Message from the general: all I can say is WOW, I love all the positive reviews and the fact I've gotten over 150 hits in just 24 hours of the release, please keep up the reviews.
Doctor's T.A.R.D.I.S- I'm going to enjoy writing that part
Ray Jericho- they will, and what do you mean by "nearly plausible"
Disclaimer: I don't own halo, all OCs are mine though
Chapter 4: harder than it looks
March 10, 2525
Location: Epsilon Eridani system, Reach- ONI orbital medical facility
Kyle was standing in his small room looking at the box on his bed, inside was his camo pants, his frack me shirt and all his other personal items. He closed the lid and then sat down on the bed next to the box. "Its time to leave this behind" Kyle said to himself, he was trying to hold back the fact that he probably wouldn't see his family or friends ever again. The realization of the decision he'd made the other day finally hit him as he sat in his new uniform, petty officer 2nd class Kyle-091, that's who he was now. There was a knock on the door and then Halsey came in.
"How's the new uniform?" she asked.
"A bit itchy around the collar. It's not the uniform my dad would have wanted me in" said Kyle.
"Why's that?" she asked.
"He's in the Marine Corps and so is my older brother, I don't think he'd be happy with me in the Navy" Kyle responded
"Well you'll probably see more action than any marine" said Halsey "and I got what you asked for". She produced a small book from her coat pocket and handed it to Kyle.
"Thanks" he said as he opened the box and slid it in.
"Why do you need it?" she asked
"It's just something I use to dump my thoughts into; I had one back home" Kyle explained.
"Are you ready?" she asked
"Yeah, let's get this over with" said Kyle as they both left the room. They walked down the hall to an elevator and took it up to the medical wing, where Halsey escorted Kyle to a surgical bay.
"Put this on" she asked holding a hospital gown in front of him
"And just when the itchiness was starting to go away" said Kyle as he took the gown and went behind a curtain and changed out of his black uniform and put on the gown. He came out and handed the uniform to Halsey before he laid down on the surgical bed
"Kyle, you should know that there is a risk that you could survive the augmentation and be disabled or you won't survive at all, we've all ready lost 12".
"You'll loose thirty in total" said Kyle as he was injected with a sedative, "but don't worry… he's one of the… lucky ones', Kyle finally drifted off to sleep and Halsey left the bay and went up into the observation room over looking the bay. She stood next to Chief Mendez and lieutenant Leary who were looking down through the window as the medical technicians began the operation on Kyle by injecting his bones with the strengthening material.
"Do you honestly think he'll make a good enough solder?" said Leary. "I mean he hasn't even been trained".
"Did you see the way he fought those guards" said Mendez. "the kid's got guts and some prior training".
"His father was a Marine" said Halsey. "he knows how to handle himself".
"Still, he's going to need some hands on training" said Mendez
"Then who better than Spartans to train a Spartan" said Halsey
April 21, 2525
Location: Lambda Serpentis system, UNSC carrier atlas
Kyle finally awoke in his private recovery room on the atlas; Doctor Halsey was sitting in a chair next to his bed and had noticed him stir.
"Welcome back" said Halsey
"How long was I out?" Kyle asked
"From the time you were sedated for your augmentation it's been 6 weeks"
"WHAT?!" said Kyle
"There were a few complications with your surgery and you had to be placed in a medically induced coma, they only brought you out last night. The good news is that you haven't been left with any disabilities".
Kyle slowly got up and stretched his legs; he walked over to a mirror and took a look at himself. His hair was completely gone but he could see some of it starting to come back in, he was also slightly taller and more muscular than he was before and his vision was more crisp and clear. Kyle suddenly felt a prang of discomfort in the front of his neck and he suddenly realized what it was. "You put one of those things in my neck" Kyle asked
"Yes, but because of your age it won't suppress your…".
"Ok hang on" said Kyle as he ran a hand across the back of his head and when he got to where his brainstem was, he felt something metallic.
"The neural implant is standard" said Halsey.
"I know, it's just... have you ever seen a movie called the matrix?" Kyle asked.
"No, why?"
"Never mind" said Kyle. "So when do we begin?"
--
Kyle spent the next day eating five high protein meals and training with Chief Mendez in the armory on UNSC weapons. Thanks to his augmented brain he mastered the basics of firearms in a few short hours. Discipline and military protocol wasn't a problem for Kyle because his father had taught him some of the basics when he was a kid, and he always had them salute when he returned from duty. Kyle's hardest test came later in the day while he was in the gym. He was lifting some of the weights when someone else came in, he had short brown hair and a few freckles spattered across his face. The newcomer went to work on the leg machine, but then moved over to a tether ball.
