B-325

Chapter 1

"Commander, I'm going to plant the bomb now," James said as he slid across the smooth Covenant floor whilst dodging plasma fire and needle shards.

"Pull back Grey One, hold off and wait for backup."

"Negative, I've got this mission in the bag."

Rushing through the door her partner blew open moments before, Alexis watched as an Elite was about to slash her partner from behind, the mute Spartan lll quickly unloosed her sniper and put a bullet through it's head. James gave her the thumbs up as he landed next to the Covenant factory's reactor and started to attach the Feral nuke used for their mission.

With a saddened gasp, Alexis watched as a Jackal put a dagger, made from the same material as a Needler's ammunition, into her partners back. She turned away from the blast and un-holstered her pistol, but the idiotic Jackal died in the explosion as well. She grabbed the shotgun from her dead partner, focused on the mission at hand and killed a brute rushing her with a Spiker, a short rifle with half-moon blades on the underside. She punched in the last five digits her partner failed to enter and hit the start sequence button; she turned and to see a grunt running at her, but out of fear. She shot it in its face with her pistol and bolted through the door.

3 months later.

The UNSC Prowler, Unaltered Path, exited slipspace. It had survived the narrow escape from the Covenant asteroid mines.

"Wakey, wakey." Said the technician in Cryo chamber 3, it was his duty to wake the sleeping super soldier.

Alexis stepped from the Cryo chamber; it was necessary for soldiers and staff that undergo the sleep through slipspace to be naked during their frozen slumber. Alexis spit the substance that provided nutrients that helped them survive the sleeping process from her mouth. It tasted like shit.

She realized that the other staff were awakening and she quickly grabbed a towel that wasn't long enough to cover her from her breasts to knees, as it should of done, but she was six foot, nine inches, so it only came up to the center of her thighs, she stormed her way to the showers.

"We will be landing in approximately fifteen minutes, please return all tables to their up right position, and return any reclined chairs to their normal position. The temperature outside is around 1000 degrees as we break through the atmosphere of Reach." Alexis grinned at the pilot's joke.

The pelican was able to make an easy landing on the bouncy landing pad, a new design that made hard landings easier. Alexis was one of the few Spartan III selected to test a downgraded version the Spartan two's MJLONIR armor. She had always marveled at Kirk's armor back on Onyx, but was shipped out two weeks before the planet's "invasion", as it was called. She stepped into a white building with the iconic ONI symbol on it, The Horn.

"Hello Alexis," said an ONI spook. She only replied with a shake of a hand and an appreciative nod. "Uh, well, the other candidates are in here." Alexis looked around the room at the other Spartan's waiting; she sat down in-between two of the 20 soldiers in the room. She identified them as Catherine-B320 and Carter-A529. All the candidates were given a clipboard, pen, and a stack of papers.

"You will make your decision of the armor you want," said an ONI operative, "We will give you one hour."

Within a half-hour, she had made her decision; she chose the EOD helmet with the Hardened Comm unit, right shoulder; CQC, left shoulder; MJLONIR[B], and Tac/Patrol chest.

"Our first candidate, Alexis, please enter through the doors." She stood up and walked through the door to find a fitting area for their powered MJLONIR[B] variants.

"Would you please step onto the platform and stay perfectly still," She watched as engineers brought her armor out, the black suit she had put on before molded to fit the shape of the armor they were attaching, "Please step onto the charging station," She was surprised to the shock she got from them charging her suit's shields, "You are free to leave now to the shooting range, try out your new armor."

She pulled a Designated Marksmen Rifle, a Magnum pistol, and a sniper off the rack. She settled herself down and loaded a magazine into her sniper. The maximum range of a sniper's scope was 500 yards, but the suit's helmet quickly calculated a new scope for her use. A number appeared in the lower left corner of her HUD, 2500 yards, she smirked, impressed at it's capabilities. She unplugged the scope's wire running from the back of her helmet and pulled up the DMR.

