A/N: What? An actual chapter? Unbelievable!

I finally got it out, somehow still less than what I thought I had typed, but being bogged down by life tends to do that.
I might also be working on the other story a little bit.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

August 24, 2553

0500 Hours

Sierra Beta-312

I should get a cap. UNSC one, would help hide my really shitty hair.

Almost always having a helmet on means you tend to cut your hair really short, and between the augmentations and my deployments, I just shaved my head bald.
It was easier to deal with, but blending in with the actual locals was going to cause some complications. Nothing a hat couldn't fix.

Look stylish and appear to be a normal member of society. After all, the seven foot tall bald and pale man was going to attract a lot of attention.
Better to try to act like I have a normal life than to make myself stick out.

The cap wasn't that hard to make, just a sort of cup with a brim. Extremely angular, and somehow very form-fitting.
The UNSC logo was prominent on the cap's front, and it was so simple the Forge spit it out in a matter of hours as opposed to days.

Do I need anything else?
My monthly ammo construction queues were constantly being placed into the slipspace bubble for storage, and I could pull them out of said bubble for use at any time.

Going about my morning routine, I stepped into the bathroom.

My reflection stared back at me in the mirror.
Not that many scars, but the fact that my choice of helmets were always huge ones designed for maximum protection, it wasn't surprising. In fact, my body didn't have many scars.
The armor took the brunt of it. Preference for a smaller profile helped, too.
Scarred tissue covered my left hand and arm, leftover from my escapade on Algolis.
Nothing much else of note, besides the close call with an energy sword that left a line from my cheek to my chin.

The razor blade glided across my chin, as I continued to attempt to reign in the slight beard that was persistent in growing there.
Probably a side effect from the augmentations, but if I didn't trim it I would have a hell of a time sealing my helmet properly.
I set the razor down on the sink counter, leaving my face with the ever-present five o'clock shadow.

The morning routine continued, with a quick shower and teeth brushing.

My TacPad showed me all the messages I had received, and I set it to a news broadcast.
"Well, Jack, my take on this situation is that things are going to take a turn for the worse now that the SDC has been somewhat exposed. Even if the SDC manages to disprove what this whistleblower claims; they'll have a PR mess on their hands."

"Mhm. Don't forget how the White Fang's going to react to this, especially now that they've been adopting more radical methods since...What was it, Paul, four years ago?"

"Yes, four years ago. Ghira Belladonna stepped down, and Sienna Khan took the leadership position."

"Thank you, Paul. What's next on the agenda? 'Atlas Unveils New Military Technology'. This seems interesting. You're from Atlas yourself, right Paul?"

"I am, Jack. This is most definitely interesting; new vehicles haven't been seriously considered since the Paladin incident all those years ago. Granted, I'm not living in Atlas anymore, so I can't say too much."

"On the topic of the Atlas military, have your military friends mentioned anything?"

"Something about some new Specialist who rose up through the ranks, big friend of General Ironwood's. We may be seeing another 'Winter Schnee' here, folks."

"I hope they're good at their job like the esteemed Commander Schnee."

"Indeed. I've heard rumors they managed to help Atlas perform several breakthroughs in technology, and this new technology being unveiled might be one of them."

"Really? That's very interesting. Some anonymous sources have claimed that the team was assembled almost overnight and the design was 'revolutionary'; according to their words."

"It would seem so; looking at the few images Atlas has decided to release of it, it's got large wheels and a large gun mounted on the back."

"Sounds like it could be very helpful in dealing with the recent uptake in Grimm activity."

"Oh, yes, Huntsmen and Huntresses could always use the break."

"On that we can agree."
The two broadcasters kept at it as I threw my clothes on.

Seemed word about me had finally begun leaking as Ironwood loosened his grip on OpSec.
I still had to work on making a viable miniature Fusion reactor that could power Penny's core.
Not to even get started on all the other upgrades that I needed to make or design on my end for Penny's new body.

The armor enhancements I had couldn't be given to her because quite a few of them screwed with electronic systems, the energy shielding was also screwing with systems, and the AI chip port was supposed to be inserted from the base of the skull, like where I had my neural implant at.
Only problem was that I had to put it so that hair could mask this rather large hole that was made so the chip could go in.

Forget even considering the remote transfer idea one scientist pitched to me. That was barely even possible, my MK VI prototype had only the basis of the function. It could be done so that she could transfer herself to another device, but she would remain anchored to her body and have to return. The hard data that comprised her core was impossible to transfer without an AI chip.

Now to pay Kat a visit.

