Chapter 2:
The flight on the helicopter was short. Spartan Miller is in his blue Spartan uniform, except without the helmet. He has explained to me how the UNSC is preparing for war. No-one knows where the Covenant is going to hit first, and until then they don't know where to evacuate and where to evacuate to. Space defences aren't going to last long. They will be breaches within twenty-four hours.
"We can't save everyone." Miller says.
"We can try." I say, thinking of my friends in school, and everyone who has left. "But gee I'm glad I'm out of school now." I say trying to change the tension in the air.
"Yes, sorry. We had to keep you from plain sight. The people out there only found you once, spending ALL your time in school threw them off right." Miller explains.
"Yes, but school is hell when you know everything." I say, also thinking of the friends I will never see. Not an easy thing to move on from; and knowing that if the Covenant hit Barmoor, or its community "Hemsey" I am is going to lose them. Nothing I can do if I am at the lines.
"Where am I going?" I ask Miller.
"We are going to a ship. The Harvey." He says.
The Harvey. It's a Star Cruiser, a Warship for space like The Infinity. I remember when Infinity left for deep-space work, and Harvey was the main Warship orbiting Earth now.
That's when the helicopter landed. We're now boarding a Pelican, a dropship capable of going into space for a short time. I am put onto there with three marines and Miller. We take a seat and strap ourselves in. Then the engines start and we fly, the doors stay open and I take a look at the scenery to try and gather where I am. Campoids, it's a city like town and it looks like the oval here is already set up as a UNSC airfield. I see Hornets lined up nicely, and polished ready for action on call and tents on the other side of the spray painted runway I presume are used for sleeping in.
The runway is just spray painted onto the grass you can barely see once you're in the air. At the end of it I see two jets and a couple Pelicans.
That's really all I get to see before the doors start to close in mid-air. When they fully close I can feel the Pelican pick up speed and begin heading to The Harvey in orbit I guess.
At The Harvey, the hanger is amazing. I step out of the Pelican and the hanger I'd say was two kilometres long. Pelicans and Hornets and Sabres all lined a preparing for launch. They must be expecting a launch soon I guess.
I follow Miller and finally arrive in a room with computers with people working on them and the Captain. Captain Kirmanen, "Good to see you again Matthew." He says.
"You too." I say, studying the room more to understand what one it is, I figure it's the bridge. It'd make sense I guess. Though it's not like any bridge I've seen. Then again; I have never been on The Harvey.
"You look like you haven't aged a day." The Captain jokes.
"Oh I have on the inside, trust me." I say.
"So I trust Spartan Miller has filled you in on why we brought you here?" Captain looks at Miller.
"The Covenant have been spotted." Right as I say that, lights and sirens go off. And out the window we all see why, "Sir!" Someone calls from a computer.
"I see soldier, Calm down!" The Captain yells over the sirens.
Four Covenant Battle Cruisers arrive from slipspace along with two Assault Carriers. God, those Carriers are massive.
UNSC frigates begin firing and Sabre-Starfighters begins being launched from all our ships I can see engaging on attack the Covenant threats.
"What are we going to do sir?" I wonder, standing tall when the Captain turns around.
"We can only try and stop them before they enter Earth's atmosphere." The Captain says leaving. I go to follow him but Miller stops me.
"We're going this way," Miller walks through another door at a fast pace, a jog. So I jog a few meters behind, he looks back once or twice to make sure I am following him. I'm a soldier; I do what I am told.
We arrive into a room with a dozen scientists who all stare at me. Then one catches my eye: Doctor Halsey.
She walks up to me and looks me up and down. "So you're the failure that still became a Spartan." She says, sturdy and strong.
"Yes Ma'am." I stutter.
"How?"
"Younger units are better, aren't they ma'am." Miller but's in.
"I asked Spartan 115." She still looks at me.
I stand tall in alert, "I only look young ma'am, I can learn and do things still as I have no defects." I say, hoping my answer is ok.
"I have heard the stories of what you did at the Fall of Reach." She says.
Aren't those stories famous…
"Ok, well. I've cleaned your armor up and updated the HUD." She says, she moves out of the way and signals a scientist to open a metal cylinder twice my size. And inside it is my armor. The grey E.V.A amour that I wore while fighting for Reach. It is all polished.
"Wow," I relax my body amazed by this sight. I didn't think they would keep it, or at least in good quality like this.
I hear explosions and gun fire outside the ship, and the ship shook once.
It took a process of nearly an hour but the scientist and I have fully gotten the armor on me. With a knife kept in the chest piece, upside-down for easy taking: Which is a good improvement.
I slip the helmet on, and the HUD is improved: Blue. Who doesn't like the color blue?
Miller's voice comes through on radio in an earpiece, and a small box appears in the corner of the HUD showing his name: Spartan J. Miller, Location: Harvey Warship. It also has a waveform that moves as his voice changes pitch.
"How's it feel?" Miller asks.
"Good." I say.
"Excellent. I will be your guide for your missions." Miller explains, "I won't be going down with you. I'll just be setting your objectives and telling you what to do from up here. This is your mission room. Our mission room," Miller indicates the room. A few computers, the amour cupboard, and a weapons rack with a couple of assault rifles.
Miller opens another inbuilt cupboard that I didn't notice; It's stockpiled with food, water and guns and ammo.
Miller puts his finger to his ear – trying to listen to the earpiece in it – and his grin disappears. He curses.
He immediately runs to a computer and types some stuff in, I walk over forgetting how heavy the suit is. I forgot to activate its assisting hydraulics. I press a button on my wrist and walking becomes a lot easier, hell movement becomes a lot easier with assisting hydraulics.
All that is on the computer is the video of a Covenant Battle Cruiser. And once Miller informed me that the Covenant has attacked Barmoor, I get very, very angry!
"Don't worry. We have troops down there doing their best to get Barmoor back. We have Taiton though. Isn't that where your friends are?" Miller says.
"No, they would still be in school! In Barmoor High!" I slam my fist onto a desk scaring a scientist. They always jump at everything.
"Well let's get you down there to help." Miller suggests, I grin though he can't see it in my helmet. Back to war I go. First objective: saving my friends.