Griffin Standoff's Journal
2542
TODAY IS THE ANNIVERSARY. TWO YEARS; 730 DAYS OF TRAINING, STRUGGLES, MISHAPS, AND SUCCESSES. 104 WEEKS OF GUILT AND ANXIETY. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE SO MUCH TIME HAS PASSED. FEEL'S LIKE YESTERDAY THAT I WAS INTERVIEWING THE KIDS FOR POTENTIAL (NOT THAT THOSE INTERVIEWS DID ANYTHING MORE THAN WASTE TIME IN THE LONG RUN). IT'S FUNNY; SOME THINGS STICK WITH YOU NO MATTER WHAT. WHEN I WAKE UP ON MY BIRTHDAY, IT TAKES AN AUTO-REMINDER TO MAKE ME REALIZE, AND I'D HAVE TO LOOK IN MY JOURNAL TO FIND THE ANNIVERSARY OF MY FIRST DAY OF COMPANY TRAINING. YET THE MOMENT I WOKE UP THIS MORNING, I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE DATE MEANT. FUNNY, REALLY.
FOR A WHILE, I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO REMEMBERED, BUT APPARENTLY THE SIGNIFICANCE WAS NOT LOST ON LASZLO EITHER. HE TOOK THE RECRUITS OUT TODAY FOR A RECREATION OF A FIELD TEST HIS GROUP WENT THROUGH WHEN THEY WERE CANDIDATES –– THE INFAMOUS "LOST IN THE WOODS" DEBACLE THAT ENDED IN [S-117] BEING MADE THEIR LEADER. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE LEADERS LIKE THAT IN THE PROJECT BECAUSE OF THE MORE TIGHT-KNIT TEAM GROUPS, SO THEIR PERFORMANCE WILL CERTAINLY BE INTERESTING-BUT SOMEHOW I FIND IT EQUALLY FASCINATING THAT LASZLO THOUGHT ABOUT THE ANNIVERSARY ENOUGH TO PLAN THIS TRAINING OP SPECIFICALLY FOR IT.
HE LEFT WITH THE CANDIDATES ABOUT AN HOUR AGO, AND THE FACILITY IS UNUSUALLY QUIET. I HAVE MORE TIME TO SIT AND THINK THEN I'VE HAD IN MONTHS. SO MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND NONE OF THEM MAKE SENSE, EVEN NOW. I REALLY WONDER IF I'LL EVER GET OVER MY ROLE IN THIS; IN SOME WAYS, I REALLY DON'T WANT TOO. LASZLO WILL BE BACK IN A FEW HOURS, AND WE'LL HAVE A FEW MORE AFTER THAT BEFORE THE CANDIDATES FIND THEIR WAY BACK (IF PRIOR EXAMPLES HOLD TRUE). MAYBE I'LL FINALLY GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN TRAINING. IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS, AND I STILL HARDLY KNOW THE MAN. MAYBE IT'S TIME THAT CHANGED.
AUGUST 6TH, 2542
2543
WHILE LASZLO HAS INTRODUCED SOME MINOR VARIATIONS AND CHANGES INTO THE TRAINING REGIMEN (SOME OF WHICH HAVE HAD MORE PROFOUND EFFECTS THAN EXPECTED-THE EARLY TEAM FORMATION IN PARTICULAR), WE ARE, IN GENERAL, TRYING TO STAY TRUE TO THE ORIGINAL METHODS USED BY HALSEY AND MENDEZ. YET SOMETIMES, WE PRODUCE VASTLY DIFFERENT RESULTS-EVEN USING THE SAME METHODOLOGIES AND PROCEDURES. CASE IN POINT IS THE SPECIALIZATION WE'RE SEEING IN THE CANDIDATES-OR LACK OF IT, AS THE CASE MAY BE, IN OTHERS-AND WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD PROMOTE IT.
HALSEY, TO BE CLEAR, DID NOT PROMOTE SPECIALIZATION. FOR SUCH A BRILLIANT WOMAN (BRILLIANT IN MIND, OBVIOUSLY, NOT IN SOUL) SHE HAD A STRANGE AVOIDANCE OF WHAT CONVENTIONAL MILITARY LOGIC DICTATES TO BE GOOD IDEAS. CANDIDATE SPECIALIZATION IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS. HALSEY SEEMED TO WANT THE CANDIDATES TO ALL BE CARBON COPIES, EQUALLY CAPABLE IN ALL AREAS - WITHOUT DISTINCT SKILL SETS. OBVIOUSLY, THIS DIDN'T END UP BEING THE CASE; [S-058] MORPHED INTO THE GROUP'S FOREMOST SHARPSHOOTER, [S-104] THEIR CQB EXPERT, [S-008] THEIR EVA SPECIALIST, [S-044] THEIR SCOUT, [S-052] THEIR SUPPORT SPECIALIST, [S-042] THEIR EXPLOSIVE EXPERT-BUT IT CERTAINLY WAS NEVER HER INTENTION.
OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THIS KIND OF SPECIALIZATION HAS BEEN NON-COMMITTAL, UP TO THIS POINT. LASZLO HIMSELF HAS DISTINCT SPECIALTIES, (MOST NOTABLY IN THE AREA OF ENGINEERING, SHARPSHOOTING, PILOTING, AND MEDICINE-OR SO HIS CSV SAYS) YET SEEMS HESITANT TO STRAY TO FAR FROM HALSEY'S MODEL (HE DOESN'T SEEM TO REALIZE THAT HIS IDEAS ARE JUST AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER, THAN HERS) AND HAS THUS REMAINED AMBIGUOUS. THIS HAS WORKED WELL ENOUGH SO FAR, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, FATE SEEMS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO FORCE OUR HAND. THE CANDIDATES ARE ALREADY BRANCHING OUT AND TAKING INTEREST IN SPECIFIC FIELDS, AND HAVE THEMSELVES INQUIRED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SPECIALIST TRAINING. [S-338], [S-317], AND [S-343] IN PARTICULAR ARE VOCAL SUPPORTERS OF ADDITIONAL OPTIONS (THOUGH [S-343] ASKED FOR TRAINING WITH THE FLAMETHROWER, SO I DON'T KNOW IF HUMORING HER IS WISE).
AT ANY RATE, IT'S TIME TO MAKE A DECISION.
MAY 23RD, 2543
THE WORLD RARELY COOPERATES TOTALLY WITH OUR PLANS, BUT IT STILL SEEMS LIKE WE DO OCCASIONALLY GET THOSE DAYS WHEN THINGS JUST GO TO TOTAL RAT SHIT AND EVERYTHING STARTS FALLING APART. FOR ME, THOSE DAYS USED TO BE STRAIGHT FORWARD AND COUNTER ABLE; BATTLES THAT GOT MESSY (WHERE OUR OPTIONS WERE ALL STRAIGHTFORWARD AND SIMPLE) OR, IF I WAS REALLY UNLUCKY, AN ARGUMENT WITH WOMAN (WHERE MY SOLUTION WAS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT SOME HEAVY DRINKING). NOWADAYS, NONE OF MY CRISES ARE EVER SO OBVIOUS - OR SO EASILY FIXED.
MY CURRENT ONES ARE SUBTLE AND DEVIOUS; THEY SNEAK UP ON ME AND ENTHRALL ME IN ALL KINDS OF TORMENTS. I HAVE A HARD TIME TAKING A LOT OF THEM SERIOUSLY SOMETIMES, BECAUSE MILITARY POLITICS JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME SENSE OF DANGER AS A WAR ZONE - BUT THEY'RE JUST AS DEADLY IN THEIR OWN WAY. AND THE WORST PART IS THAT WHILE MY OLD CONFLICTS USED TO JUST INVOLVE ME, THESE NEW ONE'S ARE ALMOST NEVER ABOUT ME - AND IT MAKES THE SITUATION A HUNDRED TIMES MORE COMPLICATED, AT LEAST IN MY MIND.
THE ONE CURRENTLY CONFOUNDING ME IS FUNDING. RICH WENT TO A LOT OF WORK IN THE BEGINNING TO GATHER THE NECESSARY FUNDS FOR THE PROGRAM, AND THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ENOUGH STORED UP IN THE COFFERS TO LAST US THROUGH TRAINING, AUGMENTATION, AND DEPLOYMENT. JUST BARELY ENOUGH, BUT ENOUGH NONETHELESS. PROBLEM IS, ONI'S PRESSED FOR CASH, AND RICH HAS KEPT THE PROJECT SEALED SO TIGHT THAT MOST OF THE AGENCY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. COMPARTMENTALIZATION AND ALL THAT CRAP. APPARENTLY, THE ELEMENTS OF ONI THAT ARE BACKING HIM ARE DOING SO WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION OF ONI'S COMMAND - WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED THERE'S CORRUPTION IN ONI? NOW THE LESS DIRTY PARTS OF THE AGENCY ARE DRAWING FUNDS FROM ANOTHER APPARENT "BLACK HOLE" PROJECT - US. THEY DON'T KNOW WHY WE NEED THE MONEY, AND WE SURE AS HELL CAN'T TELL THEM. RICH IS MOVING FAST TO REALLOCATE OUR REMAINING STOCKPILES, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO TURN UP SHORT, AND THAT MEANS ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE CUT. WITH THE ALREADY LOW SURVIVAL RATES, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
I THINK IT'S HIGH TIME I DID SOME REAL WORK AROUND HERE. THIS IS AS GOOD A PLACE TO START AS ANY.
JUNE 9TH, 2543
2544
TRAINING IS GETTING MORE AND MORE INTENSE EACH MONTH, AND THE STRESS IS STARTING TO SHOW. I HAVE TO TRUST LASZLO KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING, BUT IT'S WORRYING NONETHELESS. IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, WE'VE HAD A HALF DOZEN BROKEN BONES, CONCUSSIONS, AND CLOSE CALLS WITH WEAPONS; SMALLER INJURIES HAPPEN ALMOST DAILY. LASZLO SAYS THEY'LL BE ABLE TO COPE, SO I'LL GIVE HIM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT (HE WENT THROUGH IT ALL, AND KNOWS MORE ABOUT THEIR SITUATION THAN ME).
THE STRAIN IS ALREADY STARTING TO SHOW, HOWEVER. THE CANDIDATES WITH THE HIGHER GENETIC MATCHES ARE RACING AHEAD WITH EXEMPLARY SCORES, OUTPACING THEIR FELLOWS. THE WEAKER CANDIDATES ARE BEING SLOWLY LEFT BEHIND, AT LEAST PERFORMANCE WISE. THEIR TEAM DYNAMIC IS AS STRONG AS EVER, A FORCE UNTO ITSELF. THEY'RE CLOSER THAN FAMILY; A TIGHT KNIT GROUP THAT WATCHES EACH OTHERS BACK CONSTANTLY. JUST LOOKING AT THEM MAKES ME JEALOUS. THAT KIND OF ASSURANCE WOULD BE MORE HELPFUL THAN I CAN DESCRIBE.
THERE ARE A FEW NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS, OF COURSE, MOST PRESSINGLY BEING GOLD TEAM. [S-347] REALLY DOESN'T FIT IN WITH THEM, AND IT SHOWS. THEY SQUABBLE DAILY, SHE UNDERMINES [S-363]'S AUTHORITY, AND SPENDS MOST OF HER FREE TIME WITH SCARLET TEAM (THAT IN ITSELF SET'S OFF ALARM BELLS - THE BAD SIDE OF THE HEAVY EMPHASIS ON SQUAD DYNAMICS IS THAT IT'S MADE THEM A LOT LESS INCLUSIVE THAN THE CHARLIE ONES, SO INTER-SQUAD MINGLING IS A TOUCHY AFFAIR). IT WILL HOPEFULLY ALL SETTLE DOWN IN A FEW YEARS WHEN THEY GROW OUT OF IT, BUT UNTIL THEN, IT WILL MAKE FOR SOME TRYING TIMES.
JANUARY 12TH, 2544
WHEN I WOKE UP THIS MORNING, I DISCOVERED I HAD GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS WAITING FOR ME. THE GOOD NEWS: I STILL HAVE A JOB, NO ONE DIED (THAT I KNOW), AND I'M NOT BEING PULLED FROM THE PROJECT. ALSO, NOT BEING EXECUTED. ALWAYS A GOOD THING (AND I SAY THAT IN FULL SERIOUSNESS). BAD NEWS: RICH FOUND OUT ABOUT MY "FUNDRAISING SCHEMES", AND IS NOTHAPPY. LET ME CLARIFY: HE'S NOT ANGRY THAT I STOLE MONEY FROM OTHER PROJECTS; HE'S ANGRY BECAUSE I ACCIDENTALLY STOLE SOME FROM ONE OF HIS.
