Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Fire of War. Enjoy the 3000-word chapter. I don't own Halo; Microsoft and a few others do.

Sean and the rest of his team slowly started to stroll through the halls of the Spirit of Fire. The ship felt more nostalgic than unfamiliar as they slowly marched towards the bridge with the Spartan-IIs leading them forward.

All of them were interested in the other group. Sean hadn't seen a Spartan-II before now. They were skilled, disciplined… They controlled the battlefields as if their mere existence commanded battles.

Spartan-IVs? They were snarky, cocky, and yet they constantly seemed to be elite ODSTS when it came down to it. Sean seemed to be the first to speak the silence as they passed into another part of the ship.

"Spirit of Fire and its crew was listed MIA," Sean stated while he cleared his throat. "We didn't think anyone survived," Sean added while he frowned under his helmet.

"Well, we thought we were still fighting the Covenant before we came back." One of the Spartans-IIs stated. "Isabel filled in some of the holes. Mind filling in the rest?" The Spartan-II asked to which Sean shrugged.

"Besides the Banished which I'm starting to think you already know about?" Sean questioned himself before he shook his head. "We've been at war with the Banished since the new Covenant empire collapsed after 4 years. They are after something on the Halo." Sean said as he started to think of what to do next.

The next response did not come from one of the most elite soldiers in human history. The Spartans-II started to pause before a hologram appeared from part of the hallway.

"So that is a Halo." They heard as an orange light filled the room. "We should have shut them down at the Ark." The voice stated while he cleared his throat.

"Another AI," Sean said while he frowned. "We had AI problems before now," Sean said with a frown as the woman frowned.

He seemed to notice that the other Spartans had been caught off guard when it came down to it. He frowned to himself before he cleared his throat.

"Long story. Someone is handling it." Sean said before he looked at the AI. "Yes. It is a Halo ring. The Banished planted an army on the ring and they're searching for something. We came with an army to get someone here and we've been at war with the Banished for a few months. Hundreds of Banished soldiers? Nobody is any closer to throwing them off." Sean stated while he frowned and planted his hands on his hips.

"We know. Their boss tangoed with us." The female Spartan stated to which he nodded towards her. "The captain can fill in some of the details with what happened. All I can tell you is that we're familiar with the Banished." The female Spartan stated while he started to think.

"Well, anyone who ticks off Atriox is a friend of mine," Patrick said before he nodded towards Sean. "We should be on the bridge. Commander Palmer will want to tell us the next mission." Patrick stated to which he got a nod.

Both Spartans stared at each other before he turned towards the female Spartan and the other. He slowly motioned for them to lead him towards the bride. He sighed as he shook his head. The more time they stayed here. The more time for the Banished to start preparing defenses for them meant they'd be having to deal with stronger soldiers. The brutes were aware of what to do with Spartans and it made him frown as he realized there were far more intelligent enemies here than they were sed to.

Still? They had a duty to Earth now and they were damn well going to do it before the day was done. They proceeded towards the hanger at the end of the day. He said nothing unless they wished to ask the questions. More time was placed aside for them to work on their plans. Plans that needed to be finalized endlessly.

"The Banished control a lot of the ring. Their fighting tooth and nail for each inch of the place, UNSC managed to set in before they claimed too much and set some bases up." Sean said before he frowned under his armor. "Yet reinforcements? New supplies and soldiers? They are here or there. Spirit of Fire seems to be the first ship that punched through their blockade in orbit and landed soldiers on the ring in months." Sean added before he sighed to himself.

"We heard there were a few bases down there. Captain wanted someone to find out if they are ok and active. Seems that way if there are UNSC troops down there." The Spartan added to which there was a nod as he did so.

The silence seemed to be placed on both as they did so. The more they contemplated their flaws and their plans. The more both sides seemed to be entirely at odds with what to do or say next.

"Captain Cutter has been planning something with the Infinity. Didn't expect them to get the ship off the ground." The other Spartan stated to which there was a nod.

"Didn't expect to see Spirit of Fire in one piece either. There are plenty of surprises that would be nice if this place wasn't a warzone." Sean stated before he smiled to himself. "Then again? We're Spartans. Things such as this were common and it isn't as if the damn war had expected." Sean stated while and smiled while he nodded before nodded.

He was well aware of the fact that more needed to be done below. They had a war to battle and none of them wanted to battle when he had to ponder when it came down to it. They were all to battle the Banished and deal with their army before they did more damage to the UNSC.

