A quick note:

I am REALLY sorry I couldn't update sooner. I didn't really count on how busy I'd be this week. Next chapter will be up soon. However while I'm here I'd like to address something.

Now I received a review from someone about how Spartans get trained form age six, etc.

I am TOTALLY aware of this. Apparently if you're sending in this review you did not read the beginning very carefully. I have read all three books numerous times, so don't act like I'm clueless as to the story of Halo. I've said in my profile that I do appreciate constructive criticism, but I do wish you would read more carefully before you decide to do so.

Now... on a lighter note, here's chapter 3:

Chapter 3 Cortana was still sleeping when John woke up with her in that hospital bed. He decided he'd let her sleep and go talk to Major Eisley about that Cruiser. Besides, he didn't really want the marines seeing Cortana and him like that and creating any perverted jokes. He ignored the 2 new ODST guarding the door and walked right in.

"Ah... Master Chief, I suppose you're pissed about the Cruiser now aren't you?"

John hated how blunt he could be. In all truth, he hated him period. He just clenched his teeth and answered.

"Yes."

"Well put simply Chief, we realized that one of the orbital guns was still operational and opened fire. It made no difference, the target got away. A Prophet."

"And tell me, sir, what would have happened if I had already been in that Cruiser?"

The Major looked out the large window, not looking at John. He began in a much harsher voice.

"Let me show you soemthing." He reached into his desk and pulled out a brown classified folder. "Open it."

John deliberately opened it and stared at the papers in his hands.

"This is the classified information for Spartan 003... he was from the initial program."

The major snatched the papers from his hands.

"That was my son. Nathan. I doubt you knew him but he was in the first program and you can guess that he died in the process of being turned Spartan."

John processed this all for a little while.

"Cortana was turned into a Spartan because we had no choice. You see Chief, marines know that the Spartans were good. They were great, the best of the best. It's the same reason that all dead Spartans are marked MIA instead of KIA. Knowing the Spartans could die would make humans lose hope, but knowing –or thinking- they are alive gives them hope. Believe me, I hate Spartans. If it had been possible, Cortana probably wouldn't even be human right now."

John didn't say a word. He didn't want to. If he could have his way he would have put a bullet into Eisley's head. But no, he just walked away. He learned to do that long ago.

(Flashback)

John was up to kick in his traditional game of kickball he played every day that he came out for recess. As the ball came spinning towards him, he kicked it as hard as he could. It went hurtling right into a kid's head. The kid happened to be the biggest kid and school, and a bully at that. The bully held the ball in front of him, and just as John was about to apologize and take it, the bully kicked it himself, sending it far over the playground fence. And he just started laughing.

Now John could have slammed the kid in the face, but that wouldn't go well with the teachers. Instead he just went to go retrieve it, hearing the bully and a few of the bully's friends cackling behind him.

'Just walk away.'

(End Flashback)

As John stopped thinking about his past he realized he was at his room already. He opened the door and saw Cortana putting on her armor.

"Hey John... you alright? You look angry." He ignored her and grabbed his suit, beginning to put it on. She felt kind of hurt, but just continued putting hers on. She finished right when John did even though she had a head start, he was good at getting it on ASAP.

"Sorry." He mumbled. She smiled. At least he apologized.

"What's wrong?"

"Eisley... is an asshole." He smiled at her before taking a paper off the small table.

"We're supposed to take a pelican to Cairo orbital station to pick something up and get a new mission briefing." John simply nodded and put his helmet on with a 'hiss' of compressed air. He slung his assault rifle over his shoulder and latched a pistol onto his hip.

"Let's go."

---

The pelican pulled into the docking bay with expert precision and John and Cortana jumped down, heading for the door. As they walked in a marine greeted them.

"Corporal Smokes, 7th Company. I'll show you where to report, c'mon."

They followed until they came up to a door with blue lettering saying 'Armory'. They walked in. A man walked up to them.

"Well hey, I've been expecting you guys. I run the armory here and I need to introduce you to a few things. Chief, you can go first. Take off your armor." The man had a distinct southern accent. After he had finished, the man pressed a button on a console. A pillar slid out from the floor, holding a brand new suit of armor.

"This here is a brand new Mark VI suit of armor. Go ahead, try it on. Just remember to take it easy until you get a feel for the upgrades."

As John slid the helmet on he saw the new HUD. The shields began to charge-a lot faster than normal. The man made a few comments about the suit, but what John liked was the fact that the HUD now supported 2 weapon hook-ups. Dual wielding would come in handy. After getting in the suit he took a seat watching Cortana get into her suit.

She then proceeded to sit down next to him.

"Now it says here on this paper your supposed to report to the bridge which just so happened to be directly above us. Just take this here elevator and you'll be there in no time. He motioned to a small door behind him. They got up, thanked him and in no time they were at the bridge. A man in a white suit looking to be about 60 years of age approached him. Chief and Cortana saluted.

"Now we don't have time for formal introductions, this will need to be quick. We hacked into the database of the Cruiser before Eisley so elegantly blew it to pieces. Apparently the ship that left it minutes before its destruction – the one that contained a Prophet – was heading towards these coordinates." He handed them a slip of paper. "Now Captain Miranda Keyes here will take you aboard her ship and take you where it went, but we must hurry as not to lose the Prophet.

"Understood sir." John said strictly. He and Cortana both took a quick trip to the docking bay. Once there, they saw the ship. Keyes was already directing a few ODST onboard and loading up gear.

"Are we ready?" she asked them. They nodded. "Then let's go."

They climbed up the ramp onto the ship and saw none other than Sergeant Johnson standing there.

"So happy you two could make it." He said with a smile. With that, Cortana and Chief sat down.

"How's your arm?" he asked.

"Not as serious of a break as we thought, its fine."

He smiled and wrapped his hand around hers. It was gonna be a long day.

---

Sorry, another short chapter. Not a whole lot of fluff, in fact it'll be mostly action most of next chapter too. This chapter was supposed to accomplish 2 things.

Show that Eisley hates Spartans.

Set the story up for the incoming mission.

If I did those 2 things than its all good. Now I'm not gonna set a time for the next chapter because we all see what happened when I did that, so I'll just say that I'll try and get it up soon.

Keep bringing in the reviews, and see you next chapter!