The First Spartan

This is the beginning, the middle, and quite possibly the end to my story. Maybe even the end of humanity, for this is the tale of my life… my doom. My name is Jake, and I am the first Spartan.

Chapter 1

'Jake, I mean, Number 1. The commanders asked you to report to the briefing room' announced the private, bursting into the Spartans gym cell.

'The briefing room, what the hell does he want with me in there?' Jake replied, curious but angered about being interrupted in the middle of his morning workout session- not that he needed it though. But it was one of his many rituals.

'I don't know sir but he said, and to quote sir 'tell him not to piss about with his bloody weights and get his mutated ass up here' sorry sir, his words sir' replied the private nervously.

'It's quite alright Johnson can be quite a jack-ass can't he?'

'Occasionally…' the private then realising she was speaking to a higher ranking officer 'I mean only at times, sir.'

'It's quite alright, and stop calling me sir, I don't like it. What's your name girl?' Standing up to his full height, a towering 6ft 8 the Spartan turned to her.

'Private Jones, sir, I mean… urm. Jake?' Stammered the Private,

'Well lovely to meet you Jones, you're a good kid. You'll be leading your own squad someday; I see it in your eyes. But anyway we should get moving, or black-ass up there'll be gettin' shitty with me and try 'n' have me deported again' They walked most of the way in silence, passing other marines in the corridor. Many greeted him with respect; Jake was the first of his kind, a Spartan. He was bred for killing, genetically modified as an embryo to make him into the perfect human weapon of mass destruction. Super enhanced senses, super strength and an enhanced IQ, he was the perfect mistake. It took the UNSC years to create the likes of him, and their best scientists still don't know what made it work. Hundreds of lives had been used trying to perfect the super soldier serum and human-exoskeleton melding process. Jake, No.1, was the first to survive it. Though not all agreed with the Spartan ideal, there were some in the army that dis-agreed entirely with what they were doing. The world would never know of Jake though, Dr Catherine Halsey was unwilling to let the world know of her perfect weapon. She knew if word were to get out the whole world would be after her soldier serum and exoskeleton bonding schematics.

Jake entered the briefing room to find Commander Johnson and Dr Halsey examining a space map, and arguing furiously.

'You are not sending my master piece on a mission so soon! The world isn't ready for the Spartans, for fucks sake we only have one and that's Jake. We can't afford to lose him!' Dr Halsey screamed at the arrogant Johnson as he lit a cigar.

'I don't care; we didn't waste millions of dollars on one man to sit around all day lighting his own farts just cause you don't want to send your precious little Spartan into a bit of action. We need to see what he's capable of!'

'You've enough from the training simulations alone!'

'Screw the simulations! We need to see him out in the field and besides it's only a reconnaissance mission…' The two stop as they see Jake enter the room.

Jake entered with a cautious 'You wanted me sir?'

'Damn right I did Spartan; I've got a mission for you' barked the commander, still glaring at Dr Halsey the entire time. 'You're going to Sector Six'

'Sector Six? But didn't that go black a few days…' Jake heard from the other marines that a Sector had gone dark, no alerts or signals. Overnight it just disappeared.

'How d'you know about that Brigadier? That's was supposed to be secure intelligence' growled Johnson eying the soldier with suspicion

'What does it matter?' Cut in the doctor 'All it is; is a quick recon into the territory that went dark a few days ago. Nothing you can't handle'

'I'll be alone?'

'Course, you will sissy, after all you're a mighty Spartan nothing you can't handle!' the commander replied his tone seething with sarcasm.

'Permission to speak freely sir?' Asked Jake.

'Granted Spartan'

'I'll show you what I can bloody well handle and I'll handle it so far up your arse you'll be able to smell it from behind your teeth. Thanks Dr H, I'll see you in a week'

Little did I know, they were sending me to hell.

Chapter 2

'Report to the armoury Spartan, it's time to gear up.'

'Aye ma'am, I'll be over right away' His suspicions aroused he asked, 'what for? I'm already suited up'

'Mason's got a surprise for you; I think you'll like it'

Upon arriving at the armoury, to hear a loud explosion that shook the floor and almost sent Jake toppling over, the doors slid open to reveal Jake's long-time friend, in fact, his only friend lying against the wall powdered black with explosive residue.

'What the fuck? Mason! Mason are you okay?' Jake cried as he ran over to his friend that by all accounts appeared to be dead.

'Mmph, urgh' Mason opened his eyes as Jake tore of his goggles. 'Oh 'ello Jake, how you been?'