Still? They were to deal with combat as best as they were able to. Sean was following orders, as well as the rest of the soldiers in the Spartan Corps, did. They all had to follow orders at the second until someone else said otherwise.

"What happens next when it comes down to it?" Sean said while he raised an eyebrow under his armor. "There's far too little as of now for either side to back down and I'm sure as hell interested in what intel is here for the Banished to be worried about," Sean added while he smiled to himself.

More internet in the rest of the UNSC slowly started to fly into his head. He wanted to best ponder what they were well aware of what the UNSC planned to do and how to handle this issue. They were all soldiers and the more they sat on this ship while waiting for something to happen? The more they fed into the problem the wanted to best ponder the issue when it came down to it.

He happened to bonder while he cleared his throat while he was wanted to think.

"We should be at the captain's quarters." He heard to which he nodded at her before he happened to ponder it. "The longer we sit and stay here? The Banished get ready for when we attack." He also heard before he sighed before he frowned to himself.

"We need to rip them down and deal with it," Sean said while he slowly started to pace past them. "Sorry. It's been a long day and I'm simply trying to stop something from following apart." Sean said while he smiled at one of the others.

He was far too willing for something to be done as he did so. He was happy to be done as of now. there was so much to do and so little time to do it. he almost questioned the logistics of it. then again? There was little they weren't capable of with the right tech and gear. It reminded him this wasn't the grand war. Nor were they dealing with something beyond defeat.

The other Spartans didn't seem to notice this or they did and simply didn't concern themselves with it. the fact that he had been pondering random battles in his head rather than saying something probably felt as if he wanted to be one of them. He was too into his ideas to do much. It hadn't been a lot on his mind since this was all done and dusted. It reminded him of a few times he had been in other problems as of now.

They entered the next room. There was a large holographic table that seemed to sit in the middle while a handful of staff seemed to check on consoles and other such reports. There was a man who sat in the middle of the room. A man with brushed-back hair and an old naval cap. One which held the former UNSC symbol on it. Sean and the Spartans snapped into salutes with their heads raised towards the soldier in question.

"Captain Cutter, sir." One of the Spartans said with a salute. "Banished forces are here as the intel said. We've confirmed there are allied forces on this ring, and they appear to be UNSC." One of the Spartans stated before he frowned to himself.

"Captain Lasky." The man questioned before he crossed his arms before he started to pace himself. "I'm up to date. Has Roland seen the report Isabel sent?" Cutter questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Clear, Captain Cutter. The Banished are dg into Halo deep. If Spirit of Fire is up to the task? I'll let the operation briefing by your department. If you will excuse me? I need to get back to directing the fleet against the Banished forces in orbit. I'll send what support I can, they aren't letting the Infinity or anyone towards the planet." Lasky stated before he frowned to himself.

There was far too little for him to do at the second. Cutter watched the hologram fade away for a few seconds as he seemed to prepare himself for what he wished to say for a few moments later.

"Captain Lasky briefed me on some of the details. You must be Fireteam Phantom. Spartan-IVs?" Cutter said to which there was a nod while he glanced at the IIs. "Spartan Jerome? There's a new mission I need soldiers for and Captain Lasky prepared Fireteam Phantom for it." Cutter said while he crossed his hands behind his back.

"Fireteam Phantom is on station, sir," Sean stated before he seemed to gaze at the man in question. "Still surprised to see Spirit. The ship has been missing for 30 years and now it's here to handle the Banished." Sean said while he glanced around and seemed to prepare what to do next.

"Indeed. I'll have Isabel prepare a briefing package prepared for later." Cutter said while he crossed his arms. "Now. Onto the operation? We need to be ready for what the Banished are doing and there's a problem with that. Atriox and his commanders." Cutter stated while he frowned and seemed to cross his arms as he did so.

"Atriox has been MIA since he tried to raid Infinity, sir," Sean stated before he sighed to himself and smiled. "His leadership went underground before he was decided of what to do next," Sean reported to which Cutter simply typed in a few commands on the board in front of him.

"Isabel?" Cutter questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Please bring up the intel that Captain Lasky had sent," Cutter stated before he brushed off his uniform.

"Certainly, Captain." Isabel said before she appeared on the table. "2 weeks ago? Infinity had managed to send a recon sortie around the ring before it was almost shot down. It had located 15 High valued targets around the ring, Atriox's inner circle." Isabel stated to which they stared at her.

