The year was 2569, the war with the covenant and Cortana's AI Rebellion are over. The planets glassed by the covenant have been rebuilt and repopulated. On Arcadia, one of the planets glassed, a man was in the backyard of his home working on the house when four people in suits of Armor approached him from behind and one said, "Hello Spartan-1362." The man stopped working and without looking behind him, he said, "Hello Master Chief, I can assume the rest of Blue team is with, and it's John now. I hope you like my new name, I got it from you." Master Chief then said, "Okay, but Spartan-1362, you are under arrest for deserting the UNSC, stealing top secret information, and the murder of a UNSC Official." John looked at Master Chief and said, "I told you my name is John, and I didn't kill him, someone else did, and I took the blame. I wasn't going to be executed for a crime I didn't commit, so yeah I deserted and came here." Master Chief then said, "That doesn't matter, you deserted the UNSC, and we're bringing you in." Just then, a voice behind Master Chief said, "Sorry Soldier, but that ain't happening." John, Master Chief, and the rest of Blue Team looked behind and saw the Governor and the Arcadian Defense Army. Master Chief then said, "What are you doing here Governor Harrison?" and Governor Harrison said, "We're here to make sure you guys don't take him away." Another member of Blue Team, Spartan Linda-058, took a step forward and said, "Don't try to stop us, Governor, this is a UNSC Mission." Governor Harrison then said, "I know this is a UNSC Mission, but we're not going to let you take him. John stays put." John then said, "Give up chief, you have a majority of the Planet's defense Army pointing their guns at you and your team, leave Arcadia." Master Chief looked at John, then at the hundreds of guns pointed at him and said, "Blue Team, let's go. We'll report what has happened here to command." Blue team nodded their heads, then Master Chief looked at John and said, "I hope you're happy with what you started, the UNSC will send a fleet here to arrest you." Master Chief then led Blue team away from John and into the Pelican that they landed in and took off to the ship they came in to head back to earth. John sighed and said, "Governor Harrison, I thank you for standing up for me, and if you want me to leave, I understand."
Governor Harrison then shook his head and said, "That's the thing John, I don't want you to leave, we want you to lead our insurrection against the UNSC." John was speechless until he said, "Wow, governor, I…I don't know what to say other than, why?" Governor Harrison told John that the UNSC has been abusing the power it has, it needed to be stopped, and having John as the leader of an entire sector defense fleet rebelling against the UNSC would have Morale at an all-time high. John then said, "Are you sure you want me to lead the insurrection?" and Governor Harrison nodded his head and John said, "Very well, I accept the offer." John then shook hands with Governor Harrison." John then told the soldiers and said, "I want a detailed list of all of the ammunition we have, what guns we have for us to us, how many grenades we have and what we have in surface to space weaponry." The soldiers nodded their heads and ran in different directions to get the information John asked for.
John then turned to look at Governor Harrison and asked, "Remind me what is the composition of our fleet?" and Governor Harrison said, " We have about 12 Paris-class heavy frigates, 3 Halcyon-class light cruisers, 2 Halberd-class destroyers, and an Epoch-class heavy carrier." John nodded his head and said, "What do you think Blue Team will come back with?" and Governor Harrison said, "My best guess would be with either the Infinity or a few Paris-Class Heavy Frigates." John nodded his head again and said that he needed time to think of a strategy. Governor Harrison nodded his head and said, "We'll give you time, but we may not have long, they'll be back shortly." John nodded his head and began thinking of a plan.
About two hours later, 3 Paris-Class Heavy Frigates, a John Paul Jones-Class Destroyer, an Autumn-Class Heavy Cruiser, and an Orion-class assault carrier exited Slipspace into the Arcadia system and moved towards the Arcadia Defense fleet. On board the Autumn-Class Heavy Cruiser called Forward into Destiny, the Captain was approached by Master Chief and he said, "Captain." The Captain looked at Master Chief and said, "You said that the Spartan we're here to arrest is on Arcadia?" Master Chief nodded his head and said, "Yes sir, he's down there." The Captain nodded his head and said, "Open a channel to the Arcadian Defense fleet flagship." An ensign obeyed and contacted the flagship of the A.D.F. and when the transmission was accepted, the Captain and Master Chief saw John standing there. John then said, "Greetings, I am commander Bertrand, Leader of the Arcadian Liberation Front, you are trespassing in Arcadian Liberated Space, leave now or you will be destroyed." The Captain then said, "This is Captain Henderson, commander of the UNSC forces here to seize you Spartan-1362."