"Your suit shows the bloom of the recoil," a voice said behind her, she turned and saw another Spartan, but this was a Spartan II, "Hi, I'm Alice." Alexis quickly rose and shook her hand.

Alice turned and picked up an MA5B Assault Rifle from a rack to her right, the gun looked miniscule in her hands. She stayed at the back of the room and expertly shot a bulls-eye through the 100-yard target. "Now it's your turn. Hey, Andrew, open the door, I'm taking our new friend for some real target practice."

Alice and Alexis lay down on top off a mountains peak, both with snipers in their hands, "Ok, I bet you can't shoot that tree on the plain." Alexis turned to see the lone tree on a wide field of grass, the sniper's HUD in her helmet showed the distance at 1876 yards. She lined up the shot; it was a pretty easy shot from this distance, the wind, no matter how far they were shooting, wouldn't affect the bullet's travel. She fired, the reassuring click of the bullet's connection sounded in her helmet.

4 years later.

"Oh shit, GET IT OFF!" Alexis dived out of the plasma grenade's explosive radius. The poor ARMY trooper was just a couple of limbs now.

"Alexis! Get to the top of that building and lay some sniper fire on those Elites!" She sprinted to the top of a tall building's entrance. She turned to see a Ghost boost towards her, the grunt pilot barked loudly, she preformed a dive out of its way and the vehicle exploded as it crashed into the building.

The Spartans of Red team were assigned to mop up the Covenant invading party that was attacking Reach. She quickly sprinted up the stairs. An Elite Field Marshall was raining fire on the Spartans. Alexis started to creep up behind him, but foolishly stepped on autumn's fallen leaves. The Elite turned around in time to see Alexis tussle him to the ground and stab him repeatedly in the chest and throat. She pulled her sniper's cable into the back of her helmet and the zoom kicked in, she focused the reticule on an Elite General commanding a squad of minor's. She fired and the brute landed on the ground dead. Suddenly a huge explosion of plasma hit the building, she looked around the battlefield and saw a Wraith Mortar tank firing at her position. She grabbed the M6 Spartan Laser that was lying next to a dead marine. The ammo counter said only one shot left, she charged the laser and aimed at the wraith. The gun suddenly recoiled as the red beam shot the wraith and it exploded into blue fire.

"Pull back Red team! There's too many of them!" Alexis turned and quickly initiated the sprint over-ride on her armor and jumped from the building to the steep hill behind it. Behind this was their rendezvous point.

"No, no, no, no, I can't do it, it's to high up." The emerald hand of Kirk pulled Jason to the side of the pelican drop-ship.

"Alright!" said the giant emerald giant, "which of you wants to jump?"

Alexis stepped forward, only 7 years old; she glared at the orange visor of the giant, and stepped off the edge. Kurt noticed the determination in her eyes as she glared into his visor; she jumped so calm fully, as if she were committing a suicide. Alexis felt tears running from her eyes as Onyx fell towards her, Or am I falling to Onyx?, she thought. She counted in her head, 1… 2… 3… She pulled out the parachute and lurched to a slow decent. She aimed her feet as best as she could, and landed on the target skillfully. Alexis had always been a very active child, she had many a scrapes and bruises from climbing up trees, and playing king of the hill with the boys at her school, still having the strength to beat them. Suddenly, a boy landed next to her, he was hunched over, and throwing up, and a medic came, picked him up and carried him away.

Several years later…

Alexis leaped over the hurdles on the running track, James, and Ferdinand, trailed behind her, but Anthony was able to keep up and was gaining, Anthony was seven, like Alexis, when he first enrolled in the program, both were now fifteen. Alexis looked at him and gave him a sly grin; both of the kids had derived from Paris IV. They both were seeking revenge on the Covenant for killing they're parents, like most of the kids here. Alexis was paying attention, she had always tried to block out Anthony from her mind, and he was a distraction. At first, he picked on her, making fun of her lack of ability to speak, but soon started to learn sign language so he could communicate with her. As the kids got older, Alexis started to notice him more; he became less of a kid and more of a teenager. Alexis ignored her feelings for him, telling herself it was just the hormones in her body created whilst she's growing up.