The trip was...mostly uneventful.
I know Emile and Jun would be laughing their asses off watching me awkwardly try to figure out how to 'tell' Kat that Reach fell.

Why was I the bastard that got away?

Kat stared onwards, Magnum in hand while messing around with a datapad.
Always like her; breaking into, securing, and scanning systems.

"Well Kat; we lost." I laughed at that, it was kind of stupid how awkward these were. "Yeah, I need to figure out how to start this shit better. Anyways, Reach fell. Managed to hitch a ride to Earth, and the Covvies beat us there. Guess we failed to complete the Cole Protocol." Someone had dropped the ball, Earth was our most well-guarded secret. The Covenant shouldn't have known where it was. "So, I arm myself for war to give the Covvies hell, and when I die; I wake up here!" I tried to joke. It was terrible. "Yes, it was bad. I tried, alright? I still woke up in this world of not-quite-humans, and I have a job to protect them because I'm pretty sure our Humanity is hiding in asteroids and shit right now."

I sighed. Honestly, I should have taken that shot. That Zealot that shot Kat was clearly gunning for us, but of all of us, he waited for the stragglers.
Thinking back on it, I think that same Zealot was the one Emile killed.
"Well Kat, I can safely say you were avenged. Bastard that got you was taken out by Emile. He took the fucker down with him, and I made sure that Zealot was dead."

Several rounds of buckshot being emptied into its face made sure of that.
After all, better safe than sorry.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

December 31, 2553

2345 Hours

Sierra Beta-312

More teaching, more bullshit I had to deal with from the students.
I had gone to sleep, but I was woken up by the motion trackers.

Lifesavers, they are. What seemed to be a whole swarm of red dots were slowly sneaking their way around the house.
I summoned my armor, and decided on the MA37, M392, and the M6G.
The classics would do for now.
If more force was necessary, the house was built like a fortress.

Cloaking, I snuck to a window in the hallway.

Hostiles weren't out of the treeline yet.
Some woman in mock-samurai armor was leading them; she had this big white mask.
Intricate and cool looking, but it was just screaming 'Here I am! Shoot me!'.
Well, she would do for a messenger when I repelled this attack.

Hell of a way to kick off a New Year.

The bandits-the ones from that group I slaughtered when I got here?-left the treeline, and managed to inch far enough into the point of no return.

A soft clicking noise, then the ominous whir of barrels winding up.
Bullets flew, cutting down swaths of bandits.

Most had no time to dive for cover, the ones who did found themselves very grateful for the various supply crates I had left lying around the front of the cabin.
The turrets fired in bursts, cooling down after a bit of firing.

My turn.

Popping out of cover, the DMR zoomed in.
I shifted my aim from target to target, thinning the swarm charging at me.

The counter steadily ticked down.
15, 14, 13, 12, 11-10, 9.

A stray bullet splashed against my shields, and then more fire rained down on my position.

Samurai woman was doing some elemental shit, lighting, wind, and water was going everywhere.
She was pinned down, but lightning kept slamming into the house.

Good thing I had thought ahead and EMP hardened the place.
Not so good that a group of bandits had managed to get in the house.

Cloaking, I swapped the DMR for the M45.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0010 Hours

Raven Branwen

I thought it would be simple. Portal to Tai and let the tribe through so we could sneak to this man's house and take his weapons.
They were so strong, but that made him weak. He wouldn't know what was coming until it was too late.

We were wrong.

He was ready for us, and sprung his trap.
Half the group was cut down in an instant, and only a few had managed to get into the house.
I could already hear the gunfire and screams from inside.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

December 31, 2553

2359 Hours

Ruby Rose

Something was happening.

There was gunfire in the distance.
Lots of gunfire.

"Dad, what's going on?"

"I don't know, Ruby; but I think our neighbor is setting off fireworks again. You go to bed and I'll deal with it, alright?"

"Daaad!" Both Yang and I begged. I did the puppy-eyes thing to seal it.

"Alright, girls. Fine. We can go over there and figure out what's happening."

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2553

0045 Hours

Sierra Beta-312

The memories, I was having trouble telling what was what.

I had taken a pretty big hit, something had taken down my shields then sent me flying into the wall.

What was going on?

Fighting Covvies.
Grab the M319, some weird blue flash.
Not important. Defend site.

"Hold the line, Spartan."

I had the MA37 and M319. M45 was on the floor, off to the side.
Must have been knocked out of my hands.

They hit hard.
Grab the M45, holster the other weapons.

Two Brutes stood around, watching me get up.
Armor damaged, health reading high red.

