead already! Live for me!" Gold said as he tries his best to get it out.

"No, it's too late. I ever wanted for you to come back home. And...huark!" Lyra spat blood out of her mouth.

"Don't talk! I get you proper medical treatment soon!" Gold said as he attempts to get another spike out.

"Gold, don't." Lyra said as she stops his hand from getting another spike out. "My dad died before you came back. Then my mother....I can't risk losing you too." Lyra said as tears come out of her tears. This prompts Gold to take off his helmet to reveal of his face tainted by year of service.

"Lyra, please. You're only reason why I fight for." Gold said.

"No, Gold. You should fight not for me. For Earth, for humanity. Now, I will let you go. Live your life. But I want from you is our last kiss." Lyra said as Gold complied. Their lips locked for a good 5 minutes as felt for hours until she stopped breathing. Now, her eyes are closed and become a lifeless doll.

"Lyra? No! Lyra! Don't do this to me! Please, Live for me! NO!" Gold cried as he screams out of his lungs. He cries while he hugs her. He knew his love of his life was gone forever. In Reach, he met her, date her, and then she died as he lived.

He fled the city while in the outskirts for he was able to bury her. He only watched the city glassed where the place they been for their dates. Now it has become empty for him and could wish for death to belong with her. Then he heard a pelican coming to him. When it landed, there is an ODST squad coming out.

"This is Johto Sqaud! We got the package." Clair said.

"Good, get the package to Pillar of Autumm." Captain Keyes said over the radio.

"Roger that, sir." Clair said as they come to him.

"Are you Spartan-721?" Morty asked Gold who stood slient.

"Let's go!" Jasmine said as they got Gold get to the Pelican. Then they fly away from the city as Gold could only stare at the grave until the doors are shut. They head to the Pillar of Autumn as they deliver Gold to Captain Keyes. Then they place Gold in a cyotube next to Master Chief.