Alexis tripped and fell; she tried to stop herself by putting out her hands, but slid and fell. She looked at her stinging arm, bleeding profusely, and multiple cuts running up and down it. She felt tears running down her face, she couldn't help it hurt too much. She felt someone putting his or her arms under her legs and behind her back, she looked up to see Anthony had stopped to pick her up and carry her to the Medic Hut. He was jogging so he could get her there faster.

The medic, Corporal Klein, looked out the window of the Med-Hut. She noticed a figure attempting a mix of a speed walk and jog towards the hut with someone in they're arms. She pulled open the door and urged a sweating Anthony inside. He set the bleeding Alexis on the operating table. He rummaged through the cupboards looking for gauze.

"Anthony, what are you looking for?" asked Corporal Klein.

"We need bandages to patch up her arm, where is it? Wait, got it."

Anthony pulled out a large roll of bandages and started to wrap Alexis arm, she was drowsy because of the stinging from the cuts. Using her free hand she pulled out her small note book and pencil she always kept with her and wrote out: Thanks, Anthony. on a free page. He smiled at her as he pinned the gauze together, he lower arm was completely wrapped in a small layer of the bandage.

That night…

Alexis pulled on her nightshirt and unlocked the bathroom door. She yawned and crept up the ladder leading to her bunk bed. She winced slightly as her arm was still hurting. She pulled out the sketchbook she kept under her mattress out and started doodling the sprawling mountains south of the camp. Someone knocked on the door. Ferdinand and James stood up as Anthony opened the door to find Kurt standing there, the tall soldier pulled himself through the frame, being at the most seven feet tall.

"Hello Team Bezel, I need to talk to you. You're going to be taken to Reach. I cannot discuss this matter now, nor can I tell you why this is happening, you're being shipped next week." Kurt gave the nod of his head to the team and left.

James turned to Ferdinand and started to chatter away about this, while Anthony sat down and started to read his book on the old Earth philosopher Carl Sagan. Alexis climbed down the bunk's ladder and tapped Anthony on his shoulder and used sign language to tell him she was stepping out for air and to contemplate what Kurt told them.

A cool night breeze blew through her hair as she looked at the moon of Onyx, a large, glowing rock floating a thousand or so feet above her. The moon was shattered, a half circle object leading a trail of debris. Claire sat down in the grass. She hated to be leaving this place; it was a wonderful and mysterious planet, too beautiful to just leave all of a sudden. Alexis's eyes drifted down to the tree line and saw a blue lighting bobbing up and down in the forest; she dismissed it as one of the guard's flashlight.

"It's beautiful," a voice said, "This world, it's so… strange." Alexis turned around and found Anthony leaning against their hut's wall looking at her. Alexis moved her long curly hair from her face to look at him. Anthony plopped himself next her on the grass and looked at her. Anthony looked at her with his vibrant eyes; a strange mutation caused his eyes to be a deep violet, almost black. She looked into his eyes, and suddenly felt his lips on hers. They were kissing. A full minute passed before he pulled away breathing heavily. He stood up and walked down the path leading to the firing range.

3 days before transfer…

Alexis pulled on her combat boots. She got up and pulled out her water bottle from the cooler. Alexis walked out into Onyx's early morning where dew still covered the grass. Alexis stated to jog down a northern bound path. Alexis jogged past the sign with "Playground" on it. The playground was the UNSC combat training course, times ten. The course was a complex puzzle of swaying bridges, rope ladders, and jumps. Not to mention the amount of traps they have to avoid. Alexis had practiced the course well. She held the title of "Fastest Completion", a record two minutes and 43 seconds. Alexis pulled on the rope ladder she was about to start the course on. Kurt had new traps set every day. She watched as the rope came loose and fell down. She quickly turned to her left; she scrambled up a long staircase leading to a zip-line. Alexis did a roll as she hit the ground and sprinted to a group of swinging vines. Alexis loved the sound of muffled gunshots being fired from the firing range a mile and a half off. Alexis landed on a pool of water and swam to the far end where there was a tall pole, with a bell at the top. She gripped the rope dangling from and started to climb. She pulled her self up the last foot of the rope and rung the bell, then, slid down the rope.

