Prologue

Date: April 19th, 2517
Time: 0900
System: Procyon
Planet: Arcadia
Location: Serth, Lemuria
Mission: Assess and acquire potential test subject 027

Dr. Halsey took a deep gulp from the shimmering glass of water in front of her, setting it down with a satisfied sigh as the cool liquid quenched her thirst. Arcadia was one hot tropical planet, home to many exotic resorts and many more villages, each one hidden away in the sweltering depths of Arcadia's jungles.

Serth was one such settlement, a small village, crowded in on all sides by lush green flora, so much so that hacking the invading greenery back had become key occupation within the settlement.

Aside from intense heat and hordes of invading plants however, Serth was quite nice, beautiful even. With long winding gravel paths, shimmering blue lakes that fed into ponds and clear blue skies as far as the eye could see, Serth was everything everyone considered as the perfect retreat.

Halsey raised her eyes from the menu in front of her, she had chosen a small café away from the main body of Serth for her meeting, and appraised the man approaching her table.

Jacob Keyes was a fit young man in his early twenties with a short black buzz cut, that absolutely screamed military, and a strong face with handsome, yet not overly attractive features. He was wearing a white vest that shone in the brilliant morning sunlight and was darkened with sweat and cargo shorts that stopped just short of his knees.

The lieutenant sank down into the chair next to Halsey, scooped a menu up off of the table and instantly began fanning his red face. Beads of sweat hung over his temples and eventually dried against his scalp as his makeshift fan did its work. The stench of BO threatened to overwhelm Halsey.

She ignored it and cleared her throat, instantly gaining Keyes' attention. The man sat up straight at once, but slouched upon realizing his mistake. Technically speaking the two weren't even supposed to be on Arcadia, and what they were about to do was something that would never be admitted by ONI, the organization within the government that was funding.

"Glad you could make it Jacob," Halsey smiled, talking informally so as not too draw any attention to themselves "Any longer and I might have thought you were leaving me out too dry. Or roast."

"Absolutely not ma'am, I mean Catherine." The lieutenant blushed and Halsey looked away, pretending something had caught her eye.

But when she looked back she found herself staring into Keyes' eyes. After several months of travel together, something had formed between the two of them, something that Halsey didn't want to admit.

"Ahem," she coughed, clearing her throat and breaking the awkward silence "The subject? The test? Are they ready?"

"Yes ma'am! Catherine." Keyes responded, he looked down, like he was disappointed then he blinked and it was gone "They were set up yesterday by the capture team, here."

He handed her a data pad full of text, statistics and pictures. It was a profile that had been put together on Halsey's twenty seventh candidate for her Spartan II program. A program that she fervently believed would lead to the pacification of the outer colonies and bring about peace throughout the UNSC.

A giant grinning face, with messy blonde hair and sparkling green eyes, occupied the top left corner of Halsey's data pad with the identification reading: CONNOR ARMELLO. Other details were listed below it.

At six years old Connor stood a head taller then everyone else his age and his academic results revealed that he was far beyond his peers and even superiors in terms of educational achievement. Under a secondary box named NOTABLE SKILLS was the line: HIGHLY AGILE.

"Highly agile?" Halsey muttered, speaking to herself yet nonetheless gaining Keyes' attention.

"Indeed ma'am." He confirmed "Shall we initiate the test?"

Halsey was quiet for a moment before speaking.

"Yes." She said, pushing herself to her feet.

Halsey and Keyes paid cash for the drinks that they had received and left the café, taking one winding path after another through the humid settlement until they reached a large clearing maybe thirty feet across and bordered on all sides by a ten meter high cliff.

Running down the center of the cliff was a three meter wide waterfall that cascaded down into a pool of crystal blue water below. The pond extended out into the middle of the clearing and was surrounded on all sides by rocky ground, that was slick with water and dotted with large boulders.

"The remnants of an old rock slide perhaps?" Halsey thought, looking at the two dozen or so children who were busy running about, jumping and splashing in the water.

Halsey walked closer and saw that the children were of all different ages, ranging from six all the way up to thirteen. That would make her subject all the more easy to pick out from the group. However, it turned out that Halsey needn't have been looking for her subject at all, as he ended up being the one who found her.

"Halt!" Cried Connor, peering down at Halsey and Keyes from atop one of the boulders "Who goes there?"

Halsey stopped and smiled up at the shirtless child, beads of water glistening on his skin, his face set in a comically ferocious expression.

"Oh no one special," She replied smiling up at the boy "I was actually hoping that one of you could help me?"

Connor was instantly groundside, having stepped off of the boulder and fallen at least a meter to the ground.

Halsey stared at him for a moment, shocked by the sudden action. Connor however, seemed to be completely oblivious of the fact that he had just fallen a meter without sustaining so much as a limp.

"Help you with what?" he asked, a bright smile on his face "Directions? People always get lost around here."

He laughed and Halsey felt a spear of guilt pierce her heart.

"Such a friendly child," She thought "With such a pure heart."

Halsey banished the troubling thoughts with ease , something which would become harder and harder for her as time went by and steeled herself to the task ahead.

"No not directions," she laughed, returning his smile "I was actually wondering whether or not you could take a picture for me?"

Connor stepped back from her with a cautious look on his face.

"A picture of what?" He asked, eyeing the camera that Halsey had removed from her pocket.

"Of Serth of course." Halsey replied, seeing Connor relax at her words "From above the canopy, my fiancée are on vacation here and we wanted something special to remember the trip by."

Halsey gestured the Keyes and at the mention of fiancée his face went red. Well redder.

"Do you think you could get a picture from up there?" Halsey continued, gesturing towards the top of the cliff.

Connor followed her hand and his eyes brightened.

"No problem!" He exclaimed, snatching the camera from Halsey "I'll be right back!"

He scurried toward the cliff with delight in his eyes, leaping over rocks and scrambling up boulders before hurling himself at the cliff wall. He hit the wet wall and stuck there, somehow finding hand and foot holds despite being bombarded by the spray from the waterfall.

Connor swarmed up the cliff like some kind of monkey, swinging and leaping between different parts of the cliff to find new handholds until he finally pulled himself over the lip and onto the cliff's edge.

The six year old stood triumphant at the top of the cliff, having completed the climb in seconds, snapped a picture of the jungle clad settlement and then did a massive cannon bomb down into the pool below.

Halsey winced; the camera hadn't been waterproof.

"We're done here." She said, turning around as Connor splashed to shore.

"Ma'am?" Keyes asked, hurrying after her "Are we going ahead with the operation?"

"Yes." Halsey said, as they disappeared down the path towards Serth "Signal the capture teams. We take him tonight."