Explain Sergeant Forge's reappearance as a leader in multiplayer mode of Halo Wars 2.
Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan "Inferno" Kinsano stalked across the firebase she and her fellow Hellbringers were assigned Kinsano was approaching forty years old, she was of Asian descent and was well built like most ODSTs, she had short dark hair and a tattooed dagger over her right eye. They had been assigned to hold the line against Atriox's Banished forces on the Ark when she heard a roaring Warthog beyond the gates and the sound of assault rifle fire. She ran across the courtyard to see a Warthog with a gauss rifle mount speed past. "What unit are they from and why the hell was there weapons fire?" She demanded there was no such vehicle part of her unit on the Ark.
"They opened up on us without much warning, they called us damned insurrectionists" one of the marine guards reported looking quite sheepish everyone knew Kinsano was once one such insurrectionist.
"Pursuit group chase them down" Kinsano commanded into her radio microphone and three flamethrower equipped Warthogs charged out of the firebase chasing down the lone gauss-hog as Kinsano changed frequencies on her radio. "Spirit of Fire Actual this is Inferno."
"Go ahead, Inferno" Captain James Cutter the commander of the Spirit of Fire replied, the Spirit of Fire was the UNSC vessel that had taken them to the Ark and currently it hovered above them their only support and home.
"Sir, what other units are in my area? I have a gauss-hog causing issues down here I'd like to know what's going on sir."
"Colonel, there are no gauss-hogs from Spirit of Fire on the Ark" he replied after a couple of minutes later Kinsano glanced upwards as if she would be able to see the orbiting vessel.
"I've sent a pursuit force after them, Captain; I'll let you know what we find."
Already almost a kilometre away the gauss-hog smashed through the undergrowth firing on the three pursuing flame-hogs. The first shot tore down the right of one of the chasing Warthogs crippling its front wheels but leaving the crew unharmed. A second gauss slug tore through the engine block of the next Warthog again leaving the crew unharmed. The third shot barely missed Warthog as the Driver took to evasive driving then another shot just missed but it was enough to force the third Warthog wide forcing it to crash into a tree shattering the front axle stranding the crew.
The Warthog crew quickly dismounted from their crippled vehicle only to see four Grizzly Main Battle Tanks creep through the undergrowth disappearing from sight. The Grizzly was a modified Scorpion Main Battle Tank which the Spirit of Fire carried several but none had been deployed onto the Ark since their conflict for control over the facility and the newest Halo ring.
Kinsano stood in her command bunker staring at the three Spartans angrily Captain Cutter had made a decision which she didn't completely agree with trusting the Spartan's to investigate who had a gauss-hog and a platoon of Grizzlies. "Captain, my people can investigate this…" she said addressing the holographic representation of Captain James Cutter.
"I know, Colonel, but Red Team can go where your people cannot." Cutter's hologram replied turning towards the Spartans "Jerome what do you need?"
"A single Warthog, Captain, we'll take it from there" the MJOLNIR armoured Spartan Super-soldier replied looking at the ship's commander. Unlike the other marines Red Team's three Spartans were under Cutter's direct command they took orders from him outside all other commands attached to the Spirit of Fire. Kinsano like most ODST's was not a fan of the Spartans she never liked their independence from the regular chain of command despite their accomplishments in the field.
Jerome knelt in the undergrowth watching through the sniper scope. Below the ledge he was on was one of the Spirit of Fire's abandoned firebases which had been occupied by the marines in possession of the gauss-hog and Grizzly tanks. "They have Spirit of Fire uniforms" Alice said from her perch around the base.
"Weapons too" Douglas noted "could be friendly?" He wondered trying to look on the bright side.
"They could have got the small arms and uniforms from the base." Alice pointed out "the vehicles are the real kicker" she said scanning the base "wow, Jerome near the command building sitting on the steps take a look." She said Jerome moved his rifle scanning the command building suddenly spotting what or more accurately who, Alice had seen.
"Back to the Warthog now" Jerome commanded not needing a second longer to decide on his next move. The three Spartans met at the Warthog shortly afterwards "that was definitely him" Jerome said "Alice take the gun, Douglas side seat" he said jumping into the Warthog's driving position taking his team up to the front of the firebase.
From believing this was some sort of renegade force Jerome had changed his mind on seeing one person, stopping short of the base Jerome leapt from the driving seat walking towards the base his battle rifle still on his back. Jerome like all Spartans was an imposing figure in his MJOLNIR suit even without a weapon in his hand but it didn't stop the man he had seen walked out of the base a shotgun in hand. "Sergeant Forge" Jerome said addressing him.