I dumped all six shells into one, then drew my knife.
It slammed into the survivor's throat, spraying blood everywhere.

The knife slid back into its sheath. Two down.
Motion tracker reads more outside.

Set the M45 aside, grab the MA37.
Door was already kicked open, and two frags cleared the area.

I rushed out of the door, and began carving a path through any that dared come into range.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0100 Hours

Raven Branwen

This was a mistake.

The armored man-no, a monster, for only a monster could cause such destruction.

He had come out of the house coated in blood, and he cut down more of us, with only one weapon.
Laughter. This monster was laughing, cracking jokes at us!
All while he cut us down like it was nothing.

I couldn't even try to escape, anything that moved was shot at.
I almost found solace in the fact that he had no explosives.

Then a thumping sound started, and the night was slowly turning into day.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0130 Hours

Yang Xiao-Long

Gods…

Marcus' house was surrounded by death.
Blood ran and pooled in puddles, bodyparts lay all over.

And in the center of all that chaos, Marcus was there, his armor coated red in blood.
"Bring it on you blue-blooded fucks! That all you've got?!" He shouted, waving his weapon around.

A woman clad in red armor tried to fight him.

I knew that armor.
"Mom?"

"Raven?" Dad whispered.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0140 Hours

Raven Branwen

I had no other choice.

If I wanted to have even the slightest chance of living, I had to fight him and run.
A cowardly way, but it would prove I was still strong enough to keep the monster at bay.

I could tire him out, then maybe go in for the kill.

Everybody I had taken with me was dead.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0145 Hours

Sierra Beta-312

Some Zealot tried to fight me. They drew their energy sword, and charged.

I tossed aside the M319.

I drew the MA37.
Firing several bursts, I ducked under the first swing.
The rifle stock slammed into the Elite's face.

Shields were far from down, it looked like it had the shield strength of a Field Marshall.
Empty the magazine into it.

Shields still weren't down.
Toss the rifle aside.
Draw the knife.

Damn split-jaw landed a hit, taking out a small chunk of my shields.
That was strange. Energy swords tend to do more.
Whatever.

Lunge, and strike.
Parried.

Thrown back, need to get behind it for easy kill.
I grabbed a plasma grenade.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0200 Hours

Raven Branwen

This thing couldn't be a monster. Grimm were less deadly.
This was some sort of demon, made manifest.

Blood still dripped off of its armor, and the both of us circled the other.
The black visor bore into my soul, like it was trying to make me submit.

Never.
I would not fall to this demon.

Then, it threw something at me.
It burned. It wouldn't come off, and my Aura was slowly dropping.

Blue heat engulfed me.
My Aura shattered, and all my strength left me.

I was dead.

My eyes shut as I slammed into the ground.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0200 Hours

Sierra Beta-312

The Field Marshall-Zealot collapsed, dead.
My suit was beeping, I needed to heal myself.

Grabbing my weapons, I propped myself up against the building and opened my Trauma Kit.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0200 Hours

Yang Xiao-Long

What did we just watch?

I knew Marcus could be dangerous, but…

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0215 Hours

Sierra Beta-312

There wasn't actually that much to worry about.

The main problem was the hole in my stomach where I had been stabbed, and it was just bleeding. Biofoam dealt with it easily enough.

Wait.
Energy swords cauterize their wounds.
And this blood wasn't blue, it was all red…

Motion tracker lit up.

Covvies were getting reinforcements?

They were armed, but they didn't look like Covenant…

An M6G appeared in my mag-strip, and I grabbed it.
Insurrectionists; come to loot the battlefield.

"UNICOM, this is Sierra Beta-Three-One-Two. Requesting extract, I have some sort of concussion and Innies are closing in on my position. I cannot hold them, I repeat, I cannot hold them. If extract is unavailable please execute FPF One." I rambled into the radio as fast as I could. They were closing in, and I was going to be captured and turned against the UNSC.
Well, I had a good run.

If I genuinely couldn't stop them, I'd overload my fusion reactor once they got close enough.

Steadying my hand, I took aim.
Two kids, the bastards really were going that far; huh?

Threaten them, they'll fight back. Most Innies were smart enough not to try looting a battlefield until all UNSC personnel had left, but these three were ballsy.
Easy, then. Play dead and if any of them try anything, eliminate as quickly and efficiently as I could.

Dropping the arm, I slumped my head forwards and locked my eyes on the motion tracker.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0220 Hours

Raven Branwen

Weak.

After all these years of gathering power, training, and building up a group to be strong enough to outlast Salem's offensive; we still lost to some...thing in armor.

