Don't usually put Author's Notes in this, but it calls for it:

This chapter is an omake, strictly non-canon to the rest of the story. But, I saw the trailer for the new Halo series on Paramount+, the ol' plot bunny started hopping, and I couldn't catch it, soo...

The entirety of the Farmstead's theater room was dead silent, the only sounds that could be heard being the sound of the Spartans' jaws opening in closing in sheer shock.

"…what the FUCK was that!?" Halsey gestured first at the screen. "What did they- why- WHAT THE FUCK WERE THEY THINKING!?"

"They weren't…" Cortana whispered in horror. "In the Air Tonight… in a goddamn military sci-fi show!?"

"Hey, I happen to like In the Air Tonight!" Fred retorted. He smiled, kicking back. "I lost my virginity to that song."

All heads promptly turned to him. Including Kelly.

Fred shrunk down, "I was kidding, jeez. Why do you guys believe everything I say?"

"I happened to quite enjoy that preview!" Rtas boisterously shouted. "The only piece of human media that comes close was this delightful tale about a scientist and his grandson! And I kid you not-he turns himself into a pickle! He was called Pickle Rick! HA! It's the funniest shit I've ever seen!"

"Um, Mister 'Vadum," Naomi gently poked his shoulder, "It wasn't supposed to be funny. This series is a drama."

"Oh." Rtas stopped laughing, "That's unfortunate then."

"I will say, the production values and designs look excellent." Jerrod commented. "Even if I'm not in it."

"That's because nobody except the nerds even remember you." Linda pointed out. "But me!? I'm Linda-058! Arguably the most famous female Spartan! I didn't even see my service tag in that trailer!"

"Because the last time somebody made a mainstream Halo product with Blue Team in it," Serin began, "It fucking sucked."

"How about you say that to my face, miss Spartan Ops!" Linda retorted.

"All right, those are fighting words!" Serin practically leaped over the back of the seat, diving for Linda's neck.

"They completely missed out on the nuances of my personality." Halsey bemoaned, looking to the sky. "Yes, I kidnapped and did experiments on children and replaced them with clones so the parents never suspected, but I'm a tortured soul! A woman who wants to do the right thing, but is forced to use reprehensible methods! Who cares about her Spartans even if she'd send them into Hell! Damn you, Karen Traviss, removing my nuance to make me into a strawman…" She scowled, pulling out her phone as she began to post a very angry rant about how much it got wrong.

"What do you think, John?" Cortana looked over to him curious. "What'd you think?"

John simply shrugged. "I liked it." He admitted.

That earned a look from everybody else.

"Really?" Fred asked with a raised eyebrow. "You're not miffed by the fact that you're not voiced by Steve Downes?"

"Nope." John shrugged.

"Or the fact that Blue Team, your best friends, aren't in it?" Kelly continued.

"Not at all." John shook his head.

"Or the fact that I'm not blue, am wearing a jumpsuit, and apparently have a lazy eye?" Cortana inquired.

"That doesn't bother me either." John denied.

"How about the fact that they had AK-47s?" Linda, who had stopped in the middle of her brawl with Serin, questioned.

John merely shook his head again. "I'm cautiously optimistic. There're things that don't make sense, like why a human is apparently working with the Covenant, but it's all non-canon. They can get away with concessions like that because of it."

"Really…" Cortana hummed. "John… do you think we're non-canonical?"

John looked up, quietly musing. "The universe is a vast, unknowable place. If it is truly infinite, then perhaps, somewhere, all stories might be true. Everything might be canon. Or nothing may be."

The Spartans, once again, went quiet, staring in silence at John's profound words.

"…dude, I just wanna watch the movie." Soren coughed.

"All right," Halsey chuckled, pressing the button, "Then make yourselves comfortable."

"All right! Fast and Furious 200!"