Ok Im back for the long awaited chapter 7, I know its taken a hell of a long time but gimme a break I have had other stuff to deal with and haven't really tried to write in the past few weeks, but lucky for you today Im bored out of my mind and have come up with the next few steps of this slowly developing story but hey, beggars cant be choosers…or at least they shouldn't be, Oh and finally I admit that I was NOT completely original and will not be in the chapters to come, at least in a few small parts which are mostly quotes and stuff like that from movies, not fics, just little things I thought would be appropriate for this story so please don't flame me if u know any of them, by the way, my computer caught a virus so Word got deleted and now I have to use WordPad, so please forgive anything weird you might see, and sorry it took so long but better late than never I guess

Starcraft addict:

-ok mi'll try to keep the techno babble down
-i'll try to make it a bit more easier to understand
-i barely mention halo but ok
-because the pulse laser is much easier to dodge, perhaps i didnt make it clear but its not because of the pulse lasers effect its because for the covenant to charge a weapon most of their energy has to be rerouted to that weapon, but the weapon was destroyed and their energy was gone
-they use plasma because thats the best weapon they have
-i dont mention a shotgun...EVER in the whole story i didnt mention a shotgun ONCE
-they have barely communicated so whats with the signals/verbal communication?
-"electronics have been the only major field that halo "humans" have advanced greatly in" ...so?
-"UNSC companies are not composed of platoons, which are composed of squads; instead they rely on "fire teams" of fifteen to twenty" again what are u talking about?
-"Pelicans are just big targets, not dropships" are u sure u read THIS story?
-"the "Covenant" seems to be as stupid as a retarded baby" i have barely mention the covenant unless u mean the brutes in which case they're suposed to be stupid
-"no tactics, strategy involved whatsoever" no place to use tactics and strategy, just one space battle that DOES have them
-"the story line in the books make no sense at all" thats great but why are u telling me?
-"in "The Fall of Reach", covenant plasma weaponry behave much more differently than those described in "First Strike"" yes because cortana found a way to update them, im using the new method

To more than one person: Like i said this chapter is in wordpad so please be nice on the gramatical errors

Everyone else: Thanks everyone so far for reviewing i hope you like this chapter, a little short but enjoy it

Catching Up

0423 hours, September 18, 2552 (Military Calendar)\ONI Headquarters, The Millennium Tower (testing facility), Earth.

"Bring her up!"

The entire testing facility was filled to the limit with people from all around the universe all of them staring at a single person just behind the roped off area.

"That's it hold it!" said Fhajad. He turned to look at the mass of people, although he saw no movement most people could still be heard talking and discussing loudly what this event might possibly be. "Alright everyone, let's keep it down to a low roar."

Instantly there was a dead silence. Everyone stared pointedly at Fhajad.

He smiled. It seemed unfair that no one there would ever know that this was a Section Three project, Section Four was going to take all the credit, even though it had taken Section Four eighty-four work hours to perfect the design, another three to brief the Section Four board and a full day to get the demonstration ready.

But they couldn't risk the public learning the truth. He didn't care, he was used to it. Ever since he was a five year old child he had been overshadowed by his older brother, and it had taken its toll on him.

"So what's all this about Admiral?" Fhajad was snapped back to reality and turned toward the Section Four administrator.

"You'll find out soon enough, sir." He had never really liked the man. He turned around and yelled "Alright lets fire it up!"

For a few moments no one moved. As a standard issue destroyer was brought forward. Everyone stared quizzically at it as nothing happened. The administrator shot Fhajad an inquisitive look, and again looked back at the vessel.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Fhajad started. "Since the tragedy at Harvest we have been facing what is undoubtedly a superior enemy." No one moved. Dead silence.

"For too long we have suffered from the technology so advanced, that we have never been able to keep up with. For too long we have been forced to bow to the power of that which was inexplicable" he paused. "That, ends here and now." Without another word he turned on his wheels.

Two red targets were being painted on the destroyer, one on each side, as ten marines filed out fully dressed for combat. Five of them went to the left, and the other five to the right.

"Were showing green across the board" said one of the men at the control panel. He smiled "Lets do it!"

Fhajad turned back to the crowd "each of these two groups," he said gesturing at the marines "Will have ten seconds to inflict as much damage as possible to the targets" he again turned around leaving everyone more confused than ever.

"Group one if you will" the marines on the left shrugged and in unison began firing at the red target. When the ten seconds were over several hundred shots had been fired and two grenades had blown. The target was barely visible as many semi-armor piercing rounds had been buried a few inches into the target and two large black marks had been made.

"Thank you very much" said Fhajad. The people could not have been more lost. "Now if you please" he said at the man in the control panel. This one pressed a few buttons on the computer and gave Fhajad the thumbs up.

"Now group two if you will" These marines looking just as puzzled as the crowd opened fire.

When the cloud from the grenades settled and the last shot was fired, there was a collective gasp from the crowd. The red mark was perfectly preserved, nothing had happened. A small yellowish color rippled around the area that had just been fired upon.

"As you can see" said Fhajad gesturing behind him at the destroyer. "We have only just managed to duplicate the wonderous mystery that is the vessel shielding system" behind him men and women were emptying the cans of red paint on the destroyer and a standard issue field mine was being fixed on top of the ship.

