Chapter one

0722 Hours, September 17,

2547 (military calendar) /

On Bravo Base 070 UNSC data site,

Arcadia, Procyon System

Outskirts of Abaskun City

Raven walked briskly down the dark corridor, nervously glancing around every corner she turned.

She gripped a small metal drive in her hand, in which she had been instructed to insert into the UNSC base's data core and transfer its files onto the port. The port was also programmed to eliminate obstacles, such as locked doors and data panels. It was a special gift from Annie, the rebels AI.

The young girl made her way to the control room of the base, where the data core was located. Hopefully. She prayed none of the metal monstrosities were lurking in the shadows, ready to rip her limb from limb. The UNSC's pet robots were the very fabric of children's nightmares, causing them to run screaming to their parents in the middle of the night.

Two officers clad in standard military uniform suddenly rounded the next corner and strolled down the hall, chatting quietly amongst themselves, unbeknownst that the "Warrant Officer Ren Jenson" speed walking past them had a nasty secret. Raven had "acquired" that uniform by knocking a woman in the head with the butt of her SMG that she now concealed under her arm. The woman never stood a chance.

Raven pulse began to race as one of the officers gave her the stink eye, wondering whether or not it was really worth it to pull her over, but his comrade was oblivious to the danger and was fully engrossed in their conversation. They continued walking down the hall without incident.

Raven wondered if she should have saluted to them, or perhaps acknowledged them, but she wasn't clear on the order of rank and would most likely draw unwanted attention to herself. She needed to stay under the radar. Her past infiltrations had too many close calls for her liking.

The girl continued further down the hall until a faded metal door appeared on her right. She slowed her awkward pace and turned towards the door, making sure no one else was taking a stroll down the hallway. She slipped the data port into the open slot on the locking mechanism and held her breath in anticipation.

It blinked red as the drive fried the circuits, little twirls of smoke leaking from the top of the lock, before flashing the green "all clear" light. The door slid open.

Raven peered into the dark room, but even as she squinted, she couldn't see inside. What if the armored demons lurked in the shadows? How many of her fellow insurrectionists have been murdered by them? She nearly hurled at the thought. Suddenly, she heard quiet footsteps echoing down the corridor. Raven's breath caught, if someone saw her milling about outside of a supposedly locked room with the circuits sparking….she didn't't want to think about it.

Raven quickly stepped into the dark room, took a calming breath, and slid the door closed behind her.

Raven knew something was wrong the second her foot hit the ground. The air was too tight with anticipation, and the normal blue glow of the data core was absent. It had been manually shut-off. She only knew what the data-core was supposed to look like because she had made several visits to it over the past seven months, where a light blue glow usually accompanied the lavish of illegal intelligence. That she had also illegally stolen. And then sold –illegally- to the Rebels stationed on this planet. Although this time, her naturally cautious nature and carefully thought-out tactics did not save her. And neither did her ruse.

Nine armored soldiers stood across from her, standing in a semi-circle, completely sealing off her exits. There was no escape this time.

Crap.

"Drop your weapons, and get on your knees," the man closest to her snarled. She assumed he was the commanding major here, as he stood slightly in front of the rest.

Raven studied them closely. They all wore black suits with a dull brown metal plating, although it looked thin from where she was standing. Even so, she recognized the suit. ODST's. Or more accurately called "Helljumpers," for they accepted the missions no one else would. Raven only had a vague idea of them, but she knew they were a crackhead bunch who would rather shoot than ask questions. Apparently, being dropped behind enemy lines did that kind of thing to you.

Raven also knew if she so much as tossed her auburn hair from her eyes, they'd pump her full of armor-piercing rounds. Unfortunately, she wore no armor, as she had hoped she wouldn't require it.

"I said get down on your knees and drop your weapons!" He shouted, striding forward and planting his battle rifle (BR) on her forehead. She glared at him for a moment, then sighed.

Great. I'm going to be late back to base. Again. The L.T. would chew me out for this. Raven clicked open the buckle on her holster and let her SMG'S drop to the floor, feeling a pang of guilt at giving them up so easily. She hoped they wouldn't permanently confiscate them, since they were the only stable thing she had in her life. How sad was that? Although now she realized, guns couldn't help her.

Raven slowly pulled her six inch knife from a hidden flap under her jacket that she wore beneath the hijacked uniform, and threw it to the floor. She then leaned down and pulled a small handgun from her combat boots. The Major waited patiently, glaring at her with triumph in his steely blue eyes. She stood back up, and proceeded to glare right back at him. Raven was already seething with anger beneath her hard exterior, already analyzing the situation, looking for a way out. There was always a way out.

"Nevar, grab her SMG's."

A stout ODST stalked from the group and kicked the guns away from her feet. He kept his eye on her the entire time, his finger a centimeter away from the trigger. It was obvious she was well known here.

"Get em' cuffed." The major growled into his COM mic, making certain to keep his gun and the rest of his teams' weapons on her skull. He had slid his face-plate up, the only reason she could hear him.

Ravens hands were up in front of her, her palms held out innocently, attempting to show she was no threat. For now, anyway.

Another soldier ambled up to her and yanked her hands behind her back, clasping them together with energy cuffs. Raven hated energy cuffs, no way out of them except to enter a sixteen-digit code that only a select few knew. Whoever had thought up something like that knew there stuff.

"So you're the leak. I expected someone…more capable." The Major noted, watching her expression carefully. She said nothing. The major walked toward her, glaring. He held a smug look on his face, and Raven promised herself she'd return the favor in due time.

Satisfied she was sufficiently mocked, he turned to the ODST apparently named Nevar and barked: "Keep her in your scopes, she's a sly little devil."

Two of the Helljumpers moved to stand on either side of her, both of their guns pointed at her head. One of them grabbed her arm and spun her around, then marched her out the door, throwing the door open with his boot. She could feel the other men's guns trained on the back of her head, but she kept calm. A freak-out would do her no good now. Besides, an eerie calm that seemed to be attracted to her unnerved the most hardened soldiers.

Ravens hand began to itch and cramp; she needed to complete her mission, and return to base. Something in the back of her mind compelled her to get the intel. Get the intel, and return to base. Complete the objective. Win. Either way, Raven intended to follow her orders.