"Spartan Commander" John Forge said looking at him unable to see the warrior underneath "do we know each other?" He asked seeming confused Jerome reached his up to his helmet releasing it revealing his identity. "Jerome" Forge said recognizing the Spartan instantly "what are you doing here? Is the Fire still at the Shield World?"
"We're not there anymore" Jerome said "Either are you, sir, this place is known as the Ark." Suddenly the firebases alarms rang and Forge raised his communicator to his ear.
"You have Warthogs and Cyclopses flanking my base what's going on?" He demanded angrily looking at the Spartan after a moment.
"Kinsano" Jerome explained in a single world putting his helmet back on intent on communicating with the Colonel.
"Covenant!" One of the base marines shouted a warning as a group of choppers, marauders and wraiths appeared heading for the base.
"They are not Covenant!" Jerome shouted jumping back into the Spartan's Warthog as Forge's own gauss-hog drove out of the base "they are Banished." He said turning his vehicle towards the enemy units Alice and Douglas were already engaging the enemy units with the vehicle's turret and Douglas' rocket launcher. Alongside them Forge's Warthog drove alongside with Sergeant Forge on the gauss turret blowing one of the Choppers to pieces with a direct hit which tore through the front of the vehicle. Beside them several Flamer equipped Warthog's from Kinsano's group joined them burning the side of one of the Marauders as several Wraith energy discharges flew over the vehicles. From Forge's base the defence turrets filled the air with heavy machine gun fire destroying two further Covenant vehicles.
"Douglas on the right the Wraith! Alice cover him" Jerome commanded turning the four wheeled vehicle around the bigger vehicle Douglas volley fired two rockets blowing open the front of the Tank but its plasma defence turret continued to fire damaging the Warthog and hitting the Spartan's shields. Alice's turreted machine gun tore open another chopper as the Warthog continued to circle the Wraith Douglas fired another two rockets into the Wraith blowing open its rear armour finally finishing its fight.
As Jerome turned towards another target Forge's four Grizzly tanks left the base each engaging the Banished targets with their cannons destroying four of the vehicles in a single volley. With the Warthogs splitting their formation, the base's defences holding firm and the tanks now attacking the Banished attack was broken and their remaining forces were in full retreat. John Forge's Warthog came alongside Jerome's vehicle. "Welcome back to the fight, Sergeant" Jerome said glancing over towards the Sergeant who was on still on the gauss cannon smirking at the wreckage the failed Banished attack had left "ready to come home?"
John Forge slowly entered the command deck of the Spirit of Fire and saw Captain Cutter standing waiting for him Forge threw up an informal salute as he moved into the room "permission to come aboard sir."
"Permission granted Sergeant" Cutter said with a broad smile as he stepped forward and clasped Cutter's hand shaking it "welcome back… how…?"
"I honestly don't know sir one moment I was in the shield world ready to detonate the FTL" he said glancing down "and then I was on the ground a shotgun in hand with other marines around me."
"I think I may have an answer" Isabel, the UNSC AI that served on Spirit of Fire since the ship's arrival at the arc. "It appears that matter of any living being who dies inside a Forerunner facility is stored in that facilities database at the moment of their death" she said her hologram appearing over the planning table she had the appearance of a young human woman but was only a couple of feet tall had dark hair and wore a white tank top with dark trousers while orange energy blocks ran over her hologram.
"Sergeant Forge please meet Isabel she was assigned to a research facility based here on the Ark before the arrival of the Bannished."
"Serina…" Forge began enquiring about the ship's original AI but Cutter shook his head and Forge stopped. "So Isabel I died…" he said turning back to the AI pausing for a moment to think that through he'd have to get used to that "but that was on the Shield World that facility was destroyed."
"I think that if a facilities destruction is imminent then it transfers to the Ark for storage much like the Halo rings research on the flood was collected and stored in Forerunner facilities." She said 'walking' over the table. "It appears the Ark has the ability to reconstitute fallen organic forms in their last known living form. How and why the facility has brought you back I can't answer nor can I answer who else this facility may bring back or when."
"So this is permanent?" Forge wondered if now he had a second chance at a full life a chance to leave the Ark and find his daughter perhaps try to me amends.
"I don't know" she said looking back at him "I'm a logistics AI not a scientific one you'd need a scientist or doctor to answer that question."
"Then where is Anders maybe she can help?" He said looking around the room scanning the crewmen present but not seeing her, maybe she was in her lab but if she were then why was Cutter here? Anders had been an annoying but vital part of the crew and Cutter would be with her if he were on the ship he looked at the Captain. "Where's Ellen?"