March 2553, UNSC Research Vessel Ivanoff

Spartan BC-721 looked at the screen in front of him and groaned. Apparently, today was one of those days when Parangosky would allow him out of 'room,' and let him roam the station. The seventeen year old super-soldier prototype knew better. He was a prisoner onboard this station, and the staff knew it. Turning around, the Spartan looked at the suit of Mark V MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor and shook his head. Today, he wasn't going to be a faceless tool of destruction. He was going to be himself…as much of himself as ONI allowed.

Two minutes and a change into regulation off-duty wear later, 721 left the room and went down to the mess hall, hoping that no one was there. Alas, there weren't, with the exception of three people besides the cook. Two of them were armed guards, ODST by the armor, and a middle aged woman who was eating what appeared to be steak and gravy with a side of what the chef called cornbread. Personally, the Spartan thought it was used up Biofoam, but who could tell? Grabbing a plate of fried rice and two glasses of protein enhanced water, 721 went and sat down at an empty table and started eating.

He had finished eating half of the rice and most of the first glass of water when 721 looked up to see one of the ODST's standing by his table. "She would like to speak to you," the shock troop said, jerking his head back towards the lady still at the other table, now looking at the Spartan intently. 721 grunted and got up, taking his tray with him. The Spartan came over to the only other occupied table in the room and sat down, the ODST that asked him to come over now standing next to the woman again. Glancing at her, the Spartan noted that while she was indeed in her middle ages, the lines on her face made her seem much older.

The two of them ate in silence for a few minutes before the woman spoke up. "So," she stated, "You are a Spartan?" 721 was surprised that she could tell, but nodded in confirmation anyway. The woman looked at him dead in the eye. "What series are you? And what is your name?"

721 shrugged. "I am Sierra Seven-Two-One, name and program classified," he said bluntly. The woman laughed, and it was clear that is something she didn't do often.

"I see," she said after recovering from her laughing fit. "But when you think about it, what can ONI possible classify as more top secret than our mutual existences?" she asked. 721 looked at her oddly. Well, when she put it like that….

"It's N."

The woman looked at 721 as if he had grown another head, and it was that of a Kig-Yar. "You share a name with the letter of the alphabet?"

N looked off to the side. "Better than my actual name."

The woman looked at N expectantly. N shook his head. "Look, I don't remember it. I was eight when I started using my name, and I've been using it since. I just don't remember."

The woman sighed. "I see. And you're not curious as to who I might be?"

N shook his head. "Not really," he said simply. "You're a middle aged woman who obviously pissed the living hell out of Mad Marge, and you not only correctly guessed that I was a Spartan, but you even asked what series I was. That leaves only one viable option as to who you are, and it is indeed nice meeting you Doctor Halsey."

Halsey was surprised that the Spartan she had just met was able to deduce her identity that quickly. "And how were you able to deduce my identity?" she asked.

N shrugged. "Parangosky is quite vocal about how evil you are," he said, draining the second glass of water in one gulp. "And most of the personnel here have been briefed on your actions and hate your guts.

Halsey looked at N as the ODSTs got her up to leave. "Do you hate me?" she asked.

N got up as well, his tray empty. "I can't say," was all he said before he left the mess hall.

:\_/:

N slammed his fist into the reinforced punching bag, almost sending it flying from its stationary spot on the floor. Barely breaking a sweat, the super-soldier stepped back and was about to use a roundhouse kick when he saw an officer watching him. Stopping the kick midair, N snapped into attention, a salute snapping up to his forehead.

"At ease N-721," said Vice Admiral Margaret Parangosky.

N relaxed and went back to punching the bag. "What do you want ma'am?" he asked, doing his best not to look at the ninety year old demon.

Parangosky looked at N. "You met Doctor Halsey." It wasn't a question. N responded by actually punching the bag off from its moorings of the solid titanium deck plating and nodded. "What did you think of her?"

N moved over to the pull up bar. "Can't say," he said. "I only talked with her about five minutes, at most ma'am. She seems defeated though."

Parangosky chuckled. "Well, she is after all technically dead and imprisoned for crimes against humanity."

N pulled himself up. "As if Operations PROMETHEUS and TORPEDO weren't crimes in and of themselves," he gasped out.

Parangosky looked at him sternly. "I beg your pardon Spartan?"

N dropped down from the bars and looked at the officer. "A combined total of nearly six hundred dead Spartans isn't a victory ma'am," he said. "It's a defeat whether you care to acknowledge it or not."

Parangosky looked furious only for a brief second. Sighing, the Admiral looked at a datapad she had in her hands. "N-721, you've been given a rather unique mission."

N looked at her suspiciously. "Really? After all this time being stuck here? I'm ecstatic," N said sarcastically. Parangosky nodded.

"Yes, and before you leave you'll stow the attitude," she said coldly. "You'll be embedded in the Freelancer Project; it seems that their director has become quite paranoid about ONI oversight."

I wonder why, N thought. "I see. And I'll be doing what exactly?"

"Undercover work. You'll be sending me anything you learn about that project from the inside. Do what you can, and after this project falls apart, and I know it will, you'll report to Captain Osman for debrief."

N took a swig of water. "When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow. We even have a name for you in the program.

"Hawai'i."

:\_/:

Two Years Later

N was glad that he could get rid of that stuffy old suit that Project Freelancer gave him. Apparently the Director was an idiot if he thought that the MJOLNIR Mk. IV was advanced. Because it had done nothing to stop a tomahawk from digging into his shoulder about three months ago. Hell, it was actually rather refreshing to see his custom Mk. V armor.

Currently, N was on the UNSC Infinity, the largest human vessel ever built in history. The nineteen year old was walking down the halls, minding his own business when he saw an old face. Walking up to her, he asked, "Doctor Halsey, I presume?"

She had aged quite a bit in the two years he hadn't seen her. Halsey's hair was greyer, and now the woman truly was showing signs of age. It took her a second to recognize the Spartan in front of her. "N! What a pleasant surprise. I thought you were killed off by Margaret."

N shook his head. "No, I haven't. Been on a long term mission for her and Osman. Just got back about four days ago."

Halsey nodded. "I see. Would it have anything to do with the Mother of Invention crashing on a frozen rock?"

N shook his head. "That wasn't me, of that I can assure you. How have you been?"

Halsey sighed dejectedly. "I've never been so worked to the bone before. Designing the new suits, helping to integrate the Forerunner tech into the Infinity…its aged me more than running the Spartan II program," she answered.

N was about to speak when the ship's PA system spoke up.

"Sierra 721 and Doctor Catherine, please report to the portside Hanger Three immediately. 721 and Doctor Catherine, please report to portside Hanger Three."

Little did they know what fate had in mind for them.

/\/\
\/\/

Sorry if I didn't get to the core of this story right away, but I am a sucker for character development, so you'll have to bear with me. As of right now, there are no pairings of any kind, and likely won't be for a while. If anyone can guess when in Red vs. Blue N appeared in the review section, well, the first reader gets their name mentioned at the start of one of the next few chapters! Looking forward to Halo 4 coming out!

Stay frosty marines!