'Forget how I've been! What the hell happened to you?' Still dazed Mason just pointed at a mongoose fast transport vehicle lying in the middle of the workshop. Except that it the chassis had nearly been torn in half in the explosion. 'What did the mongoose do to you?'

'Oh nothing, I upgraded it' Replied a befuddled Mason with a slight grin.

'Upgraded it? You blew yourself and it to hell and back!'

'Yeah but it was bloody fun though, I'll have to try that one again! Shame about the Mongoose though…'

'Again, what the hell did you do to it?' Urged Jake,

'Oh nuthin' much, just a bit o' fun. Tried to give it a go faster button, the nitrous didn't react to well with m' magic mixture though…'

'Dare I ask but…? Magic mixture?'

'Oh just a wee something I made the other night, tryin' to put a little power into its wee lil' engine. Didn't react to well to it though, and then you come in, oh and I tried to attach a rocket launcher to the front axle. But any who work to be done, come on, I got a lil' somethin' special for ya.'

'What're you grinning like a fool for?' Questioned the Spartan clasping arms with his comrade,

'Oh I've got something you are going to LOVE.' Still grinning he waved Jake through into the weapons chamber. As Jake stepped into the room Mason barked 'I give you… computer light's if you would!' The chamber which had been dark up until that moment lit up to reveal sealed in a laser grid. A rifle of the likes the Spartan had never seen before, this from the man who'd been trained to use every single weapon available in the generation. But never had he seen, with his experienced eyes, a weapon so magnificent. 'I call it Mason's Masterpiece, my baby, the X74' Cried out Mason still grinning,

'Why the security?'

'Why indeed, this is the UNSCs deadliest prototype weapon, never before has the army witnessed a weapon capable of such destruction in such a small package, computer- deactivate X74 shielding. Go on try her out.' Gesturing for Jake to pick up the rifle, the Spartan stepped forward and removed the rifle from its clasps.

'Bloody hell that's heavy for something of its size!' surprised he hefted the gun to his shoulder to test its weight.

'You wouldn't think so if you knew what that thing could do!' replied Mason with a sly wink.

'Why what CAN it do?'

'Let me think, she can fire a high powered round that can go through 12 inches of steal at 11,000 yards. She holds a 20 round magazine of Krak bullets', responding to his quizzical look Mason further boasted, 'Krak bullets? No you won't of heard of them because I made the especially for the X74, Kraks are armour piercing, anti-vehicle, anti-personal and anti-whateverthefuckyouwant. These mean little buggers are individually charge with a forward laser shielding to punch through armour, at which point nanites are realised in a pulse-burst; the little bastards devour any material they come into contact with. But once released only last for a fraction of a second before dying.' Stunned Jake just stared at the rifle in amazement, 'the X74 fires any sized bullet you can find, and will still punch through shields and armour a-like, the barrel adjusts in a millisecond to any bullet slotted into the cartridge and charges it with the laser shielding as it leaves the muzzle. I give you my lives work, pretty neat huh?'

'Pretty neat? My friend this is fucking outstanding! I can't even… You're giving it to me?' the realisation dawned on Jake that this was his best friends' life work, his pride and joy. And he was giving it to him.

'Well they gave me the money to make it, but I'm converting the laser tech from the X74 into a bigger version, nothing so neat as the X74 but it'll do. I'll probably call it something lame like 'The Spartan Laser' but to me she'll be 'Big Bessie' aha' together they laughed until again Jake remembered the enormity of what Mason had done for him.

'But this missions just a recon assignment, I mean I don't seriously need this kinda fire power' Unwilling to accept such a gift for such a lacking mission he thrust it back at Mason.

'No don't you dare!' yelled Mason, realising his vicious tone he looked up at Jake. 'Look I heard you were gonna be sent away and I did some digging, turns out it didn't just go dark all of a sudden. They got a broken message in from the main UNSC base out there; none of them up at Intel could understand it… But I un-scrambled it, it read "They're here, prepare" I'm sorry my friend…'

'Who's coming, what the hell does it mean?' Jake asked, starting to worry.

