Chief stepped out of the shower, feeling very refreshed after a cold and soapy wash. Many thoughts were whizzing around in his head while he dried himself off with a white towel. What was the Freelancer Project? Why do they have similar armour? Will the Covenant still invade and decimate Humanity?
The train of thoughts halted when he suited up in his black armour under suit. Reattaching the MJOLNIR chest piece, gauntlets, shoulder pieces, leggings. He picked up the helmet and placed it over his head, twisting it to lock it in place.
He didn't want to impress the Director, but it might be the only way he could work up the chain of command and warn the UNSC of the Covenant threat. Besides, it would be a good way for him to stretch his recently thawed muscles and get them up to battle ready condition.
Chief opened his door and navigated through the ship, hoping to get to the gymnasium and work his muscles. He found the room after asking some of the ships personnel and begun doing weight lifting.
The supposedly heavy dumbbell was nothing to him and he soon got tired of not being able to properly stretch and strengthen his muscles. He started to do some push ups. After doing one thousand push ups he moved onto the chin up bar. It was then Agents North and Maine entered the room in gym clothes ready to work out when they spotted him doing chin ups as well as bending the bar slightly.
'999…1000, Done', his mind processed before noticing an audience behind him. He turned and observed the two people before him, both with their mouths slightly open from shock or was it surprise? He walked past them and turned right, heading for the mess hall.
It was really empty save for the few on board Chefs. He grabbed a plate and piled on some food, mostly the awful but really healthy nutrient-mush, which had all the necessary; vitamins, minerals and protein needed for a SPARTAN-II. Putting his hands to his helmet, he twisted and removed the helmet, placing down next to the plate of food he had.
John dug into the food and was surprised how it taste much more bearable than where he came from. He wouldn't be surprised if the UNSC mass produced these somewhere in the future war with the Covenant, making them taste horrible.
John finished the food and resealed his helmet, just as recovery Squad entered the room. Both John and the stared at each other, before the agent in pale yellow and grey held out his hand sideways.
"We haven't been properly introduced. Agent Ohio", John took his hand and shook it firmly, "Master Chief Petty Officer, Spartan-117", he replied. The freelancers nodded their heads and began introducing themselves.
"I'm Agent Arizona"
"Agent Michigan at your service"
"Wyoming, any good with a sniper?"
"Agent Alaska"
"I'm Agent Maryland, but I have a question?", John tilted his head waiting for the question. "What were the crewman talking about on your ship, the 'Separatists', Split Jaw Aliens?", she frowned at that last subject of possible aliens out in the void of space.
John paused for a moment. "It's not something I would like to discuss yet, it's still fresh in my mind", he spoke in a monotone, shutting the freelancers up.
They were silent until an agent in blue armour with a bright red stripe walked into the room flanked by two other coloured armoured freelancers.
"Masterchief?", the blue freelancer asked with uncertainty. John nodded and the blue freelancer visibly sighed.
"The Director would like to see you immediately, it's about your proper induction into the program. Follow me,".
John followed him, turning into different halls and passageways before entering into a moderately sized observation room oversighting the arena and it's activities. Near the windows was both the Director and his close companion, the Counsellor. The older man spotted John and motioned him over to the seats.
"How are you fitting in Spartan-117?", the Director casually asked. "Very well Director, better than some of the accommodations I have had the pleasure of inhabiting".
"To be blunt with you, I would like to run some scenarios with you and some other freelancers to test your abilities". He breathed in heavily and sighed, "It's not that we don't trust you. But I need to see if you have a place among the Freelancers".
John nodded, "I understand sir".
"Good. Right now, you are rostered to verse Freelancer, Agent Colorado. He is not so hard but he will give you a moderate fight, slightly above ODST's fighting styles".
Chief nodded and exited the room to head down into the circular arena. The doors opened automatically for him as he strode with purpose to his side of the room. Minutes later, Colorado entered as well, shaking with the jitters of the pre battle anticipation. John just breathed slow, shallow breaths, the pounding of the heart the only thing that could be heard in the helmet.
The floor suddenly erupted into grey metal columns, blocking his opponent from view.
'BEGIN!'
John rushed into the maze of pillars, weaving through the sturdy and artificial creations. The sudden intense pounding of other feet caught his attention, and he stopped immediately. Pulling out his magnum, he aims at the empty space in front of him, waiting for the right moment…
Colorado stumbles into the corridor unaware of the ambush that was about to happen. Put-Put, and Colorado found himself immobilised by a pink sticky substance, he couldn't even turn his head.
'117 wins. 1-0, 117's favour'
The windows around the arena began to fill up with curious, excited Freelancers in and out of their armour.
The Director smirked at the attention gathered by the Spartan. He leaned over the microphone. "FLYSS, initiate second round with difficulty of the battleground set to 7.5". 'Yes Director', the female AI replied.
The arena then shifted to one full of ramps, walls and holographic insurrectionists, that had guns and vehicles.
'BEGIN!'
The frozen blue holographic people immediately unfroze and attacked John. He took out the pistol and fired on them, nailing each in the head. The sound of clattering feet signalled reinforcements, causing John to retreat into one of the buildings. It was there he noticed a rocket launcher leaning innocently against the wall. Checking his motion trackers to see if any one was coming, he then silently crept to it. Picking it up, he noticed only one of the tubes had ammunition in it.
Bang! A explosion blew up the wall six metres away from John, revealing a Scorpion Tank, well… a simulated one. John lifted and fired the weapon in a split second at the protective canopy of the tank. The rocket exploded, creating a cloud of smoke before revealing that the hatch was only dented.
The Chief moved faster than the tank could fire. He vaulted over the barrel of the cannon and landed just behind the tanks ventilation grate. Putting all his strength into his fist, he pounded the casing causing the tank to erupt into holographic flames.
John scanned the area before spotting the familiar blue armour having trouble fighting the holographic soldiers. The Chief pulled out his pistol and took aim at Colorado's head. Put-Put-Put-Put-Put, all combatants were neutralised including Colorado.
'117 wins. 2-0, 117's favour'
"Councillor, get all relevant combat files uploaded to my office computer", the Director looked at the victorious curiously. The Councillor acknowledged and left the room, leaving the Director alone. "FYLSS, cancel the match, we have found what we are looking for". "Yes Director", the intercoms came to life.
"117 has won the match"
The spectators looked at John with awe and admiration. Taking on a scorpion tank one on one was very difficult and required an extreme amount of skill, not even Carolina could claim to be able to do such a feat.
John walked over to the paralysed Colorado and carried him out of the arena just as the holographic battlefield faded away. The locker room was crowded with Agents, wanting to get a look at the person that destroyed the scorpion tank all by himself as well as eliminating the opposition. He shouldered past agents until he found a TRS-R (Training Round Slime – Remover). The object automatically melted the goop off of Colorado's helmet and into a puddle on the grated metal floor. Colorado shook his helmet to get rid of excess slime and gazed at John.
"You were brutal out in the arena", he remarked. John nodded in acknowledgement to the Freelancer.
"You did considerably well but there are many things you can work on to improve and decrease mistakes like that".
Colorado nodded in understanding and stretched out his hand to John to help him up. Chief grabbed it and hauled him to his feet.
Hey Guys,
I apologise for not releasing this chapter earlier, my editor was not reply to me so I have released a rough draft of the chapter. I hope you enjoy the story.
Kind regards,
Xenongaf
P.S: If there is other people that would like to be an editor of mine, just PM me.