NAMES ARE UNIMPORTANT (AND LIKELY TO CAUSE MORE TROUBLE THAN THEY'RE WORTH), BUT SUFFICE TO SAY HE WAS LOOKING THROUGH HIS BUDGET ROSTER AND NOTICED A PRECIPITOUS DROP IN FUNDING FOR ONE OF HIS "TOP SECRET" WAR FIGHTING PROGRAMS. THAT, COUPLED, WITH MY RECENT REPORT ON "AN UNEXPECTED REVENUE AMENDMENT" SET OFF ALARM BELLS IN HIS HEAD, AND HE WAS QUICK TO MAKE THE CONNECTION. HIS MESSAGE WAS SHORT AND TO THE POINT: GET THE MONEY BACK, OR THE WHOLE PROGRAM IS BEING SMASHED AND YOU'RE GETTING DROPPED.
HE'S PROBABLY BLUFFING (WE'RE FOUR YEARS INTO TRAINING - HE'S NOT STUPID ENOUGH TO WASTE ALL THAT MONEY, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING IT WAS HIS OWN DAMN IDEA) BUT I FOLLOWED THE ORDER ANYWAY. ALL FUNDS HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO HIM…OR AT LEAST, THE FUNDS THAT CAME FROM HIM. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE THE ONE TO STEAL MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT, BUT I GUESS DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES. I'M NOT SHORT SIDING OUR RECRUITS, NO MATTER WHAT. I'VE BEGUN COVERTLY DRAWING FUNDING FROM A DOZEN MORE CIVILIAN BRANCHES (IN SMALLER AMOUNTS THIS TIME - NO NEED TO REPEAT PAST MISTAKES), AND THE MONEY TO REPLACE OUR LOSSES IS ALREADY COMING IN. WE STILL WON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOR THE LATEST AUGMENTS OR - GOD FORBID - MJOLNIR; BUT IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING.
DECEMBER 19TH, 2544
2545
WE'VE GOT A HALF DOZEN INTERNAL TRAINING OPERATIONS, PROJECTS, AND EVALUATIONS GOING, AND I FEEL LIKE MY HEAD'S ON A SWIVEL. FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY, I SPENT MY TIME CALCULATING AUGMENTATION SUCCESS/FAILURE RATES; AFTER THAT, I ASSISTED IN ONE OF THE MARKSMANSHIP LESSONS. WE'VE RARELY HAD SO MUCH GOING ON AT ONCE, AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, IT'S A LITTLE DISTRACTING. I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE I USED TO COPE WITH THE CHAOS OF OPEN BATTLEFIELDS WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A HEADACHE, BUT NOW I CAN'T EVEN KEEP TRACK OF A FEW RANDOM PROGRAMS. MAYBE I'M GETTING OLD.
IT DOESN'T HELP THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN CRASHING IN ON THEMSELVES LATELY. RICH HAS BEEN GETTING ALL OVER ME ABOUT SOME OF MY "LESS THAN LEGAL" EXTRA FUNDRAISING SCHEMES. LASZLO'S CRYPTIC COMMENTS ABOUT HIS PAST ARE CONFUSING AND WORRYING. LYLA'S BIRTHDAY WAS YESTERDAY, A NONE TO WELCOME REMINDER OF EVERYTHING I LEFT BEHIND. AND SOME BASTARD ONI AGENT HAS BEEN "ASSESSING THE CONDITION" OF THE CANDIDATES; SNOOPING AROUND THE FACILITY, LOOKING FOR DIRT ON THE PROJECT (OR ME, OR LAZ, OR DEAN…)
NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THE CANDIDATES ARE STARTING TO ACT OUT (OR, ACT OUT AS MUCH AS A BUNCH OF HIGHLY REGIMENTED SOLDIERS IN TRAINING DO). PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW DESTRUCTIVE TEENAGERS CAN BE, AND I CAN BARELY CONTAIN MY TERROR AT WHAT THEY'LL BE LIKE ONCE THEY HIT PUBERTY. THE DIFFERENCE IN STANDARDS BETWEEN THE CHARLIE ONES AND OUR CHARLIE THREES IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE APPARENT. THEY'RE STILL KEEPING PACE (OR CLOSE TO IT - AN AVERAGE OF 93% COMPARATIVE SCORES) WITH THE CHARLIE ONES, STUDY AND SKILL WISE, BUT THEY'RE EXUDING TWO OR THREE TIMES AS MUCH BULLSHIT FACTOR - BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS, AS THE SPOOKS CALL THEM. JUST THE OTHER DAY, 319 HACKED OUR SECURITY SYSTEM, AND UPLOADED A VIRUS THAT REPLACED THE "TOP SECRET" STAMP ON ALL OVER OUR LETTERS WITH AN EMBLEM OF A GRUNT'S HEAD EXPLODING INTO CONFETTI. IT'S AMUSING, BUT IT'S NOT THE KIND OF EXAMPLE WE WANT THEM TO SET.
MAY 14TH, 2545
WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME SERIOUS TEAMWORK ISSUES WITH 347 AND 363, AND TODAY THINGS FINALLY CAME TO A HEAD. I HAVEN'T PUT ANYTHING DOWN ABOUT IT, BECAUSE (AS I GUESS IS LIKELY APPARENT) I HAVEN'T HAD MUCH TIME TO WRITE ANYTHING, BUT THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY WORTH MENTIONING. FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO, 347 AND 363 (WHO'VE ALWAYS HAD A TENSE RELATIONSHIP) HAVE BEEN HAVE A COVERT LITTLE POWER STRUGGLE, WITH 347 ATTEMPTING TO USURP HIS POSITION AS SQUAD LEADER. IT'S TRIVIAL AND POINTLESS - OR AT LEAST, I THINK IT IS - BUT THAT ISN'T STOPPING THEM.
SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS BEEN BREWING, BUT WHAT'S SURPRISING IS THAT IT ACTUALLY CLOSELY MIRRORED A PROBLEM THE CHARLIE ONES HAD - SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN [S-144] AND [S-077]. DURING A TRAINING SKIRMISH, WE PAIRED GOLD AND SCARLET TEAMS AGAINST CRIMSON AND CYAN, GIVING EACH AN OBJECTIVE TO ACCOMPLISH. CRIMSON AND CYAN WERE SUPPOSED TO ESCORT A PACKAGE (PLAYED BY ONE OF THE DI'S) TO AN EZ, AND GOLD AND CRIMSON WERE SUPPOSED TO STOP THEM. 347 CAME UP WITH AN AMBUSH PLAN THAT CAUGHT CRIMSON ALMOST PERFECTLY OFF GUARD, BUT CYAN COUNTERED AND CUT SCARLET OFF FROM GOLD - WITH 347 TRAPPED WITH SCARLET. SCARLET'S OWN LEADER (351) PANICKED AND GOT HIT, SO SHE TOOK CONTROL OF THEM.
AS THIS WAS HAPPENING, HOWEVER, CRIMSON REGROUPED AND MADE A BEELINE FOR THE PICKUP ZONE. 363 GAVE THE ORDER TO PURSUE, BREAKING THE PLAN, AND MANAGED TO GET IN FRONT OF THEM AND DRIVE THEM BACK INTO A CROSSFIRE WITH SCARLET. SCARLET AND GOLD PULLED IT OUT BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH, BUT THE MOMENT THE SHOOTING STOPPED, 347 WENT OFF ON 363 - AND IN THE RESULTING STRUGGLE, THEY BOTH ENDED UP IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE. AFTER IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE, GOLD RALLIED AROUND 363, WHILE SCARLET MADE A SHOW OF SUPPORTING 347. TO CUT STRAIGHT TO THE POINT, WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SEPARATE THEM, AND, UNDER LASZLO'S DIRECTION, WE PLACED 347 IN SCARLET. THE MOMENT WE DID, 351 OFFERED HER THE ROLE OF SQUAD LEADER. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING THEM VERY, VERY CLOSELY.
JUNE 16TH, 2545
GOLD TEAM IS USUALLY THE BEST BEHAVED OF THE BUNCH (ANTICS WITH 347 NOTWITHSTANDING), BUT WE'VE BEEN HAVING ALL SORTS OF ISSUES WITH THEM LATELY. IT'S STEMMING, NATURALLY, FROM THE RECENT TRANSFER; AFTER WE ROTATED 347 INTO SCARLET TEAM, WE WERE FACED WITH SIX PEOPLE IN SCARLET, AND FOUR IN GOLD. WE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE ONE OF THE SCARLET MEMBERS AND PUT THEM IN GOLD, HOWEVER, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE ASKING FOR TROUBLE, SO INSTEAD, WE DECIDED TO SHIFT THE RANKS AROUND. ANYTHING LIKE THIS IS TRICKY, BECAUSE THE SQUADS HAVE ALL BEEN TOGETHER SINCE INDUCTION DAY, BUT IT'S NECESSARY AS WELL. BESIDES THE THRASHING WE'D GET FROM ONI, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO UPSET THE TEAM DYNAMIC BY HAVING UNEVEN SQUADS.
SOME OF THE CANDIDATES ARE MORE INCLUSIVE THAN OTHERS, SO NATURALLY WE LOOKED AT THEM FIRST. ANYONE GOOD AT HANDLING CHANGE OR SOCIABLE WAS FAVORABLE, BUT WE ALSO WANTED SOMEONE RELATIVELY MILD, TO HELP CALM THINGS DOWN. FOR TAKING ONE OUT OF SCARLET, THIS WAS AN EASY PICK; 366 IS BY FAR ONE THE MOST EASYGOING OF THE TEAM, SO WE WERE QUICK TO TAKE HIM AND SEND HIM TO ANOTHER SQUAD. PICKING THE NEXT PERSON WAS A BIT HARDER; IT WAS A CHALLENGE TO FIND AN INCLUSIVE, WELL ADJUSTED SQUAD MEMBER WHO WASN'TA SQUAD LEADER. IN THE END, WE DECIDED TO GRAB 333 OUT OF OLIVE AND PLACE HIM IN GOLD (PUTTING 366 INTO HIS OLD SLOT). WE CHOSE HIM FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS; ONE, WHILE HE DOESN'T HANDLE CHANGE WELL, HE'S FAIRLY AMIABLE, AND TWO, HE IS AT A ROUGHLY SIMILAR LEVEL TO 366 IN TERMS OF ABILITY - IT WILL MAKE THE TRANSITION FOR OLIVE MUCH EASIER TO HAVE SOMEONE SIMILARLY TALENTED TAKING 333'S OLD SPOT.
SO, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT SCARLET AND OLIVE ARE BOTH STILL VERY STABLE. OLIVE IS TAKING THE CHANGE IN STRIDE, AND SCARLET, QUITE FRANKLY, IS ACTUALLY PLEASED - THEY'VE ALWAYS LIKED 347 (SOMETHING I CAN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND). UNFORTUNATELY, SUCH STABILITY ISN'T PRESENT EVERYWHERE. GOLD IS FEELING THE CHANGE QUITE HEAVILY, AND ARE SUFFERING FOR IT. THROUGHOUT TRAINING, THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST SQUADS, AND HAVE CONSISTENTLY RANKED HIGHEST IN TEAM COHESION DUE TO 363'S LEADERSHIP. THEY HAD THEIR DYNAMIC DOWN TO AN EXACT SCIENCE, HOWEVER, AND 333 IS A WRENCH IN THE WORKS FOR THEM. WHILE THEY'VE MAINTAINED THE SAME COMBAT SCORES, THEY'VE DROPPED IN THE OVERALL STANDINGS TO 9TH, THANKS TO A DROP IN THEIR COORDINATION STATISTICS. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN UPHILL BATTLE TO GET THEIR TEAM COORDINATED AGAIN, AND WHILE I'M QUITE CERTAIN 363 WILL BE ABLE TO DO IT-HE HAS AN AFFINITY FOR BUILDING TEAMS - I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE.
JULY 6TH, 2545
2546
WE FINALLY HIT PHASE THREE OF THE TRAINING TODAY, AND THINGS ARE LOOKING UP. THE CANDIDATES ARE SURGING AHEAD, AND WE ARE IDENTIFYING OUR TOP INDIVIDUALS WITH MUCH GREATER CERTAINTY. SOME ARE SURPRISES, OTHERS ARE EASIER TO EXPECT. THEY'RE ALL DOING WELL - GOLD IN PARTICULAR HAS SHOWN MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, FINALLY RECOVERING FROM THE TRANSFER A YEAR AGO - AND THE STAFF SEEMS PLEASED WITH THEIR PROGRESS. IT'S ALL GOOD NEWS, IN GENERAL; THE NEXT STAGE OF TRAINING WILL LAST ONLY TWO YEARS, BUT WILL BE CRITICAL TO THEIR DEVELOPMENT. HAVING THEM ENTER AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME WILL BE CRITICAL. THEIR RELATIVE SKILL TO THE ORIGINAL CLASS I'S IS HOVERING AT 90% FOR THE GROUP, AND AT 100% FOR A FEW SELECT INDIVIDUALS - MUCH BETTER THAN ANTICIPATED BY ONI.