"I know you are here for me, but I made it very clear to Master Chief that I refuse to rejoin the UNSC, and the people on Arcadia agree with me, which means if you want me, you'll have to come and fight us." Captain Henderson smiled and said, "That shouldn't take long, we outnumber your 5 Paris-Class Heavy Frigates and your Halcyon-class light cruiser, tell the ships to open fire." The ensign nodded his head and the UNSC ships moved to engage John and his fleet, which is what John wanted. After a few seconds of moving forward, the Paris-class Heavy Frigates opened fire at the Arcadian Liberation Front Fleet, which John looked at Captain Henderson and said, "Well then, seems to me that since you fired the first shots, this is self-defense." Just then, Captain Henderson and everyone onboard the Forward into Destiny felt the ship getting hit by mac rounds. Suddenly, the other 7 Paris-class Heavy Frigates, the other 2 Halcyon-class light cruisers, and the 2 Halberd-class destroyers Slipspaced in behind the UNSC Ships, taking out the engines on the Orion-class assault carrier. An Ensign on the Forward into Destiny looked at Captain Henderson and said, "Sir, Multiple ships just exited Slipspace behind us and engaged our rear, the Falconstar lost Engine Power, our shields are at 75% and dropping." Captain Henderson then said, "Blast, withdraw, all capable ships, make an emergency Slipspace!" and as the UNSC ships retreated, John ordered all Arcadian Liberation Front Ships to target the engines of the John Paul Jones-Class Destroyer and the three heavy frigates.
Just as the Forward into Destiny entered Slipspace, the Destroyer and two of the Paris-Class heavy frigates lost engine power and became dead in space. John smiled and said, "Get the Pelicans ready, we're going to board those ships." A marine in the bridge nodded his head and walked to the Hanger. John then thought about leading the boarding of the destroyer himself in his Spartan Armor, but he was worried if his men saw him, they would try and kill him when an ensign walked up to him and got his attention. When John looked at the ensign, he saw that the ensign had John's Spartan Helmet and the ensign said, "The men on every ship know you're a former Spartan, trying to start a new life. The men that will board the ship you'll be on will follow you to the ends of the galaxy." John was speechless, but he took his helmet and he smiled at the ensign. John then told the ensign, "Tell the Marines in the hanger to hold a pelican for me, I'm coming aboard." The ensign nodded his head and John walked off the bridge and into a room where his remaining Spartan suit was and with the help of two engineers, John walked out in his Spartan III Mjolnir Armor, armed with an MA5K Carbine Assault Rifle, an M6H2 handgun attached to his left leg armor plate and an M45D Shotgun attached to his back-armor plate. John then walked into the Hanger and saw that several Pelicans haven't taken off yet and he walked to the closest one. John then said, "These Pelicans going to the destroyer?" and a Marine on board said, "Yes sir, we waited for you." John nodded his head and told the pilot to take off. The Pilot pressed a button and said as she lifted the pelican into the air, "This is Pelican 17827, we're taking off towards the UNSC Destroyer, will update on if boarding is successful or not." The pilot then moved the Pelican forward and gave full power to the engines, with the other Pelicans right behind it. John got to the cockpit and saw several Arcadian Liberation Front Longswords fighting UNSC Longswords and trying to keep the UNSC ships from being boarded, but to no avail. John then said to the marines on board, "Lock and load, stay behind me until we get to cover, make sure that if one of your fellow soldiers gets hit, you run to them and drag them to safety, we will bring medical teams on board after we leave the hanger."
The Marines nodded their heads and the Pilot said, "Landing in 10 seconds, get ready, resistance is tough, get ready for fire in the Cabin." John told the Marines to get behind him and after they did, a few seconds later, the ramp for the Pelican opened and a hail fire of bullets came in, but John put up his shield to block them, John then said, "When I say forward, I'll begin to move forward, as I do, stay behind me and open fire as soon as we exit the Pelican." The Marines on board nodded their heads in acknowledgment. John then said, "FORWARD!" and he led the Marines from the Pelican and as they got off, the Marines behind John began to open fire at the Marines on the ship. Just then, several more Marines came in through the door and opened fire at the defenders, killing them and securing the hanger. John was confused until a Lieutenant walked up to him and he said, "Commander, we'll clear the path for you to the bridge, and before you ask, this is our way of declaring our defection." John smiled and said, "Alright men, TO THE BRIDGE!" John then led the Marines with him and those that defected out of the Hanger while other Marines secured the Hanger.
As John led to Marines to the bridge, the Crew of the Destroyer tried to stop them but were killed before they could put up any kind of resistance, except for a few crew members who joined the insurrection. John was then contacted by the captain of the Light Cruiser, telling him that the Paris-class Heavy Frigates and the carrier were captured with relative ease. John then said, "Acknowledge, I'm leading defectors to the bridge of the Destroyer to secure it." The captain acknowledged John and hung up. John then told the Marines behind him, "Push forward! Don't stop! We take the bridge, the Battle's over!" The Marines shouted, "SIR YES SIR!" and they all charged forward, taking more and more ground on the destroyer until they got to the bridge where John busted the door down and took out the Marines on the bridge and holding the captain at gunpoint. John then said, "Tell the rest of your crew to surrender, NOW!" The captain didn't want to get shot and pressed a button on his console and said, "All hands, this is the captain speaking, I am now ordering all crew members to surrender to the insurrectionists, I am not risking the lives of you just to keep the ship from falling into Enemy hands, that has already happened, please surrender all weapons to the insurgents and do not resist at all." The battle was over. John had the wounded transported down to the surface as the damage done to the ships was repaired. John then landed on the surface and was given a hero's celebration, the Arcadian Liberation Front won their first victory against the UNSC, one of many to come in the minds of some, but John knew better, John knew the war would cost them dearly, for freedom was never free and war…war never changes.