SECTION
0 EC-468
Time: 1045 hours
Date: April 25, 2554 (Military Calendar)
Location: EC-468, planet Oki VI, Tokugawa System
The Tokugawa System…
One of the few remaining systems that have yet to see a Covenant invasion… It was nestled deep within the far reaches of space, where there were fewer human colonies inhabiting the planets here. Planet Oki VI was just one of few that saw human life, where humans came to build peaceful lives, away from the action and the garrulousness that Earth had. This was a place of peace, a place of quietness.
A lush planet that could very well be called Earth, it offered much more than what the human world of origin had to offer. Everything here was just perfect. Forests blanketed the lands while oceans rolled in its territories. Deserts stretched out for miles, only to be met with minute oasis scattered throughout the parched lands. It seems that this planet was untouched when man arrived, only to be carefully built upon, integrating technology with the nature the planet provided. Land was not cleared, but instead, the homes were built in small clearings, making tiny scattered villages. Other places had to call for larger land allotment, but this was done in great care so as not to upset the delicate balance. The populace thrived, but did not increase greatly. They did not want to overpopulate as they did on Earth, and carefully watched their own people. However, it was also in one of the colonies that my parents were wed, and a few years later, I was born.
I was born to a couple by the names of Master Chief Petty Officer Satoshi Miyazaki and Chief Petty Officer Cassandra Miyazaki. I was a healthy Japanese-European girl, happy and enjoying my freedom on Earth Colony EC-468. It was a time of peace after so long, as my hero, the one whom they called the 'Master Chief,' had pushed the Covenant to the point that they were suppressed and could not attack. They had battled on many artificial worlds that these aliens called 'Halo,' destroying them one by one. However, the Covenant force was rebuilding and launching their attacks again from many areas of various systems, and from what the reports said, they were attacking with the fiercest of force than before. Almost everyday, I would hear news on how many had died, and how only one, if not no one, survived.
I had just turned six that day and I was sitting in my room, looking at a hologram of the Master Chief, the one who destroyed the very first ring world the UNSC also finally dubbed 'Halo.' My father had gotten me a figurine of the great Spartan, and I had him displayed on my shelf, along with the model Warthogs and Scorpions that he had gotten me. Several other figures were also projected on the little eaves over my desk, as well as my bookshelf. Some of these miniature replicas were the Covenant dogs. When I had time, or I was alone and needed to amuse myself, I often staged wars with my action figures, setting up Marines and ODSTs in the Scorpions, Wolverines, Pelicans, and Warthogs while a lone Spartan stood in front of the whole platoon, leading a mock war against the Covenant in the hills and valleys on the battlefield that was once my bed. Blankets became rivers and valleys while pillows the mountains.
Here and there, the tiny Grunts would be flung about when the plastic grenades 'exploded' while Elites dove into the caves, only to be 'shot down' by the ODSTs that were 'hunting' them. Marines littered the field as they 'followed' the Chief, listening to his commands as they strove to protect the 'valley.' At times like this, my father would come in and join in, growling and snarling as I pretended to be the Chief and he the giant Hunter. I squealed as he playfully rammed me, but there were times that he got a little rough, and would cause tiny bruises. Mother would always scold him for being harsh, but I only laughed and proceeded with our 'fight,' laughter filling the air.
Other times, I wandered into my father's office, wanting to be with him. He'd always greet me warmly, and brought in my small box of toys that I always played with so that I could amuse myself while I kept him company; mother would be out working in a local hospital, taking care of the injured that seemingly flew in everyday. Then again, the other reason was because of what he had displayed. Not only did he have his service medals from being in the military, but he also had a suit… A suit similar to the one the Master Chief had. I adored the glimmering Mjolnir armor that he sported, as well as the weapons he wielded, which were mounted on the wall with protective casings to keep my curious hands from discharging such armaments. The visor shimmered in the artificial light, casting my reflection in its face. How I wanted to become a Spartan like him when I grew up, but little did I know that my wish would come true…
Three days following, a woman came and visited us. My mother introduced her as 'Aunty Halsey.' She seemed old for an aunt, but I had been raised to respect all elders if my parents approved. My parents watched as the new 'aunt' began to play with me. I had shown her the action figures of Spartans as well as the vehicles and weapons they used. I had seen some of these exact same, if not slightly upgraded, weapons mounted in my father's office, but it never did occur to me that he had been hiding something from me, something that would hurt me in the future… Halsey observed me carefully as I pieced together a puzzle of Earth, a Warthog, and a battleship. I was quick in analyzing the pieces and separating them by color and shape. I was also quick in putting them together. This managed to please 'Aunt Halsey,' but all I did was see this as fun. I had enjoyed putting these pictures together that I practically memorized where reach piece went, and as usual, I did this as a way of amusing myself when I came back from school.
She later took me outside and told me to run a bit. At first I was confused, and only jogged about. My father always told me that it was always good to warm up my muscles before doing anything, and running was just one of them. By the time I was ready, 'Aunt Halsey' was at the other side of the yard, a little stopwatch in hand. My mother was standing next to me, and told me to run as fast as I can. I did not understand this, but I did what I was told to do. She was very pleased as I rushed past her as fast as I could; running into my father's waiting arms. She glanced at the watch as I tackled my father, knocking him to the ground. Halsey was quite surprised at the intensity of the strike, as I had sent the two of us sliding for at least three meters.