THE 100% CANDIDATES, ARE, BY AN LARGE, MOSTLY THOSE WITH GENETIC PROFILES EQUAL OR VERY NEARLY EQUAL THE ORIGINALS. 338 AND 343, WHO HAVE CONSISTENTLY PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE OUR BEST OPERATORS, ARE MATCHING THE ORIGINAL II'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLY CLOSE. THREE OTHERS - 341, 309, AND 324 - ARE FOLLOWING A HAIR BEHIND, NIPPING AT THEIR HEELS. THEIR PARTICULAR SPECIALTIES ARE SHINING THROUGH CLEARLY NOW; 338 HAS EVOLVED INTO THE BEST SNIPER IN THE GROUP, KEEPING PACE WITH HOW [S-058] DID AT HIS AGE; 343, 309, AND 324 ARE EXPERTS IN CLOSE QUARTERS, WITH 343 A BIT FARTHER AHEAD BECAUSE OF MORE VARIED SKILLS, AND 341 IS PROVING TO BE LIKELY THE MOST ADAPTABLE OF THEM ALL - THOUGH NOT AS POLISHED IN ANY ONE FIELD AS ANY OF THEM, HE'S GOOD WITH PRACTICALLY ANYTHING.
MOST OF OUR OTHER STRONG CANDIDATES - 311, 319, 363, 347, 351, 356, 332, 329, 314, 349, TO JUST NAME A FEW - ARE DOING STRONG AS WELL, PERFECTING A VARIED ARRAY OF TALENTS. THE "LESSER" CANDIDATES ARE NOTABLY LESS SPECIALIZED, BUT THEY'RE STILL PASSABLE IN ALL OF THE NECESSARY FIELDS. THE DIFFERENCES WILL LIKELY WIDEN ONCE THE NEW TRAINING REGIME GOES INTO FULL GEAR, BUT THE DI'S ARE PREDICTING THAT THE WEAKER CANDIDATES WILL KEEP UP OUT OF RAW DETERMINATION - WHILE IT'S TRUE THAT A LOT OF THE CANDIDATES ARE OF VASTLY LOWER GENETIC QUALITY THAN THE ORIGINAL CHARLIE ONES, THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME FIERCE WILLPOWER.
JULY 8TH, 2546
I'VE BEEN FEELING INCREASINGLY LIKE THE PROJECT IS UNDER ASSAULT FROM THE OUTSIDE, EVER SINCE THE MONEY RAID THREE YEARS AGO. I FEEL CRAZY EVEN WRITING IT (LET ALONE SAYING IT ALOUD - I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE DI'S WOULD SAY IF THEY HEARD ME), BUT I'M FEELING MORE AND MORE LIKE I'M BEHIND ENEMY LINES. WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED HERE…IT WASN'T COMFORTING (FOR DAMN SURE) BUT AT LEAST I FELT LIKE I WAS ON THE SAME SIDE AS MOST OF THE PEOPLE AROUND ME (EXCEPT FOR THE SPOOKS - NEVER TRUSTED THEM).
NOW THINGS FEEL LIKE A CONSTANT GAME OF CHESS; I MAKE A MOVE, AND MY UNSEEN OPPONENTS MAKE ONE TO COUNTER IT. I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE - THE ONI ELEMENTS BACKING THIS THING, THEIR NAVSPECWAR CONTACTS, RICH'S LAPDOGS, OR GOD KNOWS WHO ELSE - BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMEONE ELSE WORKING AGAINST ME. SUBTLE, LITTLE THINGS; LISTENING DEVICES IN MY ROOM WITHOUT REASON, OBSCURE DATA INTRUSIONS, PSEUDO SPY STUFF LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT, OR WHY THEY WANT IT, BUT I CAN'T BE SURE OF ANYTHING.
DID THE OTHER PROGRAM'S GO THROUGH THIS KIND OF THING? I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE. HALSEY LIKELY DID, BUT A LOT OF THE HAZING PROBABLY WAS A RESULT OF HER CIVILIAN STATUS. THE CHARLIE TWO'S WERE RUN THROUGH CLEANLY AND EFFICIENTLY; I DOUBT THEY DID. AND SPARTAN-III…WELL, I KNOW IT EXISTS, BUT BEYOND THAT, IT'S A MYSTERY. ACKERSON IS RUNNING IT, SO IT'S GOT HEAVY HITTERS TO BACK IT UP, BUT ALSO A LOT OF ENEMIES. MAYBE I SHOULDN'T HAVE TRIED SO HARD TO PISS ONI OFF IN THE EARLY DAYS. THINGS MIGHT BE SIMPLER NOW.
NOVEMBER 13TH, 2546
WE HAD TO PERFORM ONE OF OUR FIRST MAJOR "CRACKDOWNS" THIS WEEK, AND I'VE BEEN FEELING A LITTLE PUT OFF BY THE WHOLE AFFAIR SINCE IT STARTED. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THE ONLY REASON I KEEP THIS JOURNAL IS SO THAT I HAVE A PLACE TO COMPLAIN TO, AND THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS SIT VERY WELL WITH ME. IT'S ALL OLD NEWS, BUT I'LL SAY IT AGAIN FOR CLARITY; I JOINED THE MILITARY SO THAT I COULD DO MY PART TO HELP HUMANITY, FIRST AT FIGHTING THE INSURRECTION, THEN THE COVENANT. I NEVER PLANNED ON SPENDING SIX YEARS OF MY LIFE COOPED UP UNDERGROUND - AND AS AMAZING AS THESE KIDS ARE, AS MUCH AS I KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS NECESSARY, AS MUCH AS I TRY TO KEEP MY OWN EGO AND DESIRES IN CHECK, ITS HARD TO TAKE SOMETIMES.
THIS ALL PROBABLY SOUNDS LIKE NONSENSE WITHOUT THE PROPER BACKGROUND, SO I SHOULD PROBABLY SHELL SOME OF THAT OUT. A FEW WEEKS AGO, GOSSIP GOT AROUND THAT SOME OF OUR CANDIDATES MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS FOCUSED ON THEIR TRAINING AS THEY SHOULD BE: AKA, INVOLVED ROMANTICALLY WITH EACH OTHER IN SOME WAY. A LITTLE DIGGING LED TO A BRIEF INVESTIGATION, AND IT PRETTY MUCH BOILED DOWN TO AS FOLLOWS: 363, LEADER OF GOLD TEAM, WAS INVOLVED WITH ONE OF HIS SQUAD MATES, 374. NOT EXACTLY UNHEARD OF OR UNEXPECTED; PUT 50 PUBESCENT KIDS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER FOR A FEW YEARS, EVEN TIGHTLY DISCIPLINED ONES, AND YOU'LL HAVE SOME SPARKS. THE PREVIOUS CLASSES ALL HAD THEM; BLACK, GREY, AND BLUE WERE ALL INVOLVED IN SOME LEVEL OF SCANDAL FROM CLASS I, TO JUST NAME A FEW.
WE WERE PREPARED, THUS, AND LASZLO STEPPED IN TO SORT THINGS OUT. LET 363 AND 374 KNOW THAT WHILE THEIR FEELINGS WERE UNDERSTANDABLE, THEY HAD TO MAKE SURE TO KEEP A CLEAR HEAD, STAY DISCIPLINED, ETC. SOUNDED LIKE HE HAD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE WHOLE MATTER (THOUGH I MIGHT BE PROJECTING, AS I DON'T REALLY KNOW HIM WELL ENOUGH TO SAY). ALL IN ALL, THINGS WORKED OUT JUST FINE, RELATIVELY; THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY CAUSE FOR CONCERN. YET DESPITE THIS, I'M STILL ANNOYED AT ONI, AND ANGRY AT MYSELF FOR BEING ANNOYED. TRAINING KIDS TO BE SOLDIERS IS BAD ENOUGH…BUT MANAGING THEIR RELATIONSHIPS FOR THEM? THIS IS WHAT WE'RE REDUCED TO? I DON'T WANT TO INDULGE IN SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT ONCE I DO, IT'LL BE WAY TOO HARD TO LET GO OF…BUT I WONDER HOW IT ALL ENDED UP LIKE THIS SOMETIMES. I REALLY DO.
DECEMBER 11TH, 2546
2547
I RECEIVED A LETTER TODAY FROM LYLA. I THOUGHT IT WAS A MISTAKE AT FIRST, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WAY THAT SHE COULD HAVE KNOWN MY LOCATION, BUT APPARENTLY ADMIRAL RICH HAD IT FORWARDED TO ME ON HIS PERSONAL ORDERS. THAT ALONE WAS SURPRISING. BUT IT WASN'T THE ONLY UNEXPECTED TWIST. IT WAS A SHOCK TO HEAR FROM HER AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, BUT THAT WAS HARDLY THE BIGGEST SURPRISE.
THE LETTER IS A WILL.
THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD HAVE KNOWN, BUT SHE WAS ON SKOPJE TWO MONTHS AGO WHEN IT FELL. SHE WAS ON THE SURFACE WHEN IT WAS GLASSED; COMPANY RECORDS, WHICH I ACCESSED WITH THE HELP OF SOME OF ONI'S INFILTRATION SOFTWARE, REVEAL SHE WAS WORKING UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT, SCRAMBLING TO SEND AS MUCH DATA ON HER WEAPONS PROJECTS AS SHE COULD TO THEIR ORBITING TRANSPORT BEFORE THE COVENANT REACHED HER. I CAN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE SURREAL FEELINGS I FELT WHEN I READ ABOUT IT. IT'S BEEN YEARS, BUT SOMEHOW…I DON'T KNOW WHAT I THOUGHT, BUT IT DEFINITELY WAS NEVER THAT THINGS WOULD END UP LIKE THIS.
THE MESSAGE IS A SHORT ONE, JUST A LIST OF A FEW SMALL TRINKETS SHE WANTED TO BE SENT TO ME IN THE EVENT OF HER DEATH. A FEW MEMENTOS OF THE TRIP, A STACK OF HOLO-STILLS - EMPTY, POINTLESS THINGS. BUT THERE'S ALSO AN ATTACHMENT, A TEXT FILE WITHOUT A NAME, ACCOMPANYING IT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS, THOUGH A DOZEN OBVIOUS SUGGESTIONS SPRING TO MIND. I'M OVERWHELMED WITH CURIOSITY.
BUT I CAN'T OPEN IT.
JUNE 28TH, 2547
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: LT ADRIAN YORK; TO: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; SUBJECT: TONE THINGS DOWN)
I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HATE COMPLAINING, BUT SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE DONE ABOUT LIMA-108. HE MAY THINK THE RECRUITS CAN TAKE IT, BUT HE'S PUSHING THEM TOO HARD, TOO FAST. THEY'RE GOING TO SNAP, AND THEN THEY'LL BE USELESS FOR THE PROGRAM AND FOR THE WAR. HE SEEMS TO THINK THAT THEY'RE EQUAL TO THE OLD CLASS I AND IIS, AND HE'S BADLY MISTAKEN ON BOTH COUNTS. THEY'RE GOOD, REALLY, REALLY GOOD, BUT NOT THAT GOOD. ALMOST NO ONE IS. THERES A FEW EXCEPTIONS, A FEW LIKE CHARLIE HOTEL WOULD HAVE PICKED, BUT THEY'RE THE EXCEPTION RATHER THAN THE RULE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO STOP HIM. I KNOW HE THINKS HES DOING WHAT'S BEST, BUT HE'S GOING TO MAKE THINGS WORSE. BELIEVE ME. I DID MY TIME ON III AND I KNOW WHAT KIDS LIKE THESE CAN TAKE. IT'S TOO MUCH. MAKE HIM TONE THINGS DOWN, OR I WILL.
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: CPT LASZLO KATONA; TO: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
SIR, IT'S ME AGAIN. TRAINING IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY NOW. I APOLOGIZE FOR MY MISTAKE OF PUSHING THE RECRUITS TOO FAR; I GUESS SOME PART OF ME JUST ASSUMED THAT "IF THEY'RE TOUGH ENOUGH, THEY WON'T FAIL WHAT'S YET TO COME". THAT JUDGEMENT WAS IN ERROR. SO YOU CAN GET THAT PSYCHE EVALUATION PANEL OFF OF ME NOW. THERE'S NO NEED FOR A PREMATURELY EARLY EXAMINATION.
