(Author's Note: I must say I'm humbled and thankful for all the positive reviews I got on the first chapter and also very sorry that I didn't start chapter 2 much sooner but real life really kicked my behind in the past couple months. However, without further ado...)


The Final Stand? Chapter 2 - Exfil

Full of fear

Ever clear

I'll be here Fighting forever

Curious, venomous

You'll find me Climbing to heaven

Never mind

Turn back time

You'll be fine - I will get left behind

Show me what it's like

To dream in black and white

So I can leave this world tonight

Holding on too tight

Breathe the breath of life

So I can leave this world behind

(Noble Six had always hated stairs. Or at least going up them. During his training, his instructors at times had to make an example of what was an exemplary class of Spartan-III soldiers, and because he was the tops of them all, they had to show they could try to break even the best. But in the here and now, hauling himself up several flights of the damned things was getting old.)

(When he finally crested the top set of stairs he saw the somewhat grim face that awaited him of Noble Three. While of a lesser rank than him, Six looked to Jun as the elder statesman of Noble Team now, or what was left of it. And as he clasped the hand of his brother in arms, he felt the weight of the sadness behind both sides of their handshake. Spartans weren't made to show emotion but if they could, both men would right now.)

"Glad to see you Six."

"Likewise Three."

(Of course, Dr. Halsey, her back turned to both as she worked at a control panel near them, interjected her own thoughts into the situation.)

"No real time for an emotional reunion gentlemen, we have work to do."

"What exactly are we doing here, ma'am?"

"Finishing the upload of mission critical data and then getting off-world, Six."

"Mission Critical data huh?"

"Yes Lieutenant, this isn't just about Reach anymore. We've lost here, and we and the Covenant both know it."

"So we're going to cut and run basically? Can't say I like that idea."

"Your opinion is duly noted Lieutenant. However, we need to remember something that was once said in a movie of humanity's history. We're in this for the species, it's a simple numbers game. Right here and now they have more."

"Point taken ma'am."

"I'm glad you've found out not to argue with her Six, it makes life a lot smoother for all involved."

"Simply put Three, Dr. Halsey is ONI, by virtue of that alone she outranks me."

"Not exactly true Lieutenant, on matters of combat and escape tactics I'm going to have to defer to the two of you."

"That's comforting to know that you place such faith in us, ma'am. Now as far as the escape part of this, how are we getting off-world?"

(Indeed the idea had never been broached, and since the SABRE fighters were destroyed as well as their launch and staging area, that left very little alternative.)

"For years we've been working on a prototype strike craft, recently the project was moved to Reach and completed here at CASTLE, it has gone through several test runs using salvaged Covenant tech and was successful in making several slipspace jumps to different locations. That's how we're getting off-world and out of this mess."

"A slipspace capable strike craft. And let me guess, this craft just happens to have three seats?"

"Negative, however it does have enough space for a good sized person to wedge themselves in behind the navigation and RIO seat."

"Why do I not like the sound of that, Six?"

"Possibly because that person might end up being you, Three."

(The computers in the command center beeped as the display showed that the upload of data was complete.)

"Well Gentlemen, I think that's our cue to start the show."

"The show?"

"Yes Lieutenant, I'm not about to let the data that is still stored on the databanks here, or the artifact that we found here much like the one at Sword Base, fall into the hands of the Covenant. A nice little display of pyrotechnics should do the trick and..."

(Just then, from above, a slight rumbling came. Halsey immediately looked up, then turned to one of the consoles and immediately began working buttons. Noble Three and Six both walked up and took a place over either shoulder. What they saw on the screen made both of them shake their heads.)

(A little over a mile above, the Covenant forces were already laying siege to the outer perimeter of CASTLE and were working on drilling their way into the chamber where the three of them now stood.)

"I guess our timetable just got moved up quite a bit, eh Doctor?"

"Too right Noble Three. Let's move like we've got a purpose."

"She's starting to sound more like Noble One every minute."

"Agreed Three, agreed."

"Gentlemen, more move, less chatter."

"Yes ma'am."

(Both Spartans suited up, ready to go to work.)

"Through that door to the left, down the hall and hang a right, you'll come to the launch area. I've already sent the signal for the automated systems to prepare the craft for launch."

"What about getting off world? If they're right above us then we'll get shot down as soon as we..."

"Enough Warrant Officer, I understand your concern and it's duly noted. We have maybe an hour or two tops before they get here and we need to be gone by then. Don't worry though, I have a plan to buy us some time."

(With that, Halsey pushed a button and opened a comm channel to another Spartan who was on or near the surface. A quick conversation later she closed the channel and went back to work on setting an auto destruct sequence.)

"I believe you gentlemen have somewhere to be, or did I not make myself clear?"

"Three, stay with the doctor, bring her along as soon as she is done here. I'll go get the ship ready for launch."

"Copy that Six."

