I
0930 HOURS, MARCH 15th 2553 (MILITARY CALENDAR)
SERPENS SYSTEM, PLANET AVENTINE, SOL INVICTUS MILITARY BASE.
Colonel Urban Holland was a renown officer and one of the few surviving veterans of the Fall of Reach. He often remembered the dreams seeing the glassed surface, New Alexandria burning like its namesake of days of old and worst of all Noble Team dead. Jun was still on active service but Noble Team had never been reconstituted.
If only I knew something he would tell himself some intelligence from ONI, anything to give them more time to prepare.
A cough startled Holland out of his thoughts he was at the elevator. Major Lauren Savage was standing in the elevator carrying a set of documents under her arm.
"Sir are you okay?" she asked
"As well as I can be" he said and boarded the elevator
Major Savage was newly minted when Holland first met her, She gained experienced on Earth fighting Covenant forces in Ohio and Illinois. Her crimson hair was slightly past regulation length as a special warfare officer though some things were allowed to slide.
"Colonel Sir do you know why General Dreyfus called us for this meeting?" the Major asked
"No Major I don't" he replied "He's probably reassigning us to an anti-insurrection project. But I'll be damned if I'm going to figure out how were going to fight the Innies after the beating we received from the covenant."
The elevator stopped at one of the "special" floors and the computer requests a security code which Holland enters. The door opens into a small room surrounded by computer monitors. Sitting at the head of the table was Four Star General Marcus Dreyfus.
Holland and Savage moved to salute but the general waved them off.
"Take your seats" the general spoke with a visible french accent. Holland and Savage took their seats.
He offered them some Cuban Cigars, Holland took one preferring them over the Sweet Williams even if they are more popular. Which was proven with Major Savage taking out and lighting her own Sweet Williams cigar.
After a quick drag the General returns to business "I am here to ask you two to do something unimaginable."
"I am asking you to betray your oaths to the UNSC."
"Sir, what are you talking about?" Holland asked
"I have information from a private source about Office of Naval Intelligence." he took another drag from his cigar "Reports of a secret operation in Sangheili space by a black ops team which supplied the Servants of Abiding Truth."
"Are you saying ONI supplied weapons to the people who started the civil war?" Savage asked
"It was the Office of Naval Intelligence that started the civil war. Also we found evidence showing that Naval Intelligence negligent of the Fall of Reach."
Holland had to make a visible effort to control his reflexes and in a calm voice act. "Explain sir" his voice started breaking even with his control.
General Marcus silently acknowledged Holland's emotions
"Admiral Parangosky knew there was an 87% chance that Reach would come under attack by the Covenant. There was no warning to our forces on this matter and Reach was going to be the sacrifice for Operation Red Flag which they canalled anyway."
87% chance? That high of a probability of attack and ONI kept the army in the dark. Noble Team, New Alexandria the Civilians and all those soldiers. The memories were flooding back, it was not despair he felt now but anger. Holland was livid now he slammed his fist on the table "Those Bastards!"
Lauren Savage shared the sentiment "I can't believe it we lost Reach so the Navy could have some project they never did. Reach was important damn it."
Lauren stubbed out her cigar on the Ashtray in front of her disgusted, Holland did the same.
"I understand your feelings" Marcus said trying to keep everyone calm. "Which is why I ask you both to join me we must stop ONI and the Navy before humanity suffers more as well as the rest of the Army."
"Well I'm with you" Lauren said
"So am I" Holland pushed back any tears his feelings of vengeance for the dead now paramount. "What do you want us to do Sir?"
One of the screens turns on and shows an image of a human in a brown suit and trousers with a necktie and wearing glasses he seemed to be of Japanese descent
"Colonel Holland, Major Savage" The General turned to the screen behind him. "I would like to introduce you to your assistant the Smart AI Nikkei."
"Ohaiyo" Nikkei said "That means Good Morning"
"Same here" Holland replied "Sir what is the plan?"
"Colonel how would you like to be in charge of a company of Spartans?" the general asks with a slick grin.
"Spartans?" both Savage and Holland replied with shock
"If I recall we do not have a lot of Spartans beside Jun, Rosenda and Gamma Company."
"I am aware of that Major that's why were are re-opening Delta Company we will train new Spartans our own Spartans."
"How are we going to do that without ONI's knowledge?" Holland asks
"Leave that to me Colonel-Sama" Nikkei replies "You focus on training the Spartans."
"Also we will not refer them as Spartans in any official capacity we are doing an Army upgrade and augmentation project. The Spartans are just Ghost Units under Special Warfare Command."
Holland nodded and saluted the General "Understood sir"
New Spartans he though and with Jun and the remaining army controlled Spartans it was possible. It was possible to avenge all the deaths on Reach, deaths that could have been avoided if ONI had warned reach.
"If were going to make Spartans then it will be war?" Savage said
"Against Naval Intelligence" Marcus said "We can not continue let them run rouge like they did on Sanghelios."
"Also for hanging Reach out to dry." Holland said
"That too. Colonel, Major and Nikkei you will be receiving orders and the necessary phrases in the coming days. I wish you all good luck and Godspeed"
Holland, Savage reply with a "Yes Sir" and depart from the room taking the elevator. General Marcus look at a data tablet and read the names, the names of Ackerson's Ghosts the company that never existed the Spartan 3s of Delta.