ANYWAY, TRAINING IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND THEY'RE ALL DOING WELL. WHAT WORRIES ME IS THE AUGMENTATION PROCEDURES COMING UP LATER NEXT YEAR. WHY DO WE HAVE TO RELY ON SUCH OUTDATED PROCEDURES? ME TRAINING THESE RECRUITS RISKS BEING ALL FOR NOTHING IF WE DON'T USE THE NEW ADVANCED ONES; NEW SPARTANS WON'T HELP IF THEY'RE DEAD OR IRREPAIRABLY WOUNDED. I UNDERWENT THOSE PROCEDURES, SO I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I WAS CLOSER THAN YOU'D THINK TO DYING (CARDIAC VOLUME INCREASE ISN'T SOMETHING TO JOKE ABOUT, AND THAT'S COMING FROM ME, THE CLOWN OF THE II PROGRAM). THESE ARE MY MEN, AND I REFUSE TO LET THEM ALL DIE BECAUSE OF ONI BULLSHIT.
AND NOT JUST THE AUGMENTATIONS; WHAT'S THIS CRAP ABOUT "SEMI-POWERED INFILTRATION (SPI) ARMOR"? I TESTED IT BACK IN 2532, AND IT'S NOT SPARTAN-CLASS GEAR; AT MOST, IT'S ONI TRYING TO CUT THE COST OF EVERYTHING AT THE EXPENSE OF QUALITY. THEY WON'T SURVIVE FOR LONG OUT THERE WITHOUT PROPER EQUIPMENT, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S TRUE WHAT I HEAR THAT THEY'LL ALL BE SPLIT UP TEAM-WISE AND SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE UNSC COMMAND CHAIN ("TO PREVENT ALL UNITS FROM PERISHING AT ONCE"). USING MY ACCESS TO THE PROGRAM'S FILES, I FOUND THAT YOU ALL WERE NEGOTIATING A DEAL WITH RKD, THE DEVELOPERS OF THE HAYABUSA SUIT. IT HURTS THAT WE DIDN'T PURSUE THAT - SURE, IT LOOKS KINDA RIDICULOUS AND YOU SEE LITTLE WITH THE TINY VISOR, BUT AT LEAST IT'S AN EXCELLENT AND FULLY FUNCTIONAL SUIT. THE SPI IS JUST A FANCY ODST ARMOR WITH CHAMELEON CAPABILITIES THAT HARDLY WORK.
AND PLEASE, SIR, DON'T JUST REPLY WITH A "THERE'S NO MONEY AVAILABLE"; I WANT A REASON FOR WHY THAT'S SO. YOU'D THINK THERE WERE OTHER SPARTAN PROGRAMS GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY THAT SUCK UP ALL THE FUNDING LIKE A SPONGE. RICH AND THE REST OF ONI WANTS THEIR MAGICAL BULLET - BUT IT WON'T WORK IF THAT BULLET CAN'T ACTUALLY HIT THE ENEMY.
PS: HAVE SOMEBODY MONITOR [341]. I CAN'T PUT MY FINGER ON IT, BUT HE SEEMS TO BE HOMESICK, OR MAYBE JUST ADVENTUROUS, I DON'T KNOW; HE DOES SEEM LIKE HE ISN'T AS DEDICATED TO THE PROGRAM AS HE SHOULD. MIGHT BE MY IMAGINATION, OF COURSE, BUT FOR ONCE I'D LIKE NOT TO BE LAZY ABOUT THE MATTER AND BE A STEP AHEAD. JUST IN CASE.
GRIFFIN STANDOFF'S JOURNAL
SOME UPSTART DI SENT ME A COMMUNIQUE TWO DAYS AGO, REQUESTING A REPRIMAND OF LASZLO - BECAUSE HE WAS, AND I QUOTE, "PUSHING [THE RECRUITS] TO HARD, TO FAST". NOT A FAN OF THE GUY (HE THINKS HE'S THE SHIT BECAUSE HE WORKED ON BETA COMPANY, DESPITE THE WILDLY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES), AND I WAS HALFWAY INTO A RESPONSE TELLING HIM WHERE TO SHOVE HIS OPINION WHEN RICH'S ONI BACKERS INTERCEPTED THE MESSAGE AND PUT HIM UP FOR IMMEDIATE PSYCHIATRIC REVIEW, IN PREPARATION FOR IMMEDIATELY DROPPING HIM FROM THE PROGRAM.
MY FRIEND ADMIRAL RICH GAVE ME SOME BACKUP ON THIS ONE (I'M FULLY CONVINCED HE'S PLAYING BOTH ME AND HIS BACKERS OFF EACH OTHER), AND WE MANAGED TO KEEP THEM FROM DROPPING LAZ FROM THE PROGRAM. THE PANEL OF SHRINKS COULDN'T BE AVOIDED, THOUGH, AND NOW I'VE GOT LASZLO BREATHING DOWN MY NECK TOO. I'M REALLY NOT CUT OUT FOR ALL THIS FAUX-POLITICAL BULLSHIT. I'VE SENT A MESSAGE TO LASZLO EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM, AND HOPEFULLY HE'LL LISTEN. I'VE GOT FEW ENOUGH FRIENDS HERE ALREADY. IF I LOSE ANOTHER ONE, IT MAKES LIFE JUST THAT MUCH HARDER.
OH, AND DEAN INFORMS ME THAT 363 AND 347 JUST GOT THEMSELVES INTO A FIGHT…AGAIN. THE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS IN THE WHOLE UNIT ARE GROWING WORSE BY THE DAY, BUT THOSE TWO ARE GETTING TO BE A REAL HAZARD. DEAN AND THREE OTHER DI'S MANAGED TO CONTAIN THEIR SQUABBLE WITHOUT LASZLO'S HELP, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. TRANSFERRING THEM TWO YEARS AGO APPARENTLY HASN'T DONE ANY GOOD.
SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2547
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; TO: CPT LASZLO KATONA; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
I'M SORRY ABOUT THE PYSCHE PANEL, BUT BELIEVE ME, IT WASN'T MY IDEA. ONI'S BEEN WATCHING US CLOSELY, BUT I HADN'T REALIZED HOW CLOSE UNTIL THEY INTERCEPTED A MESSAGE FROM ONE OF MY DIS AND WENT OVER MY HEAD. HE WAS THREATENING TO TAKE MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS, BUT SECTION III GOT THERE FIRST. IT WAS A HELL OF A TIME KEEPING THEM FROM DROPPING YOU FROM THE PROGRAM. THEY REALLY DON'T TRUST YOU. I'D BE VERY, VERY INTERESTED TO FIND OUT WHY.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE TRAINING IS GOING WELL, BUT YOU'RE CONCERNS, UNFORTUNAELY, ARE OUT OF MY CONTROL. AS MUCH AS YOU HATE IT, THE PROBLEM INEVITABLY COMES DOWN TO FUNDING. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN - AND I MEAN EVERYTHING; STRIPMINING REBEL BANK ACCOUNTS, FALSE CHARITY CAUSES, EVEN BORDERLINE FRAUD - TO GET THE MONEY, AND I SIMPLY CAN'T. BELIEVE ME, I UNDERSTAND THE RISKS OF THE PROCEDURES AND HAVE MY OWN TORMENT'S ABOUT THEM, MY OWN GUILT. YOU MAY BE THE ONE TRAINING THEM, BUT I WAS ONE WHO HAD TO SELECT THEM, AND APPROVE THE ORDER TO HAVE SOME OF THEM KIDNAPPED.
AND BELIEVE ME, I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GET THEM OUTFITTED AS PROPER SPARTANS. BUT THE MONEY SIMPLY ISN'T THERE. RKD WANTED TOO MUCH FOR THE SUITS, AND LORD KNOWS MJOLNIR IS TOO EXPENSIVE. THE CURRENT SUIT COSTS MORE THAN AN ENTIRE BATTLEGROUP AND IT'S HARD TO HIDE THAT KIND OF MONEY WHEN THE WAR IS PRACTICALLY ON ERINDANUS'S DOORSTEP. WE JUST LOST THE ENTIRE STALLION AND NAPOLEON SYSTEMS LAST YEAR, AND THE COVENANT AREN'T SLOWING DOWN. SPI ISN'T GOOD - BUT IT'S ALL WE HAVE. THE MONEY HAS ALL BUT DRIED UP. MOST OF OUR DIS, MEDICS, AND SCIENTISTS ARE WORKING PRO BONO, AND THOSE THAT AREN'T HAVE PAYCHECKS THE SIZE OF A FRY COOKS. IT'S COME DOWN TO EITHER THE AUGMENTS OR HAYABUSA, AND THAT CHOICE IS ALL TO CLEAR.
THERES MORE HERE AT WORK THAN YOU KNOW, AND I SUSPECT THERE EVEN MORE THAN I DO. ONI'S OPERATIONS ARE A BLACK HOLE, WITH NO ANSWERS FOR ANYONE. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM ANY OTHER HIGH PRIORITY SIERRA PROGRAMS STILL BEING ACTIVE, BUT THEIR EXISTENCE WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME. I'VE HEARD THE STANDARD WHISPERS OF A THIRD SIERRA THREE CLASS, AND YOU KNOW HOW ACKERSON LOVE TO SUCK UP FUNDING. ONI DROPPED ME INTO THIS JOB FOR REASONS I MAY NEVER TOTALLY GRASP, BUT I'M THE ONE KEEPING IT AFLOAT NOW. I CAN'T PERFORM MIRACLES.
AS FOR [S-341], I'LL HAVE A LITTLE CHAT WITH HIM AND ORDER DELTA JULIET TO KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON HIM. WE ALWAYS KNEW WE MIGHT GET ONE OR TWO CANDIDATES WHO WERE A LITTLE MORE "INDEPENDENT" THAN THE REST. IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MAKE YOUR SUSPICIONS GROW, KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON HIM. AUGMENTATION IS COMING UP, AND THERES SOME EVIDENCE THAT [S-023], [S-122], [S-141], [S-052] AND [S-003] (ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ONI'S INABILITY TO KEEP THEIR TAGS STRAIGHT) MIGHT HAVE HAD THEIR MENTAL PROCESSES DAMAGED BY IT. THE AUGMENTATION PROCEDURES ARE NEVER AS LINEAR AS WE THINK; THERE ARE ALWAYS UNEXPECTED SIDE AFFECTS.
P.S. ONE OF THE DI'S MENTIONED THAT THE RIVALRY BETWEEN TAN AND GOLD MAY BE GETTING OUT OF HAND. COULD YOU LOOK INTO THIS, IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME? I DON'T WANT ANOTHER [S-144]/[S-077] INCIDENT HAPPENING DURING OUR TRAINING. PARALLEL TRAINING REGIMES COULD VERY WELL PRODUCE PARALELL PROBLEMS.
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: CPT LASZLO KATONA; TO: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
I GUESS SO ABOUT THE SPOOKS BEING MISTRUSTFUL; IF ONI DISCOVERS THAT YOU LOOK IN AN UNEXPECTED DIRECTION THEY START CHECKING IF YOU'RE MESSED UP IN THE HEAD. THEN AGAIN, I MIGHT BE A BIT HARDER TO PREDICT THAN OTHER IIs, WHAT WITH ME BEING ONE OF THE LEAST INDOCTRINATED OF US ALL. GUESS I SHOULD'VE EXPECTED RICH TO ACT THAT WAY. I'M AFRAID I CAN'T DISCUSS WITH YOU WHY THEY DON'T TRUST ME (IN THE CASE THEY'D INTERCEPT THIS MESSAGE TOO), I'M SORRY. EVEN MORE SO SINCE YOU'RE ONE OF THE FEW OFFICERS I ACTUALLY LIKE. I MEAN, NOT IN THAT WAY - THERE'S SOME GOOD-LOOKING NURSES STATIONED NOT FAR FROM MY QUARTERS FOR THAT...ER, SORRY, ACCIDENTALLY TURNED BACK TO MY OLD SELF. WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I HOPE. MOVING ALONG...
