The Last Mission

Spartan-099 Lance corporal Jake chuckled to himself as three Spartan IV's lay sprawled out on the metal training room floor.

"Is that all you got?"

Jake asked in his monotone voice. He was hoping for a challenge when he had heard of the new Spartan program, but to his disappointed they were a little more channeling than Spartan III's. Turning away from his most recent victory he walked to the big exit doors which hissed, clanked, the split apart as medical teams rushed into the training room to help the fallen Spartans. After walking through the door way he was making his way down to the shower room.

On his way there everybody was looking at him. Jake had never liked it at first then, it didn't bother him but, just recently he started to like it. The reason for the sudden change of heart was because of the annihilation of entire Spartan I program two years ago. All of the Spartan were hunted down and killed by a spec ops team of Elites, but then Jake hear that they were specifically being hunted down and he started tracking the Elites. But, it was too late when he had found them on harvest they killed the last Spartan I in front of him. It was his twin sister Solar. One Elite graded her by her throat and rammed his Beam Sword through her chest plate and out of her back, she punched the Elite crushing it skull. The Elite crumpled to the ground. Now on her feet Solar pulled her side arm from the holster and shot with one hand and held her wound with the other. Jake rushed to her side, shouldered his assault rifle and squeezed the trigger. Elite after Elite fell at their feet then out of nowhere a Beam Sword eliminated and jabbed Solar through the back and yanked upwards slicing through the Mjolnir armor and severed her arm from the rest of her body. Time seamed to slow down as Solar's body fell to the ground. Jake watched Solar's body hit the ground with a metallic thud. Jake turned to the levitating Beam Sword and watched as in horror as the Elite materialized then rushed towards him. As if Jake had a death wish he stared motion less at his rapidly approaching attacker. Jake was looking up into its face then, felt something warm puncture his chest. Trembling, Jake look down to find that the Elites Beam Sword had punctured his Mjolnir armor and his shields were completely drained. Dropping his assault rifle the Elite pulled out his Sword and sliced Jakes chest piece in half, knocking the Spartan on his back and his helmet flew off. The Elite pressed his blood stained boot on the Spartans chest and put its Beam Sword right in front of Jake's face.

"Your blood will mark the new stage of the Great Journey."

''It won't get my blood that easy."

Jake Chuckled and spit blood onto the Elites golden armor. The Elite snarled at the Spartan and slowly started to press the Beam Sword into his forehead and eye. With tremendous pain Jake grabbed the beam swords blades and started to pull it out. The with a triumphant laugh elite and said

"Yes, your right it will not be so easy."

Then the elite put his other hand on the hilt and pushed down. The sword started cutting through the Mjolnir armor and into jakes hand, and thrust its way back into his brain. Jake tightened his grip so hard that his left pinky was sliced off and blood poured from the open wounds. Then when Jake was about to give up there was a loud *band, band* and blood oozed form the Elite left eye. With a scream of terror the Elite graded at his face and fell over. Jake looked around to see what had happened and to his surprise Solar had picked up his assault rifle and killed the creature. Solar smiled at her brother and then dropped the weapon and fell back. Jake tried to get up but fell back down. Scooting over to where his sister lay he pulled off her helmet revealing her face. She had blue eyes, brown hair in a bobbed haircut (longer than UNSC protocol), a small nose, and a spray of freckles under her eyes and on her nose. She was breathing and blood trickled out the corner of her mouth. Solar look at her brother, pulled him close, and said in a very faint voice

"Make me proud."

Then looked away to watch a Covenant Cruiser glass the surface of the planet. Seeing the threat Jake said

"Come on we gotta get out of here."

"No not this time Jake. Let the glass be my grave."

*Let the glass be my grave* that was Jake's motto tattooed across his chest where his heart was supposed to be, but instead was a black cavern.

Reaching the locker room adjacent to the shower room Jake started taking of his armor starting with his helmet. When a young Spartan IV female named Jackie walk into the locker room with a white towel tied around her body, a razor and shaving cream in one hand, shampoo and conditioner in the other, and a comb in her mouth and said

"Sup."

"Shaving I see."

"Shut up!"

The Spartan said blushing tilting her head down hoping the Spartan wouldn't see, but knew it was no use. The Spartans I were specially augmented to notice the slightest change in just about anything, whether it was feeling a pin drop from over a click away in a sand storm or in her case a slight change of heart beat. Even though she herself was augmented she still was susceptible to human emotions unlike her counterpart Jake who was given a Catalytic Thyroid Implant. She knew Jake for a few months when the 'twin team' was created where highly advanced Spartans in teams of two were sent oh high value mission. That was when she meat Jake.

She was in a rec room on board the UNSC California reading a hollo pad handed to her by an ONI spook when a shadow fell over her. Looking up she saw a ODST standing over her sporting a dark grey and white ODST armor, black visor, robotic left pinky, and was five feet tall, but this ODST looked different that normal ODSTs for instance this one was incased in Mjolnir under armor and had EOD forearm plating. But the most awakened thing was that he was just staring down at her behind its dark visor.

"Can I help you?" Jackie asked

"Yes I am looking for a-"

A monotone male voiced erupted from underneath the helmet. Looking at a hollo pad with a white and blue EVA Spartan on it, then she noticed that he was looking for her and decided to play around with the ODST.

"A Miss Jackie K. Bronson, Spartan-901."

"Yes, if you do a 360 degree turn you will find her sitting in a chair reading a hollo pad."

To her surprise the ODST did everything she told him to do the realized what she had done. Even though she outranked him he should have known when someone was pulling his leg.

