"EVEN IF YOU THINK THAT THE NAVY AND MARINES WERE THE ONLY ONES FIGHTING THE WAR,THEN YOU STILL TREAT THE REST AS IF THEY WERE RIGHT AT THE FRONT AND AN AWFUL LOT OF THEM WERE."
(ADRMIRAL MARGET O. PARNGOSKY OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGNICE, POST UNSC MEMORIAL TO THE DEAD OF THE COVENANT WAR,VOI KENYA, MARCH 2553)
II
1312 HOURS APRIL 18TH, 2556 (MILITARY CALENDAR)
SERPENS SYSTEM, PLANET TROY, CAMP BRAGG
Lauren Savage second-in command of Delta Company project was doing a monthly inspection for Colonel Holland. She was promoted three years ago to make sure Holland had an assistant to run the base. She wore a green-gray uniform and had a shoulder patch which was a blue and gold shield, with a gold key and a lightning bolt and torch crossing under it.
That was the symbol of the UNSC Army's Intelligence and Security Command. An organization not well known an intelligence agency hidden in the dark due to ONI's machinations. Many INSCOM agents were here at Camp Bragg along with support from the Air Force's AFISRA. Savage found it strange that the Air Force was supporting the Army, maybe because they worked well with the Army and felt the army should have been included the ceremony. What she did not like was having to use child soldiers, yes it happen before Jun was one as well as the other 3s part of Special Warfare Command.
Learning about the Spartan Programs in the past from that "private source" General Dreyfus had was...disturbing to say the least. On the one hand she was continuing taking war orphans and putting them through harsh training to become soldiers felt wrong. On the other hand if they didn`t have their own Spartans against ONI they would never win in a coup and the ghosts of all the losses on Reach and the colonies would continue to haunt her.
She made up her mind to make sure these children were ready for battle, she would sooth her conscience later.
CAMP BRAGG, THE PLAYPEN
The Playpen. That's what his drill sergeants called it. It was a pen of barbed wire, wood, mud, sand and electroshock stun rounds and mines.
He didn`t care.
Micheal-D45 was what he was called; his teammates had called him that too. He had lost his parents, his friends, everything. The Army saved him and made sure he escaped and now they had taken him and started teaching him not only the skills of combat, but math and other sciences.
He was grateful. Even with running and crawling through the mud with live rounds and artillery shells around him.
He wished to be nowhere else.
Michael and his team, Sierra Squad, were competing with Gold Squad at the Playpen. He and Odysseus, the opposing squad leader, were two distinct people. Michael was much more ruthless and colder in how he acted while Odysseus was much livelier. They were in constant competition with each other with one similarity; they both liked playing tricks.
Michael dived for cover in one of the trenches and then rushed over as he saw someone move toward the bridge. He spotted the gold stripes on the grey sweats. Instead of following, he threw a stun grenade at the bridge making it collapse, but they rolled under the bridge then turned and opened fire with stun pistols.
Michael hit the dirt then crawled over as best he could to the ruined bridge. He was going to have to grapple in hand to hand combat since his opponents had superior cover. Suddenly, he was pounced on and his pistol was snatched from him while another Gold Squad member pinned him.
"Game's up, Mikhail," Odysseus said, standing above the trench.
Odysseus had short blond hair and was carrying a MA37 Assault Rifle. His sweats had gold stripes and a star on his shoulder marking him as the squad leader. Before Odysseus could say anything else he jerked in pain; the micro stunners going off meaning he was shot.
Michael was next. He felt it on his chest and he went unconscious. He woke up later on his bunk back in the barracks with Hawke standing over him.
"I assume everything went right," he asked.
"Yeah. Jessie and Gideon were looking at you and I managed to take them out. Nova was able to get the prize and bring it back."
"That means Tristan took the shot on Odysseus. But then who shot me," Michael asked.
"That would be me," Hawke answered.
Hearing footsteps approaching, Michael jumped off the bed, and he and Hawke snapped to attention.
"At ease; I see you're well enough to salute me. Report back to your squad. You're on my time now."
"Yes Sergeant," they both said and double timed it back to the rest of Sierra Squad.
They entered the briefing room of the Barracks where Gold Squad was waiting for them; Gold Squad being its leader, Odysseus, Daiyu, Jessie, and Gideon. Drill Sergeant Faridah walked in and both teams saluted her.
"Parade Rest," she said and the recruits obeyed. "Listen Up, things are about to change. Say goodbye to the barracks and your classrooms. Say goodbye to Camp Bragg; you're being deployed," then gave them a nice motherly smile.
Michael and Odysseus did not look at each other but the feeling was mutual. Sgt. Faridah never smiled. Period. But Michael stayed silent and listened.
"This will be your graduation test before you are fully made Spartans. Perform admirably and you will be allowed to finish and continue on. Fail and you will not pass and you will be recycled."
"To that end," she walked over to a part of the wall, making it shimmer, and part of it disappeared to reveal suits of armor. "The Army is granting you these suits of SPI Armor. Semi-Powered Infiltration Armor; part tactical body armor, part legionnaire mail, part chameleon. It's good in matters of stealth, but there are no energy shields, so be careful."
She turned to them "Anyone who wants to back out, speak up now."
No one spoke.
"Good, then suit up. You and your fellow recruits are leaving for ONI Station Alfheimr."
