As I am observing two Iguana Iguana attempt to mate in a microgravity environment, occasionally taking notes and preventing my pet Veranus Salvadorii, Abby, from drifting from my shoulder, my assistant grabs my attention, "Sir."

"Yes?" I ask without looking.

"You have been summoned to the armory."

"Can't they wait?"

"Is this experiment really that important?"

"It's entertaining to see them get close only for one to move the wrong way and send them flying across the room," they finally succeed without drifting apart, I write something on the datapad, "So they can learn and adapt to microgravity environments. Well that's my curiosity satisfied."

"You ready to go?"

"Yes, let's give them some privacy."

As I re-enter the zone of gravity I continue, on shaky feet, to the armory.

"You summoned me?" I ask the armory officer as I enter, my legs reacquainted to the stations gravity.

"I didn't," he gestures to an elite next to him, "She did, I just complied."

"Sir!" I say saluting, "What did you call me here for?"

"Just to meet up with the only guy who would defend me when bullies were abound."

"Lineav?" I ask as she removes her helmet.

"In the flesh."

I rush in to give her a crushing hug relishing in the feeling of leathery scales on my skin, trying not to crush Abby in the process, and the alien scent I haven't smelled in four years, "I haven't seen you since I went to Rice University and you stayed at the military academy on Epsilon Eridani e."

" Reach, its called Reach. Why did you have to graduate a year after entering?" she asks as I release her.

"If you have been in ROTC from your freshmen year of high school till you graduate your military training is finished. I just choose to take the extra year of training to become an ODST. I tried to tell you that so you could get through training quickly with me, but you wouldn't listen. However here you are training to be a Sword of Sanghelios."

"Actually, I just graduated and got stationed here, of course I had to pull a few strings to get it."

"What was your class rank?"

"Valedictorian, and with a Medal of Honor."

"How? You just graduated! It's really a shame I wasn't invited."

"You were. Anyway about the medal, do you know about the Second Attack of Reach?"

"No. Is everyone alright?"

"It happened two years ago so I believe everyone is okay, thanks to me," I arch an eyebrow, "I saved a visiting Admiral from a falling Space Elevator and latter defended him from attacking Covenant forces all while sporting an Energy Sword wound across my chest from a Sangheili that was brainwashed by the Covenant. And then defended the Pelicans as the academy was evaced."

"Let me guess you were also awarded the purple heart."

"And was promoted to Commander, same rank as you."

A grizzly old voice interrupts our conversation, "CC38."

"Sir!" I call as I turn to find the Captain of the Houston, this particular station.

"I have received orders from the Admiral to put you back into combat immediately," he notices our rigid postures, "You know I don't like formalities. Treat me as if you are talking to a fellow soldier."

"Yes sir! Quick question: I don't have my ODST armor so can I go get it?"

"No need, what does it look like?"

"Well, It's blacker then the blackest shadows. The arms have Scarlet stripes running down the outer edge until the wrist where it splits into five separate stripes, one running down each finger. The legs have similar stripes except they do not split, they just end at the bottom of the boot. The chest plate has a large Scarlet dragon adorning it and the helmet's front is covered by a stylized dragons face."

"Where is it?"

"Room 99845."

He turns to the private guarding him, "Find it."

"Yes sir!" snaps the Private as he leaves.

"You will be put in charge of Dragon Legion."

"Dragon Legion?"

"The UNSC's first all alien Legion. Dragon Squad 1 will be both of yous personal squad."

"What is it composed of?" asks Lineav.

"Five Grunts, two Jackals, and a Hunter."

"Send them in."

"Right away," he mumbles something into a mic embedded in his collar.

Before we can ask anything eight aliens enter the armory upon seeing the Mgalekgolo I rush to his side fascinated by the unusual makeup of the alien, "I've never been this close to a Ophis congregatio before!" I pull out my data pad and turn on the speech to text feature, "Ophis congregatio, aka Hunters seem to be a colonial life form of 1.4 meter snake-like segments," I motion for one of the individual Lekgolo to temporarily leave the collection. As one of them slithers up my arm I continue, "The individuals, known as Lekgolo, have a texture similar to Lumbricidae found in the soil of Earth," I notice how aggressive it gets towards Abby, "And they do not like Abby. End Speech to Text program. You may rejoin little fella. Sorry about that Exobiology is a hobby of mine."

It rumbles a reply that I have no hope of translating.

"Now the rest of you, who has had piloting training?"

One of the Kig-Yar raises a clawed hand and says in a voice that suggests female, "I can fly a Phantom."

"Good, anyone else?" there is silence, "Okay then, first you will all get flight training, including you, Hulk. Do you agree Lineav?"

"Yes, I agree."

"Now that both CO's agree, it is now an order."