AUTHOR'S NOTES: I have made a few minor changes to the way this chapter is written but if you don't wanna reread it you don't really have to.
Chapter one:
They have done their very best to strip away my past, to make me forget anyone and everything from before. But sometimes it comes back, just a glimpse, I'm not even positive they are actual memories. I never get the full picture just blurs, a face here, a scent there, even the occasional voice.
Doctor Carter said that they are just hallucinations cooked up by my idle mind and then he ordered a stricter training regimen in order to "keep my mind active". Keep me too exhausted to think more likely.
There is one thing I know for certain, with every fiber of my being, I know I had a family once and I know it wasn't the Covenant that took them away from me.
"Spartan 213, report to The Director's office immediately" one of the station's AIs, Hestia, grumbles irritated and annoyed.
UNSC scientists, doctors, and even soldiers scatter as I stalk across the commons. They know better than to get in my way. I'm the only Spartan kept on the premise and even as a female Spartan, at 6'2" I am taller than anyone around here. Even after six years they aren't used to me yet. I tried not wearing my armor around the facilities in hopes that it would ease their nerves, but no luck. Nothing I try works, so I have embraced my role as the facilitie's resident monster and to keep to myself. It's better this way.
The Director's office is on the U2 level (Underground 2nd floor) so I have to ride the elevator. A male Doctor is already on the elevator, but when I climb in he makes a hasty exit. I hide my smile until the doors slide closed. It's kinda funny.
"Hello Artemis" Hestia greets as the doors open.
Her holographic body looks similar to Doctor Avery, a scientist who works closely with Doctor Hulsey, except Hestia of course is entirely green. All the other AIs I have met were professional and stuffy, not Hestia.
"Good morning Hestia. How is The Director this morning?"
"The Dictator?" she asks with a glare at a passing scientist "if I had to spend another second with him…I swear I'll…"
"Easy, don't want Piper to hear and decide you're Rampant" I squeeze past her and walk toward the Director's office "you know she would love a reason to be rid of you"
Hestia shrugs "The woman can't even turn on the DNA analyzer on her own, besides I still have four years at least"
I walk past The Director's Secretary Lauren without a word. Hestia being good on her word and refusing to spend another second with the Director is off messing around.
The Director is on the phone when I enter the room, he motions for me to take a seat and finished his phone call. I don't sit in a pointless act of rebellion and instead count the tiles of his floor.
"Yes… yes, I see… just get them here within the next forty-eight hours… even if you have to sedate the female... Yes, good-bye" he hangs up and rubs his temples "Spartan 213, I have a mission for you-"
"I won't go round up the soldiers or teach another a self-defense class. I'm done with your play missions!" I growl.
"- the board has decided it is time to place you on a team" He acts as if I hadn't spoken "Dr. Avery has made known her suspicions that you are an alpha and so the board voted to give you your own team."
"My own team sir?"
I have always thought that I would never be placed on a team, that The Director would have me on permanent house arrest because of my rebellious attitude. I've certainly never even a dreamed of leading my own team. An alpha? Me? Alphas are rare and valuable, they are the only living being other that the Director that can tell a Spartan what to do (Well without dying).
"Exactly. Now here is the catch…" he grins evilly "each of these Spartans is marked as dangerous or undesirable, you will have one month to turn them into a cohesive team. If you succeed then you're team will be added to the active roster and you will join your brothers in the field-"
The Director knows I can't stand being locked up like a disobedient dog. He knows I will be chomping at the bit to get out of here.
"-If you fail… well we will discuss that later. Also, that AI that you spend so much time with, it will be joining you as your team's personal AI"
Thinking he is done, I turn to leave.
"One other thing" his tone is smug "You fly out tonight and your team arrives tomorrow, hope you are ready. You're dismissed"
Hestia meets me at the door ready to drill me for all the "Juicy deets". I motion for her to stay silent and follow me. I can't wait to tell her the good news, not only am I getting out of here and getting my own team, she gets to come with me. We find an empty hall and duck into a door way.
"Spill" Hestia demands.
"I am leaving tonight!"
"What?" Her green eyes widen.
"I'm getting my own team!"
"How?" eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"And you're coming with me!"
"How did you swing all this?" She asks impressed.
"The board voted on it. I guess some weren't as driven to keep me under lock and key" I glance down the hall as an intern scuttles by "plus the team I'm getting isn't exactly the cream of the crop if you know what I mean"
Hestia shrugs "so what? If anyone can whip them into shape it's you"
"Have you actually met any other Spartans before?" I question.
"Well no…" her light dims for a second then brightens right back up "but I'm still confident"
Hestia joins me in my bunk as I pack my few personal items. She is almost more excited than I am. Hestia was born in this lab and until now she was sure she would die here. When the soldiers arrive to escort me to the Falcon, Hestia is about to burst from excitement.
This is going to be a long ride.
"Um Spartan… Ma'am?" one of the pilots calls over the roar of the carrier's engine "I'm going to need you to wear this blindfold, director's orders"
A really long ride.
Four hours later:
The "secret", "secure" facility turns out to be an old base and from the amount of dust on everything it has been abandoned for quite a while. Despite the dirt I can see some real potential with this space.
The garage where they parked the carrier connects to a large central room. This central room is at least 17ft high and very spacious, with a kitchen of sorts, a dining room, and a large seating area? Kinda like a long connected bench thing but with cushions.
