I never thought I'd be the last. Of anything. But here I am. The last living member of a skilled team. Of a family of Spartans. I would be joining them soon...but I wish that they hadn't died. They were some amazing, talented people...good at what they did...no, not just good...they were the best. I know that their names will be forgotten, but not by me. If their names aren't to be remembered...neither will mine. I'm staying here. On Reach. I'm not leaving them. Once upon a time I might have chosen to leave. But I was a lone wolf then. When I came to Noble Team, I joined a family. I made the truest friends anyone could ever hope for. Jorge, Noble 5. The first one to make me feel at all welcome in the group. Kat, Noble 2. The smartest, most clever Spartan you could ever hope to meet. Jun, Noble 3. An artist with a sniper rifle and the only one who might actually be alive. Carter, Noble 1. A strong, focused leader who gave himself up so that we could complete our last mission. And Emile, Noble 4. Hard, sarcastic and the most BA soldier you will ever meet.
When the Covenant first came to Reach, we knew the end was coming. But it didn't stop us from hoping we could prevent it.
We did everything we could. We boarded a Covenant ship that hovered in orbit and placed a bomb inside. That's when we lost Jorge. The timer got fried by plasma fire and our ride off the ship was destroyed. So I took a headfirst dive through the atmosphere into New Alexandria and landed in the middle of the city's evacuation while the Covenant trying to save the city, we lost Kat to a sniper on an enemy drop ship. The bloody cowards couldn't take us in a fair fight...so they glassed the city...
We ended up at ONI Sword Base. A research facility that had been lost since they first came to the planet. We were supposed to destroy it and make sure the Covenant didn't get any important data. We ended up miles underground, away from Sword Base, in Dr. Halsey's secret lab. At an excavation site. There, we met the Covenant again. And won. But Halsey always managed to get the upper hand in everything. Our last mission didn't come from Colonel Holland. No, the good doctor gave it to us. Deliver the Package. An AI of unmatched intelligence who could be the answer to the war. This AI, could end it.
We accepted. The Spartans were humanity's best chance of survival so far, but we were losing. And one day, we'd all be gone too.
Jun escorted Halsey to CASTLE Base, another ONI hideout. We knew we'd never see him again.
Carter, Emile and I took a Pelican and tried to get to the Pillar of Autumn. Our ride off-planet, and our mission's destination. If we didn't get the Package there, humanity was lost forever.
Carter had to let us off though. Emile and I got to walk to the Autumn. We watched with concern as our team leader tried to draw off the Banshees that had tracked us and hoped feebly that we might get out of this.
Carter crashed the Pelican into a Scarab that blocked our path. We were we were so close. We got to the Autumn. I handed the Package to Captain Jacob Keyes, and then watched as three Elite Zealots attacked my last teammate while he manned the AA gun. He took them out first though. All of them. Should've known Emile wouldn't have gone out without a fight.
When I saw the last Noble die, I made a split second decision. Keyes was holding out his hand. "Come on Spartan! We have to get out of here!"
"No sir.
"I've got the gun."
I got the Autumn out of there. Made sure none of the Phantoms, Banshees or Spirits could touch it. And I made certain that the Covenant super carrier didn't make it close enough to glass my planet.
I know they're coming for me anyway. I'm waiting for them. I might be alone again, but I have the strength of my team...of my memories. I might be the last Spartan on Reach. But I'm by far the toughest. Noble Team may be forgotten. But I can guarantee that they will be avenged. Noble team saved half the citizens of this planet. Put themselves in death's way to save them. And now we join them. Every last one of us.