IT STILL PISSES ME OFF, THAT ONI WON'T GIVE WHAT WE REALLY NEED, WHETHER IT BE BETTER PROCEDURES OR SUITS. AND IT MAKES ME WISH EVEN MORE THAT I WASN'T AN ONI AGENT. BUT MOST OF ALL, IT REMINDS ME OF THE OTHER IIs - MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AT MOMENTS LIKE THIS, WHEN I TRAIN THESE RECRUITS OR PONDER ON THEIR FATES, I KEEP THINKING ABOUT THEM. HOW I MISS THEM. [012]. [062]. [051]. CHARLIE HOTEL. FOXTROT MIKE. HELL, I EVEN MISS THE BASTARD [144]. AND HE SPENT MUCH OF HIS TIME FORCING HIMSELF NOT TO BEAT MY FACE IN. I KEEP SEEING ALL OF THEIR FACES IN THESE RECRUITS; EVERY TIME [338] MAKES AN EXTRAORDINARY HEADSHOT, I THINK OF [058]. EVERY TIME I LOOK AT [343] I SEE [087]'S FIREY WILLPOWER IN HER EYES. AND THEN I START THINKING ABOUT THE ONES WHO NEVER MADE IT. I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN. SURELY YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT? BUT I AGREE, IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING, FIX THE PROCEDURES; WE'LL JUST HAVE TO HAVE FAITH THAT THEY CAN WORK IN THOSE SUITS.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: BUT I MIGHT CHECK BACK WITH RKD, THEIR COMPLETED PROTOTYPES. OFF THE GRID, OFF COURSE. MAYBE WE COULD ARRANGE FOR BETTER EQUIPMENT FOR AT LEAST ONE TEAM.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
YES, I REMEMBER ACKERSON; HE AND DOC'S ALWAYS COMPETED FOR FUNDING. WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF HE HAS SOMETHING RUNNING. BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT HE'D HAVE TWO ONGOING PROGRAMS AT ONCE ON HIS OWN; HE'S THE TYPE TO PUT EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE ONE PROJECT PERFECT (OR AT LEAST PERFECT ENOUGH FOR HIS SUPERIORS SO HE GETS HIS MONEY, THE SNAKE). CAN'T BELIEVE I'D SAY THIS, BUT MAYBE IT'D HAVE BEEN GOOD TO HAVE HIM ON THE PROJECT - SOMEHOW HE ALWAYS SEEM TO GET THE MONEY REGARDLESS OF THE PROJECTS HE NEED THEM FOR, UNLESS THEY CONFLICT DIRECTLY WITH HALSEY'S. BTW, IT'S A SHAME YOU CAN'T DO MIRACLES; IT'D BE VERY CONVENIENT :D
I'LL DO WHAT I CAN for [341]. HE'S ONE OF OUR PRECIOUS "CHOSEN" TOO, YOU KNOW. AT LEAST HE DOESN'T SEEM AS WEAK-MINDED AS [312] (I'VE ALREADY UNDERTAKEN EFFORTS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT HIM, JUST SO HE DOESN'T SNAP IN THE FIELD; I'LL INFORM YOU IF I NEED MORE ASSETS FOR IT).
I ALWAYS JUST SAW THE GOLD/TAN RIVALRY LIKE FRIENDLY COMPETITION, BUT MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT. I'LL TALK TO THEM ONE BY ONE TO CALM THEM DOWN.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: MAYBE, IF WE GET OUR HANDS ON BETTER SUITS, WE SHOULD LET THE COMPETITION FOR TOP HONORS AT THE END OF TRAINING DETERMINE WHICH TEAM GETS THEM? I DON'T LIKE THAT SUGGESTION MYSELF, AS I DON'T TAKE FAVORITES, BUT I'M 100% SURE THAT WE CAN'T AQUIRE MORE ARMORS THAN THAT, SO WE'LL HAVE TO DETERMINE IT SOMEHOW. OR MAYBE I SHOULDN'T EXPECT YOU TO BE IN ON THIS WITH ME? OH, WELL, I'LL TRY IT WHETHER I HAVE YOUR APPROVAL OR NOT, SO I MAY AS WELL ASK YOU TO HELP ME. TAKE IT AS MY WAY OF SAYING "I TRUST YOU, SIR".|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: COL GRIFFIN STANDOF; TO: CPT LASZLO KATONA; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
YOU'RE ONLY TOO RIGHT ABOUT THE SPOOKS BEING QUICK TO LOOK FOR A PROBLEM WHERE THERE IS NONE, BUT THERES NOT MUCH WE CAN DO EXCEPT TRY TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE. I'VE DONE MY BEST TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE DI'S TO LET YOU WORK, BUT WHO KNOWS IF IT WILL TURN OUT SUCCESSFUL. AS FOR RICH, YOU HAVE MUCH MORE EXPERIENCE WITH HIM THAN I DO, SO I'LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT. AS FOR THE TRUST PROBLEMS, I'M SURE IT WILL MAKE FOR A VERY INTERESTING STORY OVER DRINKS SOMETIME DOWN THE ROAD IN THE FUTURE (THAT IS, IF WE HAVE A FUTURE).|ENCRYPTED SECTION: STILL KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE DI'S, THOUGH, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS-I'M CONVINCED ONI HAS THEIR RANKS INFILTRATED COMPLETELY.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
AS FOR ONI'S EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS, I HAVE TO AGREE. THE AUGMENTATION PROCEDURES FOR THE SIERRA THREES ARE A HUNDRED TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE, BUT ONI ABSOLUTELY REFUSES TO SPRING FOR THE COST. IT'S SHORTSIDED AND DAMNED FOOLISH - FROM A FISCAL POINT OF VIEW, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO LOSE MONEY WITH THE OLDER PROCEDURES, BECAUSE OF THE INEVITABLE LOSS OF CANDIDATES - BUT THEY WON'T BUDGE. I'LL DO MY BEST, BUT I'M AFRAID ME MAY HAVE TO START PLANNING FOR THE WORST. BY MY PROJECTIONS, WE MAY BE FACING UP TO 50% LOSSES (MORE OPTIMISTIC PROJECTIONS PLACE LOSSES BETWEEN 35-45%, BUT AS LONG AS WE'RE BEING CYNICAL, WE MIGHT AS WELL GO ALL THE WAY), AND IT IS POSSIBLE ONI WON'T BE ABLE TO FUND EVEN THAT. UNLESS WE RECEIVE SOME SORT OF MAJOR WINDFALL, VERY SOON, WE'RE OUT OF LUCK. I DON'T LIKE IT ANY MORE THAN YOU DO, BUT WITHOUT AUGMENTATIONS, THEY'LL BE EVEN LESS LIKELY TO SURVIVE.
AS FOR THE SPI SUITS, I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD START TRAINING ON THEM SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. THE SIERRA THREES HAVE SHOWN GOOD RESULTS WITH EARLY EXPOSURE TO THEIR ARMOR SYSTEMS, AND THEY'VE BEEN PROVEN TO BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE - WHEN THEY'RE NOT BEING WASTED ON SUICIDE MISSIONS. SPI IS CHEAP, AND WE'LL BE NEEDING THE SUITS ANYWAY, SO I SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROCURE THEM IMMEDIATELY, IF YOU SO CHOOSE. IN THE END, I'LL DEFER THE CHOICE TO YOU; YOU'RE THE EXPERT, AND I'M JUST THE GRUNT WHO GOT STUCK IN THE COMMAND SEAT.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: CODE: ANY SORT OF ARMOR YOU CAN GET WOULD BE CRITICAL. LIKE YOU SAID, KEEP IT OFF THE GRID, BUT IF A CHANCE PRESENTS ITSELF, GO FOR IT - EVEN IF THERE ARE RISKS. IF ONI FINDS OUT, I CAN PROBABLY GET AWAY WITH IT - I'VE BEEN BREAKING THEIR RULES SINCE THE START OF THE PROJECT - AND THOSE SPARTANS NEED THE GEAR TOO MUCH TO PASS IT UP. IF WORSTS COMES TO WORST, I CAN ALWAYS TAKE THE FALL. I CAN LIVE WITH A DEAD END CAREER, BUT I CAN'T LIVE WITH SENDING OUT MY TROOPS UNPREPARED.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
AS FOR ACKERSON, DID THEY REALLY? I DIDN'T REALIZE HALSEY AND HIM COMPETED THAT FAR BACK. I NEVER MET EITHER OF THEM, BUT I'VE HEARD PLENTY OF STORIES SINCE JOINING THE PROGRAM. SOME OF THE OLDER DI'S ARE VERY CHATTY. IF HE'S AS GOOD AT GATHERING FUNDS AS YOU SAY HE IS, THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE HIM ON THE PROJECT - BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T THINK I COULD LIVE WITH ANOTHER SPOOK IN MY LIFE. I'VE GOT ENOUGH ALREADY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS FOR TWO SPARTAN PROGRAMS, I CAN'T BE SURE. I KNOW FOR A FACT HE'S IN CHARGE OF SIERRA THREE (HIGH LEVEL CLASSIFICATIONS ARE GREAT, IF SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO USE FOR A NEANDERTHAL LIKE ME), WHICH WOULD FILL THE ONE PROJECT QUOTA, BUT I'VE ALSO FOUND TRACES OF SOMETHING REFFERED TO AS "HEADHUNTER". ONI'S PROJECT ROSTER, IS, LIKE I'VE MENTIONED, A BLACK HOLE, SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING ELSE, (AND LIKELY NEVER WILL). |ENCRYPTED SECTION: CODE: IF YOU COULD SHED ANY LIGHT ON THE SITUATION, I'D BE VERY INTERESTED.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
THANK YOU FOR HELPING OUT WITH [S-341], THEN. I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT [S-312], BUT THERES LITTLE I CAN DO. I READ THE LATEST PSYCHE REPORT AND IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. HE'S GOT THE SAME ATTACHMENT PROBLEMS AS SOME OF THE OTHERS ([S-338] AND [S-343] ARE PARTICULAR OFFENDERS, THOUGH [S-343] IS CONSIDERABLY HARDER TO READ) BUT THEY ARE MORE LOCALIZED, MORE EXTREME, AND POTENTIALLY MORE DANGEROUS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT RESOURCES I'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, BUT I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN.