"No…. it couldn't be?" Kyle said to himself as he watched the new guy remove a pin from the bench press. "Holy shit it's him!" Kyle almost said aloud, "but that means…", but before he could finish his sentence four more people entered. "Aw fuck, the ODSTs" Kyle said under his breath as they began to harass John. Suddenly, they grabbed him and Kyle sprang into action, he leaped across the gym at enhanced speed and reached the group just as John broke the nose of one of the ODSTs. Kyle grabbed the one trying to strangle him, forced him to the deck and he brought up his fist, ready to deliver a finishing blow if he tried anything. John had managed to wrestle free of his captors when a booming voice from across the room said "STAND DOWN!". Kyle and the others stood at attention as the Sergeant asked his men what had happened, when he finished he turned to Kyle.
"You're all so eager to fight, get in the ring and do it" he said to Kyle.
"our ranks are equal" he replied pointing to the petty officers insignia on his fatigues "you can't order me to do shit".
"You'll do as he says, swabbie" said one of the ODSTs.
"Bite me" Kyle said to him
"Well if you don't want to play ball then maybe your friend will. Report to the ring" the Sergeant said to John.
"Belay that" Kyle said to him. "we're not participating in your little experiment" he said to the Sergeant. "So you can just turn around and go fuck yourself".
"That's it!" said one of the ODSTs as he came in behind Kyle and tried to jump him, Kyle was quicker. He spun around and kicked him hard in the chest, he herd bones break as the force of the blow sent him across the room. He saw the one with the broken nose pick up a pipe and move towards John who was in the process of breaking his attackers arm. Kyle intercepted him and grabbed his wrist with the pipe and squeezed until his bones broke and he dropped the pipe.
"Numbers 117 and 91: at ease!" barked Chief Mendez
"Chief Mendez" said the Sergeant. "He's one of them" he said pointing to Kyle who waked over and left the gym, pissed off. On his way to his room he passed several medical personnel and another ODST heading to the gym, Kyle noticed the nametag on the solder's uniform, A. SILVIA. When his back was turned to him Kyle spun around and gave him the finger and muttered "asshole" under his breath. When Kyle got back to his small room he immediately collapsed on the bed and removed the box under it containing his personal items. He opened it and took out the small book Halsey gave him and a pen, but before he could write anything Halsey came in.
"I herd about what happened" she said. "I honestly didn't know, but you did".
"Yeah, the fight was in one of the books, I thought I could break it up but it ending up happening anyway" said Kyle.
"Listen to me, you've got to promise not to try and alter events, we don't want ONI getting suspicious" said Halsey.
"Look, a lot of bad stuff is going to happen soon and my foreknowledge could save a lot of lives" Kyle pleaded.
"Kyle, listen, what happened in the gym proved that even with knowledge of what will happen next you can't alter history" said Halsey. "Now can you give me your word you won't try this again?"
"Fine" he said.
April 22, 2525
Location: Lambda Serpentis system, UNSC carrier atlas- commissary
"No way" said Kelly as John finished his story of what had happened the other day in the gym.
"So this guy was a Spartan" said Sam. "Then why haven't we seen him before?"
"What did Chief Mendez say his number was?" Kelly asked.
"91, I think" John replied "but no one has that number, not even the ones who washed out".
"Hey is that him?" Sam said pointing to someone who just sat down at one of the other tables with a tray of food and a datapad
"Yeah, that's him" John replied.
Kelly looked over at him, he looked about as old as them, but something about his face seemed familiar to her.
"What are you doing?" John asked as she got up from her seat.
"Going to talk to him" she responded as she walked off to Kyle's table. Kyle looked up from his meal when she arrived, at first he didn't recognize her without hair but then he remembered her face.
"Mind if I sit with you?" she asked.
"Please" Kyle responded and Kelly took the seat across from him.
"I'm Kelly, by the way"
"Kyle" he said as he extended his hand, Kelly extended hers and they shook hands.
'So are you… I mean?" Kelly asked.
"A Spartan" said Kyle finishing her sentence. "Yes I am, I was conscripted a little while ago to try and replace some of the ones you lost" he lied, that was the cover story Leary told him to use.
"So you haven't been one long?" Kelly asked
"Pretty much" Kyle replied
John and Sam had came over by then and after formally meeting John, he looked at Sam for a moment before shaking hands with him. Kelly filled them in on what she'd learned and before john and Sam could ask a question, Chief Mendez arrived.
"Well you've saved me the trouble of tracking you all down" he said as they all stood at attention. "Petty Officer Kyle here is our newest recruit and I though who better that to train them in your tactics than you three".
"Yes, sir" said John.
"Good, now you all are to report to cryo B in two hours" said Mendez.
"Sir?" said Kyle.
"We're going back to Reach, and unless you'd rather stay up the whole trip you'll report to the freezer" said Mendez as he left.
"So you're a Petty Officer?" Sam asked
"Second class" said Kyle.
"I guess that makes you the highest ranking Spartan" said Kelly. "Sorry John."
"Don't worry I'm sure I'll get promoted eventually" John said.
"So I guess this make us friends then?" Kelly said to Kyle.
"Fine by me" Kyle replied.