Alexis turned around as she heard clapping. It was Gabrielle from Team Katana, "Very well done Alexis," she said sarcastically, "I recorded your time, and it took you three minutes and fourteen seconds." Gabrielle handed Alexis the stop watch, "Record my time, won't you sweet heart?" Alexis hit the timer as Gabrielle started the course. She had a great dislike of Gabrielle; her family had been from Earth, from a place called Tennessee, which resulted in her southern accent, Gabrielle had it because she had been 13 when she joined the program. She had grown up with it and it stuck. Gabrielle was always stuck up and judgmental. She had seemed nice when they first met, but grew bitter over time. Gabrielle made a leaping grab for a rope swing. She clenched it as if it wee a child's candy. She screamed as the rope came loose, another trap. There was a splash as she hit the ice-cold water tank underneath. Alexis rolled around on the floor in silent laughter.

She heard chuckling and looked up. Kurt was standing there in his armor, shining like jewels. Alexis scrambled to her feet and saluted, and Kurt waved away the gesture. Gabrielle had pulled herself from the tank now and was sloshing her way towards them. She gave Alexis a look that said: "You're dead."

"Okay lady's, watch someone with experience do this." Kurt boasted proudly. He walked over to the start area, and counted out loud to three, "One… Two… Three…!"

Kurt started the timer on the inside of his HUD. In one gallant pull, he swung, and then flung himself over the water tank. Only thirty-five seconds had passed and he was already halfway threw the course. Alexis gawked as he pulled himself over the walls, and blasted through the climbing bars. He made a jump off a high platform. His armor shined yellow from impact damage. He pulled himself up the ladder to the pole platform. Instead of using the rope itself, he used the pole.

"One minute and fifty nine seconds." Kurt boasted with pride.

Alexis cracked her knuckles. If a genetically modified super soldier thinks he can beat her time, he's in for a world of surprise. Alexis nodded at Kurt who started to count to three. He shouted three and Alexis was off, it took her a total of 45 seconds to get the ropes, instead of taking the conventional ropes, she dove into the water and swam across, then climbed up the access ladder. She rolled under a wall and hurdled over another. She pulled herself up the ladder leading to the pole as fast as she could. Grasping the ropes with her hands, Alexis walked up the pole, and rang the bell.

"Holy shit, Alexis!" Kurt exclaimed, "you beat me by half of a millisecond." Alexis smirked and walked off to have a shower.

Alexis rubbed the shampoo into her hair and washed it off, she reached for the bar of soap handing from a thread on one of the shower hooks. She looked up, letting the warm water hit her face and calm her down. She felt someone grasp her hips and pull them against her.

"Alexis…" a voice whispered.

She looked up to see Anthony holding her against him, letting the warm water surround them.

Alexis woke up in a cold sweat. She rubbed the sweat beading her forehead. She climbed down her bunk beads ladder and crept to the bathroom. She turned on the lamp and ran a washcloth under a running tap. She splashed the damp rag against her face, whipping away the sweat. Alexis dried off and walked outside the hut. The warm summer breeze blew gently against her skin. She walked under the moons radiance to a spot just outside the camp, a ridge overlooking a meadow, a fox scampered across the field of multi-colored flowers.

She sighed and watched the moon travel across the sky. Within a few hours she fell asleep.

She awoke to the evil smile of Gabrielle, "Hello, sleepyhead."