Although it was barely visible, there was a small gap between the exterior of the ship and anything "touching" it from the outside. The paint was running freely and the mine was being activated. A few moments later a huge bang and a cloud of smoke went up with the same yellowish ripples across the hull of the ship.

Fhajad nodded toward the man in the control panel. There was a flicker in the shields and they vanished, as the red paint fell and hit the actual hull of the ship, the area around the mine was unharmed.

"Not only have we duplicated the design" said Fhajad. "We are now able to mold the shield into virtually any shape or form" there was a pause. "Allow me to demonstrate"

A small table was brought out, in the middle of it there seemed to be a metal plate-like disc. A metal stand was brought out and placed on top of the disc, on top of it was another field mine, this one was activated by remote control.

Fhajad nodded to the man in the control panel once more, he pushed a few buttons and nodded back to Fhajad.

"Would you do us the honor?" said Fhajad at the administrator handing him the remote. He uncertainly took it. There was a moments pause as he pushed the button. There was a muffled bang as a perfectly round cloud of smoke appeared were the mine had just been. The man at the control panel pushed a few more buttons and the cloud was released, slowly rising and losing its shape as it went. Until it vanished completely.

Everyone looked back at the table, the disc was perfectly preserved, the stand was no where to be seen.

"Well I'll be damned" said the administrator softly. "The son of a bitch pulled it off."

A few minutes later everyone was clapping, talking and laughing; they finally had something to laugh about.

Fhajad smiled tiredly. Section Three had just made ONI history for what felt like the millionth time.

2026 hours, September 13, 2552 (Military Calendar)\Aboard UNSC vessel Gettysburg, in Slipspace.

"We have less than ten minutes left everyone lets rap it up!"

It had been tricky, but Cortana felt they had done the best they could. It had taken them almost an hour but she was confident about the job they had done.

She had chosen thin materials made out of the simplest mixture of elements so the molecules would break into atoms faster, energy had been running low and they only had enough for less than half an hour. More than enough, she thought.

Everything had been planned out beforehand. When the Gettysburg entered the Black hole she would bring them back to normal space for less than an eigth of a second and bring them back to slipspace, that way they would get the full blast of the impact and come back, hopefully, before anydamage is done.

The spartans were being pulled out from the "mission" and were making their way back to the bridge. John didn't like having to resort to such a long shot, he had even debated it for a few minutes but when he asked for any alternatives it was obvious that there was only one thing to do. He was hoping that the same luck that had kept him alive all these years would hold out.

They all gathered around the viewscreens in the bridge, even though there was nothing to look at. They all stood silent for a few minutes.

"I want you all to know" said John, his tone expresionless. "Whatever happens..." they could feel the cliche coming but stayed silent all the same. "It's been a pleasure working with you"

There was moments pause and then Johnson hit him in the back saying "You sound like we're never getting out of here, c'mon boys smile, we'll be home in no time."

No one knew that for sure but they all aprecciated it all the same.

"Uhh guys" said Cortana. "I hate to break you're little moment here but we're intercepting in ninety seconds"

They all snapped back to Earth as John said "Alright, we dont know what to expect so everyone buckle up"

As everyone was strapping into a seat Johnson was smiling broadly as he said his signature line which he always used when he was among his marines. "Alright everyone you know the drill, in case of an emergency put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye."

"Ten seconds to intercept" said Cortana, even she seemed to be bracing herself for the interception.

"Alright everyone brace yourselves!" said John with not a trace of fear in his voice.

"Five...four...three" Cortanas counting gave the eerie feeling of a time bomb about to go off.

"Here we go!" yelled Johnson as their time reached zero.

Cortana knew that somwhere stored in her memory bank she had data that described human fear and terror. Being an AI she found it hard to imagine how such an experience felt, but she knew that if she would ever come close to understanding it, it would be at that moment.

She had brought them back to normal space and back to slipspace just as had been planned, but what hadnt been planned was the Gettysburg coming to a complete stop, as it did, Cortana could have sworn her "heart" stopped with it.

It took a full two seconds before the Gettysburg was fired forward at blinding speed and another four before anyone was able to move at all.

Sometime in the next ten seconds where John was finally able to move they heard his rough voice asking "Is eveyone alright?" After everyone was accounted for, which took just a few moments Cortana checked their ship status. Her "jaw" dropped, she couldnt help but smile. She had to dump almost a third of the energy they had just aquaired, from the sheer abundance of it.

She cheked the new estimated time of arrival and smiled even broader. Then she noticed John asking her about the ETA. She pretended to be busy with something to keep from answering.

He turned over to Fred who was seated at the control panel and asked him to check their ETA.

Fred turned around and started typing in a few words, when the answer popped up he froze. He blinked hard and looked again more closely.

John saw his hesitation and asked again. When he didnt answer he walked behind him and saw what had stunned Will.

"Suit up" he said turning slowly to the rest of them. "ETA is thirty-two seconds"

A/N: Ok i KNOW this chapter is short but i only had a vague idea on what to write so I'm sorry and I dont have anything for a future update so looks like it might be another long wait. On the bright side I'm planning on starting a Robert Langdon fic soon, if you dont know who Robert Langdon is please exit my fic, i mean it. I know i shouldnt do too many fics at a time but its just too good an idea for me to pass up. I'm hoping by the next chapter i can add to Mitchell and Halsey's story, maybe 'Nuromee and the Prophets but who knows we'll see what happens. Keep reviewing since thats usually what prompts me to write another chapter, this one not included