Chapter Nine

0400 Hours, January 1st, 2725 (Military Calendar)/

Romulu Madagascar System, Planet Longwood

"We have been fighting the Drynk for two years now and we have had three major engagements with them in space and with each, our fleets crippled. This all because of the fact that we did not have the technology of weapons too defeat them. On this day I am proud to announce we now have the weapons to defeat them!" announced the chief of staff of the UNSC. Silver team stood at the back of the auditorium and listened to the news. Everyone of the team besides Andrew.

Everybody clapped except for Silver team. There wasn't anything happy for Silver team to clap about. Nick turned around and walked out. Tori followed him. The rest of the team stayed. None of the team had their armor on because it was an 'Occasion'. Nick went to the door and leaned against it. Tori came out and laid her head on his shoulder. They had been going out ever since Andrew's death. "It wasn't your fault that Andrew died, you know." Said Tori. Nick didn't answer he just let his head drop down. She sighed. Nick put his head back up and looked at the ceiling, then at Tori. "I know. But he was my brother I mean, why him. Why is it always us with the cracked up missions against the Drynk?" he asked. "Because we're the best of the best." She said and looked up at him.

He stroked her hair and kissed her. 'If were the best of the best, then why is he dead?' Thought Nick. Everybody from the auditorium started scrambling for the door. As the last of the people came out, the chief of staff walked over to Nick. He handed him some papers and walked off. Nick looked at them and shook his head. He and Tori walked back into the auditorium and found Silver team talking. He walked over to them and said, "Pack your gear. We're leaving." Cory looked at him, and so did the rest of the team. "Were are we going?" Cory asked. "Back to the Danube system, planet Ezel." Nick replied as he read the papers. Cory looked down and muttered, "Same planet Andrew died on." Nick turned around and walked out. A single tear running down his eye.

They walked to the door and walked out. They boarded the new warthog and drove off. As Cory entered the nearby doors of Delta base, he realized that there were some badass soldiers going with them. Including red team. Second toughest squad in the fleet. Everybody hopped out and walked to the Vulcan. It was pretty banged up; the fleet didn't even offer to repair it for them. Steven walked past them and said, "Good luck." Nick turned around and watched Steven board his Longsword. He saluted him and watched as thirty others followed him out. He turned around and boarded the Vulcan. As they took off, he watched as red team followed them out in their ship, the Eagle. He went and sat down next to Tori. Cory, LaTymee, Tiam, Atu and Josh sat with them.

It was a short ride so they entered Falcon's new ship, Blackbird, in a short amount of time. They got out and decided to go to the barracks. It was a three day Slipspace drive to Ezel.

They had heard there was a reunion dance for all the squads on the second day. Everybody new each other so the team decided to go. During the dance a song came on, Johnson's favorite, but Johnson died in the fourth battle on Zek.

Are you ugly? And are you like me?

Are you still lonesome? Someone you don't know.

Money, it's no cure. A sickness so pure.

Are you like me? Are you ugly?

We are dead! We are alone!

We know it's far from over! We are afraid!

We are afraid to know it's far from over!

We are dead! We are alone!

You know it's far from over!

Look closer! Are you ugly?

Are you like me?

Why do I cry? Medicate me, so I die happy.

A strain of cancer. Jokes or answers.

Are you like me? Are you ugly?

We are dead! We are alone!

You know it's far from over!

We are afraid! We are afraid to know it's far from over!

And so on. After the dance the team went back to the barracks, except Tori and Nick. They stayed and just talked. Tori sat on Nick's knee. "I don't think I'll be coming back this time." Tori looked at him and said "Don't talk like that. You're coming back." "I don't want you to waste your life on me. If I don't make it back then you find someone else." Nick replied. Tori nodded her head. She got up and walked off to the barracks. As she exited the door of the room she said "I could never love anyone else." Nick stayed in the chair for the rest of the night and then went to the armory before anyone woke up. He got into his armor. When he went to pick up his BR he found a little door on the bottom of the floor. He opened it up and jumped down into it. He turned on his flashlight and looked down a small hallway. There he saw crates upon crates of MA5B's and S3 AM snipers. He opened up the crate MA5B's and took one out for each of the team. Except for Cory who used his uncle MA5B. These things weren't supposed to be made anymore. Cory had specially requested the making of ammo for his. Something wrong was happening here. The UNSC was doing something they shouldn't. Nick walked around and found something written on a closed crate. BETRAYL OF COVENANT. The UNSC was planning on betraying the Covenant. Nick went and grabbed a grenade. He hopped out and was going to throw the grenade in when two elites stepped into the room. They drew out the new Covenant swords and were about to make a move on Nick. He waved them closer.

They moved closer and watched as Nick pointed into the hole. One motioned for the other to jump in and look. It jumped in and looked around. The jumped back out and looked at Nick. "They're going to kill us? Why, we had a truths with them for years." He said. Nick looked at him and pulled the pin on the grenade. "Come on, we've got to get everyone out of here" Nick said. The two elites nodded and ran off to the bridge. It looks like they're going to have to fight two enemies now. Something Nick wasn't two interested in doing. Nick ran to the barracks and woke everyone up. "Come on grab your gear we've got to get the hell out of here." They got up and LaTymee asked "What for?" Nick looked at him and said "They're going to kill you." "Who?" he asked again. "The UNSC." He turned and walked away and left LaTymee, ZanZuga, Tiam, and Atu to wonder what the hell was going on.

Nick walked back to the armory and pulled out his BR. The team walked in and looked at Nick and hastily grabbed their guns. Tori walked over to Nick and whispered in his helmet, "What is the hell going on?" Nick looked at her and then the squad and whispered, "Follow me." He then lead her over to the hole in the floor. He pointed into it and said, "The UNSC was hiding MA5B's here. I think they're going to kill the Covenant." Tori looked up at him. Then the doors opened and revealed red team and some other marines with shotguns. The captain red team, an ass named Jake laughed and said, "So you found our stash huh? Well that's too bad; luckily Cory there hates these Covie bastards." Jake said as he through two elite's heads on the floor. "Poor bastards, very bad guards." Nick looked as Cory walked over to where Jake stood. A marine raised his sniper at shot Nicks gun. The rest of silver team raised their guns but pistols were put to their heads before they could do anything.

'Sneaky ODST bastards.' Nick thought. "Why are you doing this Cory." Asked Josh. "Like Jake said, I hate those spilt-mouthed bastards." Cory replied. LaTymee couldn't take it anymore. He jumped up and backed flipped behind a ODST and broke his arm. The others shot at him but LaTymee was too quick and through the soldier in the way. Blood leaked out of the body and ZanZuga jumped back and crouch-kicked the ODST behind him. The soldier fell back into a locker and ZanZuga drew out his swords and cut right into the marine. He then threw the body at the soldiers behind Tiam and Atu. The two ran behind ZanZuga and grabbed two stationery turrets and set them up behind him. ZanZuga stepped aside and let the grunts bring down the rest. Jake and his team left the room and let the marines try and take care of them. They ran in but were cut down but Tiam and Atu.

Nick ran to the lockers and picked up a new BR and some ammo. He jumped out the door and shot at the retreating Spartans. Jake and Cory were behind the others so he only hit the shields of a one of the team. Nick heard the voice of Cory say "And hey! It isn't all of the UNSC, just a nice big chunk of the military." It wasn't all of the UNSC, then this would mean. They were going after the ship captain.

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