(With that, Noble Six took off at a dead run, taking the route that the base's AI provided for him to the launch facility. When he entered the cavernous expanse, what he saw filled him with a mixture of awe and excitement. A large craft, modeled almost exactly after the SABRE but with what he could tell was a much higher propulsion output capability, sat on the launchpad. The voice of the AI chimed into the comm link in his helmet.)

"Identity confirmed. Spartan B-312 Davis. Callsign Noble Six. Welcome spartan." "I guess I should say thanks for the welcome."

(With that, he sprinted to a nearby control panel and started the launch initialization sequence and went to set the automated timer. But he immediately opened a channel to Dr. Halsey in the control room.)

"Noble Six to Dr. Halsey. I've started the launch sequence. I'm setting it on an auto timer, How long do I have?"

"I'm setting the detonation for 10 minutes as we speak Lieutenant."

"Alright ma'am. You and Three have 9 minutes, 30 seconds to get down here and get strapped in."

"We're en route now Six. ETA 4 minutes."

"Copy Three."

(Just then, the unthinkable happened. A Jiralhanae scout came down the launch tube, a jetpack firing to stop the descent as he dropped onto the deck near the craft. Noble Six took cover for a moment before sneaking around to a platform just above the Brute. He leapt over the rail and landed on the back of the much larger, stronger animal. Before the Brute had a real chance to resist however, Noble Six had one hand on the top of his head and the other on his jaw and he twisted both in opposite directions, leading to a sickening pop and crackling sound. His brain cut off from the nerves of the rest of his body via the spinal cord being severed as his neck broke, the Brute dropped lifelessly to the ground with Noble Six on his back.)

"Six are you there? We heard a commotion, you left your comm channel open."

"I'm fine Three, but I'd appreciate it if you and the Doctor could double time it, we might have a problem here."

"We're 30 seconds out Six."

"Alright, Doctor, can you reset the countdown for 3 minutes?"

"I can remotely override it and detonate at any time."

"Good, because I have a feeling it's about to get a tad hot down here."

(With that, Six rushed up the stairs to the cockpit of the strike craft and began the prep for launch. Soon after he looked down to see both Noble Three and Dr. Halsey coming up the stairs with due haste.)

"Doctor, the seat is yours, I'll take the space behind it."

"Thank you Warrant Officer, you are too kind."

(With a smirk at the exchange, Noble Six punched in a few buttons and accelerated the countdown too t-minus 2 minutes as Noble Three wedged himself into the small space behind the seat and Dr. Halsey strapped in.)

"Are we all set?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, Six."

"Ready, Lieutenant."

(The two minutes passed by quickly, with the rockets attached to the craft firing up with a deafening roar as they lifted off the pad and began the ascent to the surface. As they neared the end of the tunnel, the brightness of even the dying sunlight was enough to cause Six, Three and Halsey all to cringe against it's intensity. They cleared the tube in a matter of seconds and shot past a Covenant Super Carrier that was parked just above CASTLE. Several Banshees and Seraphs diverted to intercept but by the time they started their climb the craft was well out of their range and accelerating too fast for them to catch up. Halsey pressed a button on a remote device and below them, almost able to be heard above the roar of the rockets, a series of loud explosions rocked the ground where the lower portion of CASTLE base once was.)

"15 seconds til we are in orbit Doctor, do you have the slipspace drive online and ready?"

"Yes Lieutenant. Once we clear the planet's gravity it'll be a 5 second wait, then we'll be able to jump."

"Where are we going Doctor?"

"I was hoping you would know that, Lieutenant. Our orders are to head for Sanctuary."

"Sanctuary?" "It's ONI and the UNSC's best kept secret, Three. Pretty much where all of the ONI brass fall back when there's nowhere else to fall back to. Probably where General Holland has fallen back to at this point since I'm sure he'd gotten off-world by now."

(With nary another word, Dr. Halsey verified the coordinates that Noble Six punched into the computer. Just then, the black of space greeted them, as did the sight of several Covenant super carriers and corvettes encircling the planet. Also waiting to greet them were several Seraphs and Banshees.)

"Dammit. Hang on, we're in for some chop."

"Lieutenant, you need to get to the gravity well threshold as soon as possible."

"Duly noted ma'am, I plan on us getting there alive, just get the slipspace drive ready to get us out of here."

(Evading incoming fire, Noble Six used his considerable piloting skills to snap roll, twist, turn and maneuver the craft. He squeezed the trigger every time he couldn't find a hole where there were no spacecraft or fire.)

"Ten seconds to threshold!"

(Noble Six hammered the throttle as soon as he got free of the field of fire, and suddenly the controls became somewhat lighter.)

"Five...four...three...two...one! Jumping to slipspace now!"

(A slipspace portal appeared in front of the craft and they entered quickly, just before the pursuing banshees and seraphs caught up with them. The blue, black and purple light of slipspace was dizzying to Noble Six and before he passed out from the vertigo, he thought he heard the voice of a friend long since dead...)

"Brian...save me..."