ITS NOT THAT I THINK THE EXACT PARRALLEL WILL HAPPEN IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT TAN AND GOLD'S RIVARLY - I HARDLY EXPECT THE TWO TEAMS TO GET INTO A FISTFIGHT LIKE [S-144] AND [S-077] DID - BUT I AM WORRIED ABOUT AFTER TRAINING. MISTRUST LIKE THAT CAN FESTER AND GROW, IF LEFT ALONE. WE AREN'T PLANNING TO DEPLOY THEM ALL TOGETHER, BUT IF THEY HAPPEN TO RUN INTO EACH OTHER ON THE FIELD, THEY'LL NEED TO BE ABLE TO COOPERATE. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF PITTING THE RECRUITS AGAINST EACH OTHER EITHER FOR THE RIGHT TO USE ARMOR (AND HAVE BETTER CHANCES OF SURVIVAL), BUT I CAN'T ARGUE WITH IT'S LOGIC. THE BEST TEAM SHOULD DEFINITELY RECEIVE THE BEST GEAR (IF WE CAN GET IT, THAT IS). WORK YOUR CONTACTS, AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO. I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE A PASSIVE DENIAL STRATEGY OUT OF THIS; IF WE'RE DOING IT, I'M IN. IF THESE KIDS CAN GO THROUGH HELL FOR MY SAKE, I CAN RETURN THE FAVOR A LITTLE BIT.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: CPT LASZLO KATONA; TO: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE OR THE WAR, NOT YET ANYWAY. WE HAVE SOMETHING THE COVENANT DON'T HAVE - SPARTANs. WE'LL MAKE IT THROUGH THIS, AND 500 YEARS FROM NOW, ALL THIS WILL BE TOLD TO A HALF-SLEEPING CLASS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN BY A BORING HISTORY TEACHER. SO ALL WE CAN DO IS HAVE FAITH. AND IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THAT STORY, YOU BETTER MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME CREDS TO BUY US DRINKS (A SPARTAN'S SALARY IS ABOUT AS LARGE AS A BONOBO CHIMPANZEE'S). |ENCRYPTED SECTION: OH, I WILL, NO NEED TO WORRY. I'VE GOT A CAREFUL EYE ON THE WHOLE ASSORTMENT OF DI'S.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
ON THE AUGMENTATIONS, I USUALLY PREFER NOT TO BE CYNICAL (I'D DARE SAY I WAS THE MOST OPTIMISTIC OF THE CHARLIE ONES), BUT THIS IS A SUBJECT WHERE I MAKE AN EXCEPTION. I'LL DO MY BEST TOO, PULL ANY FAVORS I HAVE AND CHECK MY CONTACTS TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO, BUT IT'D NEED NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE TO PAY OFF. ANYWAY, I HAVE A FEELING WE NEED TO DROP THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC NOW, ONE OF THE DIs DROPPED A SUBTLE HINT AT LUNCH BREAK EARLIER TODAY THAT IT'S A SENSITIVE TOPIC; WE SHOULDN'T ANGER THE SPOOKS TOO BADLY THIS LATE INTO WAR, AIGHT? |ENCRYPTED SECTION: BUT MAN, SOME OF THESE DAYS I REALLY WISH I GOT TO KICK SOME OF THOSE GUYS IN THE GROIN, GROUND POUNDER STYLE. JUST ONCE, AND I'D BE HAPPY.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
YEAH, GET THE SPI SUITS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE; IF THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO USE THEM, WE MIGHT AS WELL MAKE SURE THEY BECOME ONE WITH IT BY GIVING THEM SOME MONTHS OF IN-SUIT TRAINING. RICH WOULDN'T HAVE ANY REASON TO COMPLAIN, IN FACT HE'LL PROBABLY ASSUME THAT IT'LL SPEED UP THE PROJECT'S COMPLETION. AND THANKS FOR PLACING YOUR FAITH IN ME LIKE THIS; YOU MAY BE A GRUNT, BUT YOU'RE AN OKAY GRUNT. NOT TO MENTION IT'S A PLUS THAT YOU'RE NOT CARRYING METHANE REBREATHERS UNLIKE OUR ALIEN FRIENDS. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: OOH, ANOTHER RULEBREAKER. FASCINATING. BUT I PREFER TO GET AWAY WITH RULEBREAKING (NOT THAT WE'RE TECHNICALLY BREAKING ANY RULES - THEY HAVEN'T SPECIFICALLY FORBIDDEN US FROM CHECKING UP RKD'S ARMOR SYSTEMS. I PREFER TO CALL IT "STRETCHING THE RULES"), SO I'LL BE CAREFUL. I'VE ALREADY MANAGED TO LEARN SOME THINGS THOUGH; TURNS OUT RKD DISASSEMBLED AT LEAST ONE OF THEIR PREVIOUS PROTOTYPES FOR PARTS, PROBABLY ONE OR TWO MORE TOO. BUT THEY HAVE A CONFERENCE BOOKED WITH THE ORDNANCE COMMITTEE. IF IT ISN'T TO SHOW OFF THEIR LATEST PROTOTYPE, I'LL EAT MY MJOLNIR ARMOR. I'VE PULLED FAVORS WITHIN HIGHCOM TO GET A COUPLE OF CONTACTS INTO THE COMMITTEE BEFORE THAT CONFERENCE, SO WITH ANY LUCK WE CAN PROCURE IT. BUT THAT'S JUST ONE SUIT. I'LL KEEP MY EYES OPEN FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES (AS SOON AS I'VE FOUND A WAY TO GET PAST KALMIYA WITHOUT HER NOTICING, I'LL BE ABLE TO RECOVER DATA ON PROJECT MJOLNIR - EASIER SAID THAN DONE AS SHE WAS MADE FROM HALSEY'S BRAIN).|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
TRUE, I WOULDN'T WANT ACKERSON IN MY LIFE EITHER; HE'S ABOUT AS SPOOKY AS SPOOKS COME. HARD TO BELIEVE HE WAS ONCE A GROUND POUNDER LIKE YOU. AS FOR HEADHUNTER, THAT'S SOMETHING I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT (NOR AM I MEANT TO KNOW, I'LL BET). |ENCRYPTED SECTION: SADLY, I HAVE FEWER CLEARANCES THAN YOU, AND MY CONTACTS IN BETA-5 AREN'T CHATTY. HEADHUNTER HAS BEEN MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES THOUGH, AS HAS AN ENIGMATIC FELLA KNOWN AS DRACULA THAT ACKERSON DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW ABOUT. THEN THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED NOBLE (SEEMS TO BE CONNECTED TO SPECIAL WARFARE COMMMAND - IT HAS FAR LESS CLEARANCES THAN ONI UNITS, SO MAYBE YOU COULD TAKE A PEEK?), WHICH MAY ALSO BE CONNECTED TO HEADHUNTER SOMEHOW. THEN THERE'S SOMEBODY CALLED AMBROSE. WOULD YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM THAN ME? I HAVE A FEELING HE'S NOT REALLY PART OF LOGISTICS COMMAND AS HIS RECORD SAYS HE IS.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
343 IS A FIREY ONE, TRUE (LITERALLY SOMETIMES - I CAUGHT HER THE OTHER DAY PICKPOCKETING A LIGHTER OFF ONE OF THE DIs). BUT I THINK SHE WON'T BE ANY REAL TROUBLE. BUT I'M KEEPING EYES AND EARS OPEN AS ALWAYS, JUST IN CASE. THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY THING ALL THESE YEARS IN COVERT OPS HAVE TAUGHT ME; TO ALWAYS BE VIGILANT.
YEAH, COOPERATION BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT TEAMS ONCE THEY GET INTO THE FIELD IS GOING TO BE VITAL. WITH THEIR LACKING EQUIPMENT, THEY'LL NEED IT EVEN MORE THAN ME AND THE OTHER CHARLIE ONES. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: THANKS FOR BACKING ME. I WAS AFRAID FOR A MOMENT I WOULD HAVE ALL THE EXCITEMENT FOR MYSELF. OH, WELL, WE'LL DO OUR BEST RIGHT? EVEN IF WE DO GET CAUGHT AND END OUR DAYS POLISHING SHOES ON THE STREETS OF A BACKWATER PLANET LIKE MINISTER. OR, WELL, YOU'D END UP LIKE THAT; I'M A SUPERSOLDIER, SO I'M PRETTY VALUABLE. AT MOST, I GUESS I'D END UP WITH A CAT-2 COMMISSION AND START PUSHING PAPERS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; TO: CPT LASZLO KATONA; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
I ADMIRE YOUR OPTIMISM, CAPTAIN. I WORRY EVERY DAY ABOUT THIS DAMN WAR, ABOUT THE COVENANT. HOW SOON BEFORE THEY'RE AT REACH, AT EARTH? HOW SOON UNTIL WE'VE REALLY GOT OUR BACK AGAINST THE WALL? I CAN'T ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, AND IT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT. THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE, AFTER THE WAR, IS A LUXURY I DON'T HAVE. I GUESS WHEN YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH AS MUCH AS YOU HAVE, YOU TEND TO VIEW THE WORLD FROM A BRIGHTER POINT OF VIEW. OR MAYBE YOU'RE JUST NATURALLY CHEERY? (THOUGH YOU'VE ALSO GOT TO WONDER, DID SCHOOLCHILDREN 500 YEARS AGO EVER DREAM SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN?). I KNOW NO ONE FIFTY YEARS AGO COULD. AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF BORED SCHOOLCHILRDEN? I THOUGHT YOU SIERRA'S WERE ALL MODEL STUDENTS!
MAYBE YOU'RE GOOD NOT TO GET TOO CYNICAL, BUT THESE DAYS I JUST CAN'T HELP IT. IF IT'S NOT THE INTEL REPORTS ON OUR LATEST COLONY LOST, IT'S THE DAMN DREAMS I KEEP HAVING OF THE TRAINEES WHEN I FIRST PICKED THEM. UNSURPRISINGLY, MY DREAMS CONVIENTELY IGNORE ALL THE EASY CHOICES - TAKING THE KIDS FROM ABUSIVE FAMILIES OR HELLHOLE ORPHANAGES - AND CONTINOUSLY REPLAY THE IMAGES OF THE HAPPY, SMILING FAMILIES. I KNOW YOU CHARLIE ONES ARE ALL DEVOTED TO HALSEY, BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I HATE HER. I WISH SHE'D NEVER DREAMT UP THE IDEA OF THIS PROGRAM, SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE CHOSEN ME. IT'S SELFISH AND TERRIBLE, BUT I CAN'T HELP IT. I GUESS I'LL LEAVE OPTIMISM FOR YOU, AND CYNICISM FOR ME. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: THE GROIN, SON? I MEAN, I KNOW A DI WHOSE MOONLIGHTING AS A SPOOK WHO WOULD DESERVE IT, BUT YOU CALL YOURSELF A GROUNDPOUNDER? THAT'S A KID'S PUNCH, MY BOY. GO FOR THE JAW. IT AIN'T BUILT FOR LATERAL IMPACT.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
AS FOR GETTING THE SUITS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, I'M ALREADY ON IT. RICH IS BEING A LITTLE FINICKY, BUT HE SHOULD COME THROUGH. IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S SOME UNEXPECTED EXPENSE; WE ALREADY KNEW AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE PRICE OF THE SUITS (WHICH, REALLY, IS PRACTICALLY NONEXISTENT). HOPEFULLY, THE ORDER SHOULD BE IN WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: I PREFER TO CALL IT AS IT IS AND JUST ADMIT TO IT BEING RULEBREAKING WITHOUT ANY LOOPHOLES, BUT I GUESS YOU'RE TECHNICALLY RIGHT. EVEN SO, IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE GONE AGAINST ONI ON THIS PROJECT. DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN I WAS INITIALLY INTERVIEWING THE CANDIDATES, THEY FORBID ME FROM TAKING ANY OF THEM ON THE SPOT, EVEN IF THEY WERE IN CRITICAL DANGER? DAMNED BURCREATIC BASTARDS. YOU CAN GUESS HOW LONG THAT RULE LASTED. AS FOR THE RKD PROTOTYPE DISPLAY CONFERENCE, I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR REPORT ON THAT. EVEN IF WE CAN ONLY GET ONE SUIT, IT'S STILL BETTER THAN NOTHING. IT MIGHT PRESENT A CHALLENGE FOR A TEAM DYNAMIC, WITH ONE MEMBER GETTING AN ADVANCED SUIT AND THE REST BEING STUCK WITH SPI, BUT IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING. AS FOR KALMIYA BEING CLONED FROM HALSEY'S BRAIN, HOW DOES THAT ONE WORK? I THOUGHT THE AI PROCESS DESTROYED THE HOST BRAIN?|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
HARD TO BELIEVE INDEED. ONE OF MY OLD CO'S SERVED WITH ACKERSON BACK DURING TREBUCHET, SAID HE WAS AS GOOD OF A SOLDIER AS IT COMES. I WONDER WHAT CHANGED. LORD KNOWS HE'S NOT A GROUNDPOUNDER ANYMORE, IN ANY SENSE OF THE WORD.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: I DID SOME DIGGING, AND FOUND A FEW INTERESTING DETAILS ABOUT HEADHUNTER AND THE LIKE. THAT BETA-5 CLUE HELPED A LOT - SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS A GREAT WAY TO REFINE A SEARCH. AT ANY RATE, I FOUND A FEW REPORTS ON HEADHUNTER, AND WHILE THEY DIDN'T MENTION ORIGIN, THEY DID LIST AN EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE CSV. IF I WERE TO TAKE A WILD GUESS, I'D SAY SIERRAS. PROBLEM IS, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHERE THEY CAME FROM. EVERYTHING ELSE IS LOCKED DOWN TOO TIGHT FOR ME. AS FOR DRACULA, I CAME UP EMPTY. THERE WERE A FEW FILES FLOATING AROUND, BUT THEY'D ALL BEEN WIPED. I COULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TRACK THAT DOWN. NOBLE, THOUGH, IS A DIFFERENT STORY. YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THEM BEING NAVSPECWAR; THEIR CLASSIFICATIONS REALLY AREN'T AS GOOD. I MANAGED TO SNAG A UNIT ROSTER, AND THEY'RE DEFINITELY SIERRAS. THEIR TAGS ARE HIGHER THAN NORMAL, THOUGH, SO THEY'RE EITHER S-III'S OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT ENTIRELY. AGAIN, NO INFORMATION ON THEIR ORIGINS, JUST A ROSTER AND A CSV. AND JUST TO HUMOR YOU, I DID A SEARCH ON AMBROSE AND MANAGED TO DIG SOME STUFF UP ON HIM TOO. NOT MUCH, BUT HIS NAME IS DEFINITELY "KURT AMBROSE" AND HE'S GOT A FILE THAT'S SO REDACTED IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE SPILLED A BUCKET OF PAINT ON IT.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
THE LIGHTER DOESN'T SURPRISE ME. DID YOU KNOW [S-343] WAS ACTUALLY PLAYING WITH TWO OF THEM WHEN I INTERVIEWED HER? THE WAY SHE WAS LIGHTING THINGS UP, I WAS AFRAID SHE'D BURN DOWN THE WHOLE BUILDING. AS FOR VIGILANCE FOR SIGNS OF SPOOK TREACHERY AND COOPERATION'S IMPORTANCE IN THE FIELD, I HAVE TO AGREE ON BOTH COUNTS. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: I DID SHOE SHINING LONG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT, THOUGH, SHOULD WE END UP CAUGHT AND DEMOTED. THE REAL QUESTION IS WHETHER YOU COULD DEAL WITH BEING STUCK AT A DESK.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: CPT LASZLO KATONA; TO: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
MY, AREN'T YOU LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE? LET ME ASK YOU THIS; WOULD YOU RATHER DIE CONSTANTLY WORRIED, UNABLE TO SLEEP BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN, OR DIE WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE, KNOWING AND ACCEPTING THAT YOU'VE DONE YOUR BEST TO HAVE A GOOD LIFE, REGARDLESS OF HOW SHORT THAT LIFE WAS? THINK ON THAT - YOU MIGHT START AGREEING WITH ME THEN. (WELL, SCIENCE FICTION WAS SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE AT THAT TIME, I IMAGINE THERE'D BE DREAMING AMONG THOSE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS). AND YES, SIERRAS ARE MODEL STUDENTS. DOESN'T MEAN EVERYBODY WANTS TO ACT LIKE IT (AKA ME). THOUGH I CAN HONESTLY SAY I DO MY BEST AT BEING HUMBLE, IT'S HARD NOT TO STICK OUT WHEN YOU HAVE 168 IQ AND LEARNED HOW TO BREAK INTO YOUR PA'S PASSWORD-PROTECTED TITANIUM SAFE AT AGE FIVE.