"Very funny."

The ODST said as he watched the young woman sand up. It was very odd to see a Spartan acting so…human. Even though she was a make IV (which meant that she was recruited at the enlisting age instead of being abducted at the age of six) it was still weird. Sticking out her hand and cocking her head to one side and said with a smile

"Hi how ya doing since you already know my name why don't you tell me yours."

Instead of taking her hand he snap to and saluted

"Jake Spartan-099, reporting for duty"

"Spartan, then why are you wearing ODST armor?"

"I had it outfitted in Mjolnir armor but yes ma'am I am a Spartan."

"Aren't you a little small for a Spartan?"

"No ma'am the height was an add on in Spartan II program not Spartan I"

"Spartan I program? Come on put that away"

"But you're my superior"

"Well then, as your superior officer; I command you to shake my hand, shorty."

Nodding and Taking her hand he noticed the height difference, he was at least a full two feet smaller than her. Letting go of his had Jackie asked

"So is that it just Jake, no last name?"

"Well I don't really remember my last name after the accident."

Feeling his heart beat speed up just a little she knew what he was talking about a touchy subject. She had read it in his file, it and along with a few other thin weren't crossed out in black ink, even his last name was black out. The incident happened on harvest when an Elite jabbed a beam sword in his face. On record he had a robotic eye, pinky, and an AI of himself that replaced his right side of his brain that made super smart and able to remotely access computers and fight at the same time. Taking off his helmet she saw his face. He had a dull blue right eye, silver hair that was short on the sides and pointed up in the front, a scar on his forehead, and an all grey left eye with a scar coming out of the corner of the eye. The Spartan looked up at her and cracked a smile and said

"It's the eye isn't it?"

"What?"

"Your face looks discussed. I get it, it's cool."

And was about to slip on his helmet but she stopped him with her hand.
-

"Jack, Jack"

"What is it?"

"You were zoned out again, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. What about you, I heard you took on two Spartan IV's."

"Three, but who's counting"

Jake said looking over his shoulder meeting Jackie's eye.

"That's not what I mean. The infirmary, did you go to the infirmary?"

"Uuhhh sure."

Pulling out a hollo pad from her locker Jackie looked up Jake vital signs and saw that he had cuts, bruises, and the most important internal bleeding in his shoulder.

"Jake you have internally bleeding in your shoulder. Come on let's go to the infirmary and get you patched up."

"Ok I'll go a little later."

"No we are going now."

Jake knew there was no point in arguing because not only was she a higher rank than his but she was also extremely stubborn. Not only that but she could make just about anyone do whatever she wanted whether it be breaking into highly classified files or getting illegal rounds for her M7 SMG. Walking down the long hallways Jackie notice that all the other people were look at them, at him. He didn't talk much but when he did it was usually to tease or something profound. But instead Jake stared at people, so much that he could make you talk about anything he wanted to know. When they reached the med bay there was a couple of nurses and three Spartan IV lying on beds with IV pumps attached to them and most of their bodies rapped in bandages. One of the Spartans looked up and hurled some curses at him. A doctor in a white lab coat holding a hollo pad walked into the room and stop short when she saw the Spartan and an ODST. She was German in her early twenties, blonde short hair in the same style as Jake, blue eyes, a sharp nose, and small ears. Completely ignoring Jackie she ran to Jake and grabbed his hand and held it up and said

"Oh my gosh your Jake aren't you!"

"Uhh yes ma'am."

"Oh that's cute, So formal. What can I help you with?"

He need medical attention your doctor right?"

Jackie interrupted. Looking flustered, Jake noticed her heart rated was elevated maybe she was just mad so Jake dispelled the though from his mind. The doctor gave Jackie a look that told her to back off witched she did. Turning back to Jake she ask

"Ok if you'll just follow me."

Turning an open bed she saw the Spartan IV knowing what had happened she thought otherwise and turned and gestured to her office. They walked in and the doctor closed the door behind them.

"I need you to take off your armor."

The doctor said. Jake complied and started dismantling his armor. When all the Spartan took off all his upper armor it revealed pale white skin with scar tissue running along his body and some open wounds and one of his shoulders was lumpy. Pulling a tray over to the examining table the doctor patted the bed twice and said

"Hop on"

Jake walked over to the bed and sat down on it and asked

"Do you have a name?"

"Ohh yes where are my manors my name is Cassy lane."

"Well, thank you Miss Lane."

"On problem, it is my job."

Grabbing a long thin needle that had a tube on the other Cassy slide the needle under Jakes skin and red liquid filled the tube. Immediately Jake shoulder started going down. Moving to other injuries Cassy ran her hand over older scars. Sliding her finger along a diagonal scar that ran across his chest she asked

"Where did you get this one?"

"Don't you know not to ask a Spartan where they got their scars!"

Jackie interrupted. But Jake replied

"It's OK Jackie. It was caused by an Elite Energy Sword on hervest."

"You were on harvest? That so cool."

"Yeah, cool."

Cassy finished treating the open wound, pulled out the needle, and put an adhesive bandage on him. Walking over to the sink Cassy started washing her hands then turned her head over to her shoulder and said to Jake

"Do you have any plans this Friday for dinner?"

A deep male voice blared on the overhead com

"Spartan-099 and Spartan 902 meet me in my office in 15 minutes."

Jake sighed and started putting on his armor. Jake didn't said anything but he never liked Admiral Lynch but Jackie thought it had to do with the incident on Harvest. Jake turned to Cassy and said

"looks like we're gonna have to do a reign check."

"No problem just let me know when your back on California."

"will do."