"I just need to hook up the AI" one of the men explains as he pulls a panel off the wall "Won't be but a few minutes"
"Follow me and I'll show you the armory" A female solider says.
I nod, although I want to stay and oversee Hestia's upload, and she leads me straight passed the seating area to the far east wall. The wall has a door and through that door is a long hall with shelves, hooks, and barrels.
"We will stock it later this week" the woman explains "once you have your team and there isn't a chance of one of them flipping out"
I nod.
This is gonna be so rough.
"Strong silent type huh? Well that will help keep them in line" she adds "I need to show you the simulation room before I go, if that's alright?"
Another nod.
"Alright then…"
She leads me from the armory and we head towards the door on the south wall, it leads to a long hall with three doors, two on the north side and one on the south side.
"East door leads to the shooting range" she says "first door on the west leads to the simulation room and the second leads to the observation room. It's where you control the simulation, but your AI can run it for you"
"Understood"
"Finally a word" she smirks "Welcome to your new home"
Yeah, home sweet home.
We come back into the main room.
"We all clear to go?" the woman, I guess she is in charge, asks.
"I still need to run diagnostics on the AI" the guy installing Hestia says.
He pulls out a complicated machine and I can see this lasting hours.
"Hestia you good?" I call.
Hestia appears on my left, looking a little dazed (to be honest, not unusual for her).
"Yeah… just not used to running in a system this outdated"
I turn to the man and gesture to the door.
"She is good and you are done"
I have no time to sleep. The soldiers finish getting me set up and then I only have two hours before my team shows up. Although I won't sleep in it tonight I do pick out my room, gotta show my dominance by looking settled in.
The door to the sleeping quarters is on the north wall. The sleeping quarters is just three rooms, one large room with several bunks, one large bathing room with group showers, and one smaller room with a single bed and a desk.
"Hey Art-Wolf" Hestia corrects herself "the team is arriving"
I race into the main room and prepare myself for this extremely important meeting. I've got to admit I am a little nervous, I never thought I'd leave headquarters and here I am leading my own team. I'm glad I decided to wear my armor, it makes me more intimidating.
The door slides open and fifty UNSC soldiers lead in seven blindfolded Spartans. They rip the blindfolds off and exit without a word, usually soldiers like to stay and chat forever. I am left alone with my new team.
Silence.
"I am your commanding officer Wolf... You may call me Wolf, Commander, or Sir" even though I'm a female, sir is a gender neutral sign of rank in the UNSC "each of you will state your code name, what you bring to this team, and one thing you believe I need to know about you"
The first to obey is a female in red armor with silver detailing. She has chocolate brown hair and dark brown eyes similar to my own. She has a bored expression tinged with irritation.
"My code name is Lynx, I'm a sniper, and I work alone" she has spunk and a defiant attitude, I can work with that.
Next is a very tall male, tall enough to be an alpha but his posture shows he isn't. His armor is sage green with red, he has a Black crewcut and warm Brown eyes.
"I am Bear, I am a language expert and a pretty quick study, and I am from planet earth" there isn't many of us from earth anymore, he is undeniably a rarity.
The shortest of the bunch pushes through the group. She is in teal and orange armor, her hair is auburn and her eyes are gray-green-blue.
"I'm Fox because I'm foxy" she smirks "my special skills are medical know how, for when one of you idiots hurt yourselves... One thing you need to know about me?" She thinks about it for a moment "ah! I'm single and ready to mingle" I sincerely hope she is joking, but at this point I'm not sure.
A male in blue armor raises his hand straight in the air.
"Yes?" I ask.
"Hi"
"Hello"
"My name is Turtle, I'm good with maps, and I have Aspergers" unlikely since children with special needs are always turned down for the Spartan program, but I can see that he is telling the truth.
The boy beside him smiles brightly, hands casually resting on his hips, he looks comfortable and at ease. His armor is black and gold, he has chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes.
"I'm Phoenix, I'm pretty good with pretty much any weapon and my interesting trait… I like video games" this guy seems young and like a major dork.
Only two left. An energetic female in white and red, even her hair is bright red, and a male in brown and sage, his hair is sandy blond and his eyes are blue-green, he seems reserved and uninterested in the team.
"You candy cane" I point to the girl "name, skill, and important info"
"Me?" Her doe eyes widen in surprise "umm... I'm Fawn and I don't have any skills"
She looks on the verge of tears, which I can honestly say is something I have never seen a Spartan do.
"Blank canvas, we can work with that"
Fawn smiles shyly.
The male stares at the wall defiantly, refusing to acknowledge that it is his turn. I sort of respect him for it, but since I'm the leader I have to knock him down a peg.
"Hey loner, your turn" I growl
He glances up at me and narrows his eyes. I don't know why he has decided he doesn't like me right off the bat, but I refuse to accept defeat. He continues to stare me down but opens his mouth to respond.
"Hawk, I'm a jack of all trades and master of none" he glances around the group "I don't do teams"
"See was that so hard?" Hestia materializes inches from Turtle, he jumps back and ducks behind Phoenix.
"Sorry if I scared ya" Tia apologizes.
"This is Hestia" I introduce her to the group "she is our AI, but she is also a member of the team and will be treated with respect" no one seems hateful towards her so I assume we won't have any problems "Hestia will show you to the bunks. Meet in here in one hour" I spin on my heel and march to my room; I haven't had time to unpack yet.