PUT IT BEHIND YOU; THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO NOW ABOUT TAKING THE KIDS, JUST AS I COULDN'T PREVENT MY OWN KIDNAPPING. BUT WHO SAID ALL CHARLIE ONES ARE ALL DEVOTED TO HALSEY? I KNOW THAT I'M NOT A FAN. MAYBE IT'S NOT AS BAD NOW AS AFTER MY CONSCRIPTION, BUT I CAN'T SAY I REALLY LIKE HER EVEN NOW. I DO REGRET BREAKING HER NOSE AND LIP AND GIVING HER BLACK EYES EARLY IN TRAINING, THOUGH. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: AS FOR MY HISTORY WITH HALSEY (I IMAGINE YOU'RE PRETTY CURIOUS NOW), HERE'S THE DEAL; MUM TAUGHT HER AT UNIVERSITY (YSIONRIS JEROMI WASN'T THE ONLY ONE TO TEACH HER, SEE), AND THE TWO WERE ON FRIENDLY TERMS, SO WHEN SHE CAME OVER ONE DAY, I NATURALLY TREATED HER AS WELL AS ANY OTHER FRIEND OF MY MUM'S. I IMAGINE YOU CAN GUESS WHAT I FELT WHEN I WAS ABDUCTED A FEW WEEKS LATER AND THEN LEARNED IT WAS THAT VERY SAME PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. SO, ONE DAY, I ENTERED HER OFFICE ALONE AND SIMPLY WENT BERSERK, UNTIL MENDEZ AND TWO DIS ARRIVED AND SUBDUED ME. I'D ELABORATE FURTHER ON THE SUBJECT IF I WAS PROUD OF IT, WHICH I'M NOT.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
GOOD, I JUST RECEIVED A NOTICE OF THE IMPENDING SHIPMENT. THE RECRUITS ARE EXCITED ABOUT HAVING THEIR IN-SUIT TRAINING SO SOON, THOUGH I'M UNSURE IF IT'S BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE IDEA OF RECEIVING ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, OR JUST BECAUSE IT'LL LET THEM USE GREATER AMOUNT OF FORCE IN THE EXCERCISES. I'LL HAZARD A GUESS AND SAY IT'S A LITTLE OF BOTH. HOW ABOUT YOU? |ENCRYPTED SECTION: JESUS, IT'S A GOOD THING YOU DEFIED THAT ORDER AND TOOK THEM ANYWAY; GOD KNOWS, THERE'S FEW ENOUGH CANDIDATES AS IT IS. AS FOR KALMIYA, I IMAGINE HALSEY FLASH-CLONED HER BRAIN AND CREATED THE AI THAT WAY. IT'S POSSIBLE TO USE, BUT IN MOST CASES INEFFICIENT, AS MOST BRAINS DON'T SURVIVE THE PROCESS LONG ENOUGH TO CREATE AIS FROM THEM - NOT TO MENTION, IT'S FANTASTICALLY ILLEGAL. BY THE WAY, I GOT PAST HER SOMETIME AGO, AND I MANAGED TO TAG A FEW SUITS GOING TO ALGOLIS. I'LL TRY TO KEEP A TAB ON THOSE, THEY COULD PROVE USEFUL.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
WITH ACKERSON TURNING FROM HONEST SOLDIER TO A SPOOK, MAYBE IT STARTED LIKE YOU? GREW COMFORTABLE WITH THE NEW ROLE OVER TIME? IF SO, YOU SHOULD WATCH OUT SO YOU DON'T END UP THE SAME. OF COURSE, HE COULD'VE BEEN LIKE THAT FROM THE START, BUT DIDN'T GET TO SHOW IT UNTIL HIS ONI ENLISTMENT. I FIND IT CURIOUS THAT HE'S STILL MARRIED - HE DOESN'T SEEM THE TYPE WHO WOULD TAKE DAYS OFF TO BE WITH THE WIFE OR HESITATE TO ASSIGN FAMILY MEMBERS TO SUICIDE MISSIONS. SPEAKING OF WHICH, I NEVER ASKED, YOU GOT FAMILY YOURSELF? |ENCRYPTED SECTION: IF IT'S RELATED TO S-III, I THINK HEADHUNTER IS SIERRAS TOO. AND NOBLE SEEMS INTERESTING, I'LL HAVE TO KEEP IT IN MIND (THERE'S A CHANCE WE COULD FUNNEL ONE OR TWO OF OUR SPARTANS TO IT - RATHER THAT THAN HAVING THEM END UP AS ANOTHER GENERATION OF RICH'S LEONIDAN GRIM REAPERS). AND THANKS FOR THE INTEL ON AMBROSE. IT'S A FUNNY THING; I ONCE KNEW SOMEBODY NAMED KURT, A CHARLIE ONE LIKE MYSELF. GOOD MAN, A LITTLE LIKE ME IN HIS RESPECT FOR NON-SPARTAN PERSONNEL AND HABIT TO MAKE FRIENDS. WISH HE STILL LIVED.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
YEAH, I KNEW 343 WAS OBSESSED WITH PRYOMANIA EVEN THAT EARLY ON, READ IT IN HER PSYCHE PROFILE. I NOTIFIED THE PSYCHOLOGISTS ABOUT THIS RECENT INCIDENT. OF COURSE, IF WE LET THEM DECIDE WHO ARE FIT FOR DUTY OR NOT, WE'D BE DOWN TO A DOZEN CANDIDATES. I WON'T CHOP HER FROM THE ROSTER FOR THAT - SHE HASN'T CAUSED ANY INCIDENTS SO FAR, NO REASON SHE WOULD NOW. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: YEAH, THAT ANSWER'S SIMPLE; I COULDN'T. I'M NOT SITTING ON MY ASS AND LETTING OTHERS FIGHT FOR ME. WHICH IS WHY I'LL NEVER HAVE A NORMAL FAMILY, I GUESS. NO KISSING A WIFE GOODBYE BEFORE HEADING OFF TO WORK, TEACHING THE FIRST KID TO WALK OR WRITING A WILL FOR MY CHILDREN ON MY DEATHBED FOR ME. I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO SETTLE FOR HOPING FOR A REAL FUNERAL WITH AN ACTUAL TOMBSTONE.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; TO: CPT LASZLO KATONA; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
WELL, YOU'VE GOT A BIT OF A POINT THERE ABOUT STAYING UP-BEAT, BUT TRY AS I MIGHT, YOUR OPTIMISM ELUDES ME. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS JOB FOR ALMOST NINE YEARS, AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT WHEN I JOINED THE MILITARY, I NEVER PLANNED ON RECRUITING LITTLE KIDS TO BE HIGH-TECH CHILD SOLDIERS, AND NEVER EXPECTED TO SEE THE LIST OF PEOPLE AND PLANETS I KNOW SHRINK DAILY AS THEY WERE KILLED AND DESTROYED. IT WEIGHS ON ME, HOWEVER MUCH I WANT IT NOT TOO. AND I GUESS YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE PEOPLE BACK THEN. THEY DID LOVE THEIR SCIENCE FICTION. AND DIDN'T YOU KNOW IQ SCORES ARE COMPLETELY OVERRATED? ALL THAT PLACEMENT VARIATION AND CRAP.
I KNOW, MENTALLY, THAT YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT PUTTING THE KIDNAPPINGS BEHIND ME, BUT IT'S STILL DIFFICULT. THIS JOB ISN'T HELPING ANY. AUGMENTATIONS ARE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER AND WE ALL KNOW THE PROBABILITIES. I LOOK AT THESE KIDS AND WONDER WHO WILL BE LEFT IN A YEARS TIME, OR TWO. IT'S DIFFICULT. I KNOW YOU STRUGGLE WITH IT TOO, SO I DON'T HAVE TO REMIND YOU, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT SOMEHOW WHEN YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SELECTED THEM.
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE SUITS, JUST TO HOPE IT'LL IMPROVE SURVIVABILITY. THE SIERRA THREES WHO DID LIVE PRACTICE WITH THEIR SPI BEFORE DEPLOYMENT ALL SEEMED TO HAVE DONE BETTER ONCE LIVE INTO THE FIELD, SO AT LEAST OUR KIDS WILL HAVE SOMETHING GOING FOR THEM, EVEN IF FATE HAS TURNED AGAINST THEM. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: YES, I RECKON IT WAS GOOD THAT I TOOK THEM WHEN I DID. NOT LIKE I HAD ANY CHOICE, THOUGH. WHATEVER ONI SAID, I COULDN'T JUST SIT AROUND AND WATCH THEM DIE, COULD I? AND BY SUITS, YOU DON'T MEAN MJOLNIR, DO YOU? WE CAN'T BE THAT LUCKY, NOT AFTER ALL THIS, CAN WE? |ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
AS FOR ACKERSON, I CAN HONESTLY SAY I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE HE WAS A GOOD SOLDIER WHO GOT ROPED INTO THE WRONG CROWD; MAYBE HE WAS A BAD ONE ALL ALONG AND JUST NEEDED AN EXCUSE. AS FOR HIS WIFE, I COULDN'T SPECULATE. IN RESPONSE TO BOTH QUESTIONS, I'M NOT MARRIED AND THE MILITARY HAS TAKEN ANY CHANCE OF THAT. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: I CAN'T ARGUE WITH YOUR LOGIC, WHAT WITH HEADHUNTER'S CLOSE LINK TO BETA-5 AND S-III; THEY'VE GOT TO BE SIERRAS. AS FOR NOBLE, I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DIG UP. MORE BACKUP FOR OUR KIDS CAN NEVER BE A BAD THING. I'M SORRY TO REMIND YOU ABOUT KURT, THOUGH. HE WENT DOWN DURING DEEP SPACE RECON, DIDN'T HE? TERRIBLE WASTE, IF YOU ASK ME.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
AS FOR 343, I'M INCLINED TO AGREE. WHATEVER INSTABILITIES SHE OR ANY OF THE OTHERS HAVE, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO AXE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE LIST (AND IF WE WERE TO CUT HER, WE'D HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT MOST OF THESE KIDS AREN'T CUT OUT FOR THIS - 347'S DANGEROUSLY SELF ABSORBED, 341'S INSUBORDINATE, 332 IS A FLIRT (OF ALL THINGS), AND A HALF DOZEN OTHERS HAVE DEPRESSION, ANGER, AND TRAUMATIC DISORDERS FROM THE LOSS OF THEIR FAMILIES).|ENCRYPTED SECTION: YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU THINK YOU'LL NEVER, EVER HAVE A LIFE BEYOND CONFLICT, AND YOU CALL ME THE CYNICAL ONE? I CAN'T IMAGINE A LIFE BEYOND THE WAR; YOU CAN'T IMAGINE ONE WITHOUT WAR AT ALL.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: CPT LASZLO KATONA; TO: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
LIFE NEVER GOES AS EXPECTED; IF YOU BUILD UP LONG-RANGE EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT LIFE WILL BE, YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. ONLY WAY TO AVOID THIS? GET RID OF EXPECTATIONS, AND JUST GO WITH THE FLOW AT ALL TIMES. NOW, ABOUT THE IQ THING, NOW THAT MY PHISOPICAL STATEMENT OF THE WEEK IS OUT OF THE WAY; JUST BECAUSE IT'S OVERRATED IT DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T HAVE ITS USES. 'SIDES, I WAS JUST POINTING I OUT I'VE GOT A FAIR BIT OF INTELLIGENCE (HARD TO BELIEVE, I KNOW). |ENCRYPTED SECTION: IF IT'S ANY CONSOLATION WITH YOUR GUILT, YOU'RE LUCKY NOT TO BE WITH COVERT OPS; THE MISSIONS I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF ARE SOMETIMES DIRTIER THAN ANY COVENANT ATTACK. FOR EXAMPLE, I'M CERTAIN THAT YOU'VE NEVER HAD TO HOLD CHILDREN HOSTAGE SIMPLY TO MAKE SURE THEIR INNIE PARENT(S) AGREE TO A TRUCE WITH THE UNSC. OR KILL ASTRONAVIGATORS THAT JUST BLESSED YOUR ARRIVAL AND BEGGED YOU TO SAVE THEM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T FALL INTO ENEMY HANDS.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