A voice. So familiar, but I just remember hate. "Raven? You're hurt, bad. Hold on."
Comforting hands lifted and dragged me away.

The world faded to black again.

Remnant, Patch, Sanus

January 1, 2554

0225 Hours

Sierra Beta-312

They were taking some person…

Wait.
I wasn't fighting Covvies. The blood was red.
And they weren't the size of Brutes.

Shit; I lost control of myself.

This was one of the reasons I was usually sent in alone.
That way I couldn't harm friendlies if my 'Berserker Syndrome' set in.

ONI had said it was some sort of side effect from 'childhood traumas'. Bullshit.
I never knew my parents, I just remember being in an orphanage for several years of my life.

If I wasn't fighting Covvies, was I fighting Insurrectionists?
What planet was I on again?

Details are escaping me. My hands are getting twitchy, too.
Flashes came back to me.

"Do you have it?"
A canister, holding an AI chip. A blue glow filtered out of the container, and the package was transferred.

A Pelican, awaiting us.
"The ship-breaking yard in Aszod. The only off-planet extraction point left on this -scale air attacks have decimated many convoys en route. An armada of Covenant cruisers have hastened to side as well. UNSC cruiser, Pillar of Autumn is waiting for your arrival."

Reach…

I was on Reach, right?
We had to get a package off-planet.

A Halcyon class cruiser, sitting in the drydocks.
"Get the package to the Autumn."

To the Autumn, right. Had I gone rogue?

Shit, don't tell me...

A Scarab, towering over our cave system.
"Commander, you don't have the firepower!"
"I've got the mass."
A fireball engulfs the Scarab, sending it down in flames.

Carter…
Package…

Where's the package?

"They'll be remembered." A comforting hand, then orders.
Plasma fire, raining down.
A fellow brother in arms, cut down by an energy sword.

Emile…
Package delivered.
Need to ensure the package stays safe.

"We rigged a mass driver up top. We lose that, the Autumn will have no covering fire. She'll never make orbit."

Had to get the package off-planet.
The MAC gun.

"Lieutenant! Get aboard!"
A beckoning hand.
Desire to run.
Thirst for vengeance. Avenge Noble Team.

The world blurred.

Shotgun blasts, my hand becomes free of weight.
A blue flash. Plasma ignition.
Elites cry out pained howls.

Get to the MAC.

Hop in the seat, electricity crackling over the coils.
A blast, teeth rattle.

I would die.
Took me damn long enough.

Ships exploding, more rattling.
A bright glow.
One final blast.

Cruiser, took it out before it could glass the area.
Just delaying my death…

Package was secure and away.
Objective complete.

Walking, and walking.
Pain, and anger.
Crackling radio.
Then, music.

Last Stand.
Was I dying here, half drugged out of my mind?

Explosion, cracked visor.
Firing away.
They keep charging, and I'm knocked down.
Keep fighting. To the last breath.
Stabbing pain in my gut.

There was only cold in my gut now, guess the nerves were failing.

Look to the sky.
Covenant Cruiser above, bright glow before-

I had already died.
Why was I still here?

So much blood…

Falling.
Dirt.

Unknown location. Assess the situation, act accordingly.

Buildings on fire, people being attacked.
Anger.
Distinctive snap.
A leveled pistol.

Gunshots.

Forest?

Where am I?

Growling.
Confusion, interest.

Animals, attacking…

Wooden and stone building, standing in a clearing.

The cabin. I was at the cabin.
An attack…

Rifle in hand, firing in bursts.
Explosions rocked the ground.

Joy.

What had I done?
It was trickling back, slowly.

Reach.

Remnant.

Home.

Attacked.
Fight back.

Shit, shit shit!
I killed off the one bandit tribe that needed to stay alive!

Destiny's an absolute bitch sometimes.

A/N: I made a mistake when I wrote this story, and I'm trying to work on it.
Whenever I write these stories, they're literally just ideas being transcribed onto a document.

The real problem, in my opinion, is that I quite frankly don't know how to stop myself.
Can you believe I was going to try and weave in the fact that Six had contacts in the criminal underworld, becomes a Private Military Contractor, and so many other things?

I'm going to try and slow myself down on this stuff, and you'll see Six take on one or two main roles at a time. I know most of you didn't much care, and none of you have pointed it out yet, but it was getting to the point of insanity on my end of things.

How many people go through ~10 different jobs and workplaces without finally finding something steady? It's supposed to be a cover, anyways.

Sorry for rambling, but just some warning, both to myself and to let you guys know if I'm possibly taking it too far again.