After more playing, it was already lunchtime, and we went out to a nice little café in the middle of our quaint little village for lunch. 'Aunty' and my parents talked quietly while a new toy that she had given me had preoccupied me: a holo-ball that hovered in the air and projected different colors of lights. As much fun as it was, I had to be quiet and not cause such a ruckus in the presence of a visitor. Well-behaved I was, but it wasn't long before I dozed off into my naptime… Last I could remember was holding the ball closely as it shimmered, reminding me of the Chief's Mjolnir suit…
However, as the child slept, a debate was going on between the parents and the doctor, one that dealt with the fate of humanity and the fate of one child…
"We are in great need…" Dr. Halsey quietly whispered, watching the child sleep in her father's arms. "You know very well that all the outer colonies have been breached, if not destroyed, and Earth has been attacked."
"Halsey, we know of the project, but we cannot just give you our child," Cassandra replied. "She is the only one we have after many tries. You do not know how difficult it is…"
"And we won't let you put her through what you put me through…" Satoshi added. "It was enough that I was abducted by the UNSC to partake in the SPARTAN-III project, but to ask me to let my only child partake in the SPARTAN-IV project? I refuse to! I have had enough with you 'scientists' taking innocent children and creating them into tools of war!"
Halsey remained calm as she stirred her tea, adding small amounts of sugar at a time. She took a sip and looked at the child, then Satoshi, then Cassandra, only to let her eyes rest on the male officer again.
"Satoshi, you must understand," Halsey explained. "Unless we have more Spartans going out on to the field, the Marines and other armed forces cannot continue to hold up defenses. It's just impossible! I have already asked the other Spartans who are now considered retired and they have all agreed to allow their children to be used in the next generation of warriors, if not return to the war themselves."
Cassandra looked down sadly.
"Catherine," Cassandra whispered. "As much as we know you need all able bodies to be in your project, we just can't… Please do understand… We don't want to lose our little girl… Satoshi has told me what happens in your projects… All the sacrifices you have made of the innocent lives…"
The doctor glared at Satoshi, her grayish eyes holding a fire of determination.
"Very well…" she finally replied, but she had another plan of retrieving that girl for her own use. "I will relieve you of such task. After all, you are one of the few who actually reached retirement… And not to mention one of the few who has had at least one child, a child who is almost perfect in any way…"
The master chief petty officer stood up. There was an air about him, the feeling that death was knocking on one's door.
"I'm afraid you have overstayed your welcome here," he growled, cradling the sleeping child in his arms, blanketed with a simple sports coat. "Mark my words, Halsey. I may be a former Spartan and I will go into battle if I am called for duty, but if you are to lay one finger on my child, mark my words, I will hunt you down… And I will show you a wrath that not even the one called the Master Chief can equal…"
Satoshi turned around with his burden, followed by his wife as soon as they paid the bill. Halsey rested her right leg on her left knee, stroking a strand of hair.
"You know I will get my way, Satoshi…" she murmured. "I will get your daughter, one way or another…"
She stood up and promptly left, heading towards her ship. There has to be a way for her to get the child. Then, it clicked. The child had a large collection of Spartan action figures. Could it be that she wanted to be a Spartan, or meet one…? This could be very easy. After all, she had one Spartan with her and another waiting.
A large ship loomed in one of the main hangars, sleek and black with silver horizontal streaks running across its sides. It was a simple star cruiser with light armaments and a holding chamber with three cryo-tanks and a flash cloning device, but it was more than enough for her task at hand. After all, she was here to retrieve a child, not kill her. Once the child was in tow and the clone was dispatched, she would head into orbit to be picked up by the transport ship, Britannia, and head into deep space, where her project would bloom again. She entered the ship, only to be greeted by the Spartan in question.
"So, how did it go, Dr. Halsey?" the soldier asked, saluting as she stepped in.
"At ease…" the doctor replied, sitting at the main controls of the ship and turning on the computer. "This will be easier than what I thought… Satoshi will not let me have the child, but the child will be easier to get than you think."
The Spartan, a good 2 meters tall, looked down at the doctor, his reflective panel casting a very soft golden light on her pale face. It gave her skin an unearthly glow.
"And why is that?"
Halsey only chuckled as she uploaded her data, pulling out a picture of the girl's room. She turned to look up at her project result.
"Kale, tell me what you see in the picture…"
The Spartan looked at the images carefully, not wanting to state the obvious, but rather just be very vague and general as he did not want to over-exceed the doctor's expectations of him suddenly. He was always the quiet one compared to the others, wanting to work with the behind-the-scenes stuff rather than go out on to the battlefield.
"I see a child's room full of toys…"
"Not just any toys," she pointed out, zooming in on a shelf overhanging her bed. "She has a room full of Spartan figurines, not to mention that she has posters plastered on her wall and behind her door."
"So young, yet already exposed to all this…" Kale responded blankly. "Are you sure Satoshi was a SPARTAN-III subject?"
The doctor gave the Spartan a piercing glare, causing him to flinch under the half-ton armor.
"Did I make a mistake with the other Spartans?"
"No, ma'am… But what of Kelly? Is she ok? What does she have to do with this?"
"Kelly is getting ready to train those in the SPARTAN-IV project, as well as Chief Petty Officer Mendez… The first set of children is already on their way to the training facility… We will need to wait at least a week before we can actually get Satoshi's child…"
"Why is that, if I may ask?"
"Satoshi knows that I will find a way to get her, but as long as he thinks we're here, he won't put it to rest. He still has his suit, so you know what damage he can deal, even to you…"
"Understood… But what of the child?"
"See to it that you get me one of those limited edition Spartan action figures, will you…?"
"A toy?"
"Yes, a toy…"
"Yes, ma'am… Should I get anything else while I'm at it?"
"Get me a double-shot latte… I am in need of something to keep me awake while I run this data…"
"Yes, ma'am…"
The soldier left to complete his given task while the doctor sat at the controls, watching her recordings carefully. The way she ran… How nimble she was… How quick in the mind… And how respectful…
"She is perfect…" she murmured. "Just perfect… And who knows…? She may even surpass Satoshi… Her very own father, if not equal him in everything…"