OH, AND MOST OF THE CANDIDATEST HAVE HAD A COUPLE SESSIONS WITH THE SUITS NOW. MOST OF THEM WERE IN GOOD SPIRITS - NOT 343, THOUGH. SHE DECIDED TO CALL IT GARBAGE AFTER MAKING A DENT IN 347's HARNESS WITH HER UNARMED HAND. BUT COME TO THINK OF IT, IT MIGHT'VE JUST BEEN BECAUSE SHE BROKE HER KNUCKLE IN DOING SO. SHE HAD TO SKIP TWO HOURS OF TRAINING TO FIX IT (TO 347's DELIGHT). OTHERWISE IT WENT WELL; I'M PROUD OF HOW FAST THEY'RE ADAPTING TO IT (AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE 341, 311, 319, 327 AND 303 FROM CRIMSON TEAM STARTING A SCAVENGER HUNT FOR TECH TO UPGRADE THE SUITS WITH: THEY'RE SO ADORABLE - MISCHIEVOUS, BUT ADORABLE - AREN'T THEY? LIKE PUPPIES, OR INFANTS). |ENCRYPTED SECTION: I'M POSITIVE; MJOLNIR ARMOR, TAGGED AND ON THE WAY TO ALGOLIS FOR STORAGE. BUT I'VE ONLY MANAGED TO TAG THEM - I DON'T THINK ANYONE SHORT OF THE SECURITY COMMITTEE OR DIRECTOR PARANGOSKY HAS ENOUGH CLOUT TO GET THE SUITS OUT OF STORAGE. AND THE BOYS AT ALGOLIS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR VERY SECURE FACILITIES (I HAVE FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE TO PROVE IT). BUT IN CASE THE COVENANT FIND THE PLANET, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO EXTRACT THEM AFTER SECURITY'S DOWN AND BEFORE THE COVENANT GET TO THEM; ENSURING THEY DON'T GET WASTED.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
YOU REALLY SHOULD FIND YOURSELF A WOMAN; I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT SOME KISSING WOULD DO YOU GOOD. AT LEAST IT'D BE BETTER THAN BUYING SUCH SERVICES ON THE BROTHEL ON GILGAMESH. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: YES, IT'S A WASTE THAT KURT WAS LOST ON THAT RECON. IT'D HAVE BEEN BETTER IF HE LIVED AND WAS THE ONE CHOSEN TO TRAIN THESE KIDS INSTEAD OF ME; HE WAS A NATURAL LEADER. BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO DO ABOUT THAT NOW; I'LL HONOR HIM AND ALL THE OTHER FALLEN SPARTANS IN MY OWN WAY. SPEAKING OF SIERRAS, ADDITIONAL DIGGING INTO SPECWARCOM GROUP THREE DATABASES SHOW THAT NOBLE ISN'T THE ONLY "SPECIAL" TEAM OF OPERATORS; THERE'S ALSO UNITS CALLED [ROYAL], [GAUNTLET] AND [ECHO], MAYBE MORE THAN THAT. WHAT'S MORE IS THAT THE GROUP'S CO IS URBAN HOLLAND - I THINK YOU'RE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT HE'S A LEGEND IN SPECWARCOM. I'M NOT SURPRISED HE'S BEEN CHOSEN TO COMMAND SIERRA UNITS (MAYBE WE SHOULD CONSIDER ASSIGNING ONE OR TWO OF THE ARES TEAMS TO HIS COMMAND? I'D SLEEP BETTER KNOWING HE'S ONE OF THE OFFICERS COMMANDING MY MEN).|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
AS FOR THE CANDIDATES AND THEIR "ISSUES", YOU SAID IT. AND CUT 332 SOME SLACK; I THINK SHE PICKED IT UP FROM ME. AND AS I SAID ABOVE, 341 IS ADORABLE - WHEN HE ISN'T RUNNING HIS MOUTH LIKE CRAZY. 347 WORRIES ME, THOUGH; ARROGANCE NEVER GETS YOU FAR IN THIS LINE OF WORK.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: ACTUALLY, THAT'S VERY OPTIMISTIC THINKING FOR A SPARTAN. MOST OF US EXPECT TO DIE NOT JUST IN THE FIELD, BUT UNNAMED. AT LEAST I WANT A TOMBSTONE. AND BESIDES, I DO A LOT OF IMAGINING; IT'S JUST THAT I CAN'T MAKE MYSELF LIVE PEACEFULLY WHILE THERE'S OTHERS THAT DON'T AND NEED MY HELP. WERE IT NOT FOR THAT, I MAY HAVE DEFECTED YEARS AGO - I HONESTLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE UNSC (TREASON AS IT IS TO SAY THAT THESE DAYS, AT LEAST IF YOU'RE EMPLOYED WITH SECTION THREE), LET ALONE ONI. WHAT I CARE ABOUT IS MY FAMILY, MY COMRADES AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T FEND FOR THEMSELVES. CALL ME TRAITOR IF YOU WANT, BUT THAT'S HOW IT IS.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
PROJECT: ARES INTERNAL MESSAGE
(FROM: COL GRIFFIN STANDOFF; TO: CPT LASZLO KATONA; SUBJECT: PROJECT ARES)
YOU'RE RIGHT ON THAT ONE, FRIEND. LIFE IS NEVER NEAT AND TIDY. I'VE LEARNED THAT THE HARD WAY THESE PAST FEW YEARS, AND THE THINGS I'VE DONE HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY TAME…WELL, BY ONI STANDARDS AT LEAST. EVEN SO, I CAN'T HELP REMEMBERING BETTER DAYS. EVERYTHING USED TO MAKE SENSE, HAVE AN ORDER, AND WE ALL USED TO HAVE A FUTURE. AND THAT'S A PROSPECT THAT'S SHRINKING QUICKER THAN MY HAIRLINE. AND DON'T TUTE YOUR OWN HORN TO MUCH, SON. YOU CAN KEEP YOUR 168 IQ SCORE. I'LL KEEP MY THREE BIOENGINEERING AND NEURAL STUDIES DEGREES. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: IF THOSE HORROR STORIES ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, THEN I THINK YOU NEED TO REEVALUATE YOUR METHODS. YOU WILL DEFINITELY NOT MAKE OUTSTANDING MORALE LIFTER OF THE YEAR WITH THOSE KINDS OF UGLY ONI STORIES, LAZ. I DO THANK GOD EVERY DAY THOUGH I NEVER ENDED UP IN SPECIAL OPERATIONS. I DON'T LIKE THE WEAKNESS OF IT, BUT I'M NOT SURE I COULD SLOT SOMEONE IN THE COLD LIKE THAT, EVEN IF I WANTED TO.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
GOOD TO KNOW THEY'LL TOLERATE THE ARMOR WELL ENOUGH TO USE IT. THAT'S ONE BURDEN LIFTED, IF ONLY A LITTLE. AND DID ANYTHING PROVOKE 343? OR DID SHE JUST GO OFF ON 347? (NOT THAT'D I'D BLAME HER; I TRY TO STAY PRETTY NEUTRAL AND STAY FAIR, BUT THAT GIRL REALLY IS A HANDFUL - I'D REGRET GIVING HER A TEAM, IF SHE WASN'T SO DAMNED TALENTED) BESIDES THE ONES YOU NAMED (OUR CREAM OF THE CROP), HOW ARE THE OTHERS HOLDING UP WITH IT? I'M GETTING VERY WORRIED ABOUT SOME OF THEM. THE DISPARITIES IN THEIR GENETIC MATCHUP ARE REALLY STARTING TO BECOME MORE APPARENT (YOUR PROBABLY ALREADY AWARE, BUT I SAW THAT 338'S PROFICIENCY WITH SNIPER WEAPONRY IS EXPONENTIALLY BETTER THAN ARE WEAKER RECRUITS, 343 IS MATCHING THAT WITH CLOSE COMBAT, AND 341 - WELL, HE MAY BE A LITTLE SHIT, BUT HE'S GOOD WITH EVERYTHING). I DON'T WANT KIDS FALLING BEHIND. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: THAT POTENTIAL ALGOLIS RETRIEVAL WILL BE ONE INTERESTING MISSION THEN, FOR WHOEVER IS NEAREST. I WOULDN'T BE JEALOUS OF ANYONE TRYING TO GRAB CLASSIFIED TECH IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INVASION (THOUGH I GUESS THE ENGINEERS END UP DOING THAT EVERY TIME THE COVENANT ATTACK, COUNTING THE COLE PROTOCOL AND EVERYTHING). I GUESS THE QUESTION NOW IS WHETHER WE TELL THE RECRUITS ABOUT IT OR JUST MAKE NOTE OF IT FOR USE LATER.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
FIND MYSELF A WOMAN? THERE'S AN IDEA, IF I EVER HEARD ONE. TELL YOU WHAT: YOU SET IT UP, AND I'LL GLADLY OBLIGE IN SOME ROMANCE (AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BROTHEL'S, ANYWAY?)|ENCRYPTED SECTION: THAT'S THE NATURE OF WAR I GUESS. SOME OF US GET GRAND, HEROIC DEATHS, AND THE REST OF US END UP BEING SLOTTED BECAUSE OF BAD LUCK AND RANDOM CHANCE. AND I THINK YOU DISCREDIT YOURSELF TO MUCH. THE RECRUITS REALLY DO LOOK UP TO YOU AND RESPECT YOU, AND THAT SAYS A LOT. I'M CERTAINLY GRATEFUL. I'VE READ THE FILES ON SOME OF THE OTHER CHARLIE ONES, AND THERES MORE THAN A FEW I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO WORK WITH. I READ UP ON A FEW ([S-013] AND [S-144), AND I SWEAR I WOULD SHOOT MYSELF IF I HAD TO WORK WITH THOSE KINDS OF NUTTERS. AND GOOD WORK FINDING THOSE OTHER SPARTAN GROUPS; IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME HOW (WITH SECURITY CLEARANCES WELL BELOW MY OWN) YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO FIND THESE SO EASILY. AND YES, I KNOW ABOUT HOLLAND. HE DEFINITELY SEEMS THE TYPE TO RUN A CONTINGENT OF SIERRAS. IF WE CAN SWING IT, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH MAKING CONTACT WITH HIM. WORK YOUR CONTACTS, AND I'LL WORK ON THE BRASS.|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
I'M SURE HALSEY WOULD BE SHITTING BRICKS IF SHE KNEW ONE OF HER SPARTANS WAS SUCH A BAD INFLUENCE ON THE YOUTH. WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT THAT A SIERRA IN TRAINING WOULD PICK UP SLEAZY HABITS - FROM ANOTHER SPARTAN? AND 341, ADORABLE? REALLY SON? YOU REALLY DO LIKE CRIMSON, DON'T YOU? (AS FOR 347, I'M GOING TO ENROLE HER IN SOME COUNSELING SESSIONS TO HOPEFULLY IRON HER ARROGANCE OUT. OUR TEAM LEADERS CAN'T AFFORD TO BE OVERCONFIDENT; WITH ALL THEIR INHERENT DISADVANTAGES, THEY'LL END UP GETTING THEIR PEOPLE KILLED. |ENCRYPTED SECTION: I HOPE YOU'RE NOT OFFENDED, BUT YOU REALLY DO PUZZLE ME. ONE SECOND YOU ACT LIKE A NORMAL PERSON, INDEPENDENT AND SOVEREIGN, AND THE NEXT YOU ACCEPT YOUR FATE LIKE IT'S SET IN STONE. WE LIVE IN VERY DIFFERENT WORLDS (AS IF IT NEEDED POINTING OUT). AND I'M NOT GOING TO TURN YOU INTO SECTION 0 FOR A FEW UNKIND WORDS ABOUT THE UNSC, DON'T WORRY. I'VE GOT NO LOVE FOR ONI, AND THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE IT'S MY DUTY. YOUR NO MORE OF A TRAITOR THAN I AM (AND PROBABLY LESS OF ONE THAN 341, THE CONNIVING BASTARD).|ENCRYPTED SECTION: END|
AN: Wow, so when I decided to put these up here, I never intended for updates to take more than a month. In the future, updates should take no more than a month, and frequently should occur every two weeks. Please, read and review.