"Lieutenants?" Sean questioned to which there was a nod. "Then he isn't off the ring."

Isabel held her hands in the air as she prepared to finish the rest of her report. It had been a lot to process if she was honest and she wasn't entirely ready to deal with the fallout of her actions yet. She simply didn't know where to turn to at the time and it didn't help that she needed to handle it.

She didn't once intend to fail the crew despite when it came down to it. She had a lot on her mind, and she still wasn't one to handle military duties in this manner.

"Hmm," Isabel said before she tapped at her side. "There's a lot on the line if these targets aren't at all dispatched. If they aren't killed? They WILL do more damage to the ring than anything else. Captain? I still need time to narrow their locations down the prepare a dossier on all of them. The sooner their dealt with? The easier the Banished will be ripped apart at the second. There will be a lot more resistance towards the Banished's eviction when it comes to it. I don't know what happens when it comes down to it." Isabel said which she frowned to herself.

This was not the best position to be placed in.

"Which one do you suppose we hunt down first?" Sean questioned while he leaned on the table and seemed to glance at the AI with some interest. "I see 15 VIPs at least; they all seem to spread across the ring," Sean stated before he sighed to himself.

"They do seem to be spread across the ring, they're all stationed at important parts on the ring," Isabel stated as she raised before she hummed to herself and then pinpointed 2 targets. "Here, I'd start with these 2 grunts, Briglard and Bibpap. I'll send waypoints to your visors when more come to back to the Spirit." Isabel stated before she started before, she started to ponder.

Sean let a snort of amusement when it came down to it. This was a far more annoying thing than he expected and yet it amused him. He was a lot more to handle when it comes to it. They had a mission to handle, and nothing was to distract them from it. He was still amused when it came down to it.

Still? He didn't once wish for something insane or silly at the time nor did he wish for it to be that way. The sooner he was in the field meant the sooner that they were able to relax and properly help with the war effort.

Captain Cutter looked between the two groups of Spartans with interest. It had been decades since he expected to see another human, much less a new breed of Spartans. They had gone from one war where there was no hope at all winning to another. Yet, he had the hope that they'd make it through this before too long had honestly passed. It was nice to him.

Still? He was honestly prepared to carry out what to do as of the moment. She was a lot more hopeful before she seemed to be interested. Sean glared before he pondered what to do next. Sean honestly seemed to point to other problems.

"Do we need any type of gear at the moment or are we all prepared to go?" Sean questioned before he tilted his head and seemed to be rather interested at the time.

"Not at the moment. We need to be ready to move within a few hours." Cutter stated before he seemed to brush off his uniform before sighing. "After their hit? We need to slowly hit each of the VIPS. The more that fall means the more dangerous ones will get smart." Cutter added before more looks were shared.

"As smart as Brutes besides Atriox can be," Isabel stated with a smile with seemed to be interested in what to do. "There's a lot more to do," Isabel said while she pointed to do something.

She watched as the two groups of Spartans seemed to be hopeful while this happened. Isabel was honestly ready to move onto the next plan.

"We need to move then, is there a base near the target? The sooner their hit? The sooner we can plan for the next attack." Sean questioned before he seemed to tilt his head. "Atriox is smart, but he's also focusing on the rest of the battle with the UNSC. He'll adapt to this plan sooner or later, but he won't be ready for the military target." Sean stated before honestly seemed to happen while Isabel seemed to plan.

"I'll need to connect to the military net. I'm not a military AI. I'd suggest waiting an hour before I connected to the net." Isabel said while the Spartans nodded to the others. "There are a few crates in the cargo bay. All of them have supplies and the factory lines will be online soon," Isabel said while she hummed to herself.

"That will help," Sean said before he stared at the other Spartans. "We're on the move when we need to be. I'll let the commander lead, I'm no Spartan-II and I don't have the best tactics against the Banished." Sean said while he crossed his arms.

Sean was prepared for this mentally, yet did not ponder what to do next. Sean leaned on the wall once more and seemed more to regard these soldiers properly.

"The sooner we try and press them? The harder it will be for us to move in and strike them down." Sean stated as he paced back and forth.

"Killing a pair of grunts isn't going to raise any eyebrows. Killing a group of brutes who are well-known war criminals? That will be a problem."

Author Notes

Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be delayed at the time. The next chapter will be 900-6500 words and will show the first part of the operation. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months as well, Lighting Wolf out!