'I don't know, but whatever it is, I wanted you to be prepared. So you take my baby, and whatever is out there. You give the fuckers hell for me laddie. And for my sake come back in one piece, I wasn't able to make schematics for the X74 because according to the record that doesn't exist got it? Now come on, Dr Halsey has got a surprise of her own for you. Follow me'

Chapter 3

'Welcome Jake, quickly Mason come in and shut the doors. This is for our eyes alone.' Spoke Dr Halsey, Jake walked into the armoury chamber to find a single cylindrical column in the centre. 'Computer, active ODIN' And before Jakes eyes the column began to separate into sections and with a hiss detached from one another each compartment folding into itself and retracting to in the ceiling. As the segments broke apart a dazzling light fell on the stunned eyes of Mason and Jake, they stopped to shield their gaze from the light and when they looked back before them was a machine. 'If you would please Jake step on, it's time for your upgrade.'

'Upgrade?' Inquired Jake as he stepped on to the contraption. It consisted of foot pads and a back plate with chords running the length of his anatomy, metal membrane running down to his hands and feet. He stepped into the device and the doctor spoke out

'Computer, begin separation' Jake found his armour slotted straight into the back plate and devices came down from the ceiling and up from the floor around the machine. As the floor plates began to shift and mechanical arms would reach forth, each removing a piece of the armour that over the past years had become a part of Jake, for they had been bonded as a part of him. The arms released an electrical current triggering the release of the plate armour and piece by piece Jake was free from his armour.

'Doctor what's happe…'

'Computer, begin upgrading sequence, MJOLNIR.' Yelled Dr Halsey, and at her command the arms returned to attach new armour and swiftly once again Jake was re-skinned in a new suit. 'Spartan, I give to you MJOLNIR power armour variant I.

'Bless my ancestors…' Whispered Mason,

'Yes quite right, Mason. The armour you see before you was made by your father.'

'But my father stayed on Earth!'

'He did yes, but this is his creation. The UNSC needed armour that could withstand any punishment, take rifle fire without so much as taking a scratch, and withstand blasts capable of any infantry weapon. But your father took it a whole lot further…'

'Well I can see that, excuse me.' Before either the doctor or Jake could respond Mason pulled out a pistol from his engineering belt and shot Jake.

'Dude what the fuck?' Cried out Jake thinking he'd been shot. Then realising he hardly felt a thing and looked down to see the surface of his new armour rippling with energy currents and the bullet drop to the floor.

'That bastard! That tricky ol' bastard! The fucker only went and invented armour shielding; I've been working on the stuff for years. I mean we've had it on cruiser vessels and what not, but to create on such a small scale. I gave up, I thought it wasn't possible'.

'That's because it isn't, why do you think he disappeared Mason?'

'Ma always said he was in an accident…' Replied Mason, both angry and confused,

'Yes of sorts, the UNSC commissioned your father to make them armour and he did. They were thrilled with his designs and put them through to prototype testing. He tried to say that they should try it on less important samples. But the general who commissioned him was too eager for his designs to come into fruition and put his own son forward for the testing. The thing you have to understand is… the armour connects to the wearer, whilst it has its own power supply it also takes energy off the wearer. To make it function and move and not just shield, it doesn't work on ordinary humans. Only Spartans can withstand the demands of the armour. The generals son died as soon as they began the weapons testing, the armour held perfectly but it drained the man of his life. Your father wasn't in an accident; the general had him executed for war crimes. Blaming him for his sons' death, but your father left his designs behind after his death and a few years ago I found them. He hid them well' Mason was leaning against the wall sobbing with his head in his hands, 'but don't you understand Mason? His death wasn't in vain; we now have the perfect armour system!'

'You think I care about that? MY FATHER IS DEAD BECAUSE OF SOME ARSE-HOLES ARROGANCE!' Screamed Mason flipping over a desk in his bitter rage. 'You just don't get it do you, you heartless whore!' He stormed out of the chamber cursing and swearing in anger.

Still stuck in the armouring machine Jake stood and watched helplessly, unable to go the aid the only friend in his life.

'Oh one final thing Jake, you'll be needing this. Computer, give the Spartan his helmet' And with her words a helmet came down and was placed onto his head. 'A little piece of my own, back on Earth there was an ancient civilisation with an army of pure bred warriors with no equal. It's what you're named after, and to bestow you a, let's just say, modernised version of their helmet will suffice, I left the feathers out though, fire hazards and what not.' As the helmet connected the heads up display and systems of his suit came into visual, the screen lighting up and analysing his core body functions and initializing GPS systems. The machine released Jake and he stepped down, feeling the weight of his new armour and already thinking of how to test it. 'Go have fun Spartan, and try to bring it back in one piece' smiled Dr Halsey as Jake hugged her and left her in the chamber, a single tear rolling down her cheek.