DISCLAIMER: I don't own Halo, Halo 2, or anything related to Halo or Halo 2 . . .

SECTION I

Cairo Station

Prologue: Promotion

I blinked sleepily, rolling over in the bunk. I angrily slammed my fist against the bleating alarm clock, and continued the process until the terrible torture device shut up. I closed my eyes again, happily, stretching in the thin sheets. I rolled over again and hugged the pillow.

"Well, well," a voice said from far away. "Looks like Lance Corporal Price doesn't feel like joining us today . . ." Sniggers in the background. "Shall we wake him up?" The voice continued. I felt a growing sense of alarm, even in my exhausted state.

"Lance Corporal!" screamed a voice in my ear, jolting me out of bed. It was none other than Sergeant Major Johnson. My fellow Marines watched from behind him, snickering in an excellent show of camaraderie. "Get out of bed, give me fifty, and then sprint this message to the bridge!" He handed me a sheet of the old-fashioned notebook paper. Everyone knew he could easily comm the bridge, which would be twice as fast. Everyone also knew the Sergeant Major loved watching his underlings suffer.

Still sleepy, I got out of bed and dressed as the crowd dispersed. Once the last Marine had gone about his duties, Johnson told me the supervisor wanted to see me after I had delivered the message to the bridge. I nodded and began to do the push-ups.

Afterwards, I took the message and jogged my way to the bridge, reading the paper as I went a long. It just had to do with the awards ceremony and the Master Chief. I hadn't seen the SPARTAN-II soldier in anything other than newsvids, but I had heard about him. The chatter amongst the youngest Marines was that he was an eight-foot-tall cyborg, with armor as thick as hull plating, and energy shields that could survive an atom bomb. I chuckled to myself.

I dropped the paper off at the bridge, taking the time to smirk enticingly at a brown-haired female ensign. I walked to Recreation R-01, where my supervisor, Sergeant Major Zoë Stevens, usually hung out. She was sharing a coffee with an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper by the name of John Cullis. The 'Helljumpers' had a reputation for being slightly crazed, and this man was no exception. While I waited for them to finish, I leaned against the wall near a plant stand. My friend, Lance Corporal Vic Doyle, approached me, and we shared some idle chatter.

"Dude," he began, stepping up to me, holding a cola. "Rumor has it the Covvies are going to attack soon."

I shook my head, grinning. "How would anyone know? There are never any signs that they are going to attack. Nobody knew about Reach, 'til it happened."

"Yeah, I guesso." He admitted, also grinning. Our conversation dissolved into discussing the latest 'hot crew babe'.

Vic walked away a few minutes later, heading towards Commons R-01. By now, Stevens was sipping the coffee alone with a thoughtful expression on her face. I walked up and saluted. She returned it with a grin, offering the vacant seat. I sat down.

"Yes, ma'am?" I asked, once I was seated.

"Yes, ma'am, what?" Zoë returned.

"You wanted me for something, ma'am?" I continued, completely aware of the sergeant's way of dealing with her troops.

She sipped her coffee, looking upwards. The sergeant major was my age, and I was amazed by how good she looked, even in military fatigues. The men never voiced it, but I was sure my fellows believed the same. And she knew it, too, by the way she ran rings around us.

Finally, the sergeant answered, "I'm promoting you, corporal. You've been a good soldier, ever since the first time we met."

I beamed at her. It seemed I had never gotten a promotion in all the years of military service: seven. I was now twenty-three, and I hadn't gotten a single promotion since my first battle with the Covenant, when I was moved from private to lance corporal.

"Thank you, Sergeant Major," I said happily.

"No problem, Corporal Nathan Price." She smiled at me again. "Dismissed."

I stood and trotted away, following Vic's footsteps to Commons R-01. I walked in, and immediately spotted two PDA – Public Displays of Affection – violations. Tensions were high ever since the rumor of an attack on earth had started. Many of the Marines were willing to risk a court martial for a family, or even something . . . briefer. I cast my gaze around until I saw Vic, whom I strode up to.

He was flirting with a young private that had recently been transferred from the Malta. She was a pretty redhead, only sixteen. I grinned and watched.

After she had strutted off with an immense smirk on her face, towards the other girls, I stepped up to him. Vic was grinning too; maybe he had landed a 'bunkroom meet' with her. "How'd that go?" I asked him.

"Ah, pretty good, pretty good," He returned. Leaning towards me, he confirmed my thoughts.

I looked at him seriously. "Careful, mate," I warned, "You know if you get caught, there'll be a court-martial."

Vic laughed. "Just because you can't get a girl, don't come preaching regulations to me."

"Yeah, whatever." I cracked another grin. "Guess what?"

The other Marine raised an eyebrow. "You met the Master Chief, and he turned out to be a bisexual pedophile," Vic guessed.

I laughed, but replied, "No. You should be calling me sir, now, lance corporal."

"No way!" Vic grinned. "You got a promotion?" Vic Doyle had only been with the Marines for a year, and he knew my track record.

"Yeah, and from Sergeant Stevens."

"Oh, yeah? She smitten with you?" He laughed, loudly.

"Maybe, maybe," I chuckled. "Well, I better be off now," I said, giving him a friendly punch on the shoulder. "Good luck tonight."

I walked off, this time heading toward the hangars. For most of the Marines, today was a day off, because of the award ceremony later that day. From what I had heard, Commander Keyes, the Master Chief, and Sergeant Johnson would be there.

XXX

Two hours later, I watched as the train arrived outside of the award ceremony chamber. It pulled up beside Vic and I, and the Spartan stepped out. At first, I didn't recognize him – his armor had changed since the Master Chief had last appeared in the newsvids. Sergeant Johnson followed him out, nodding at me.

I watched with fascination as the duo marched towards the chamber. I managed to catch the Master Chief say something about cameras, in a deep, throaty voice. The sergeant answered him, but his reply was lost to the rising voices. As the door opened, I managed to catch a glance of Lord Hood before the door closed again. Vic and I would wait outside, so we could see the Master Chief when he came back out . . .