Despite the the ships always being surrounded by the darkness of space with no actual physical way to tell if it was night or day onboard vessels. Still by the ships clock it was the early hours of the morning which would explain the lack of activity in the docking bay as Itsuka stared out through the shuttle doors into the endless blackness and stars.

Her shoulder still ached from her recently healed wound by her old school motto of going beyond stuck with her and made her a stubborn marine Sargent that she'd continue fighting even when injured.

A set of foot steps behind her gained her attention and she turned to see the ships commanding officer. Captain James Shockey.

Shockey was a man in his late 50's who had a respected military career and for a short period of time he did teach at one of the few UNSC Military academy's but decided standing on the bridge of a battle cruiser was where he was needed more. Especially since the start of the Covenant war.

His somewhat long silvery hair was for certain no where near the standards the UNSC set but the appearance tended to go ignored from most.

Itsuka stood attention at the mans arrival but he quickly responded "At ease Sargent."

Shockey stood beside Itsuka as she relaxed her posture and continued staring out into the darkness. "I was hopeful to have a word with you at some point" spoke the captain.

Itsuka looked at him in surprise "Sir?"

Shockey turned to her. "I've read your file. Dropped out of the UA hero course to help the war effort. You've seen what it's like out there with boots on the ground. How would you describe the fight?"

Itsuka thought for a moment and sighed as she gave a reply. "I think we're losing the fight. Yes we can hold our own against the covenant on the ground but they seem to have endless numbers and fire power they we're struggling to compete against."

She looked at the man with deep expression "I believe we need a miracle to win sir."

The captain nodded "I agree. I knew I made a good decision choosing you."

"Pardon sir?" Asked Itsuka in confusion. Captain Shockey was quick to give an answer though.

"The top brass are having a ball to reveal some kind of new weapon that supposed to give us an edge. Only high ranking officers including myself are invited. And I need you to be my plus one?"

Itsuka raised her brow at him but he continued to explain. "You have both hero and military experience. The top brass don't really listen to advice from those who do the fighting and dieing. I want you to witness this new weapon and tell me if it's going to make a difference. And if it's not then I'd like to introduce to some of the higher ups and tell them what you told me."

"What will that achieve sir?"

Shockey turned back towards the blackness beyond the ship. "It'll hopefully achieve a change of thinking. Hopefully some new tactics in combat against these religious alien nut jobs that won't continue to be so devastating to our men and women who are spending their lives just to buy time."

Itsuka thought for a moment before agreeing to go "If you think my voice will make difference. Then I'll go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Planet: Reach

Castle Base

Halsey stared at the two cryo jars that sat on the table before her. One of them contained a clone of her very own brain. She glanced at the second and before she could begin to wonder about its contents her assistant AI Kalmiya spoke.

"Doctor. May I ask why you need them?" Asked the AI as she flickered into existence by hologram.

Halsey turned away from the cryo jars and replied "Well Kalmiya. First tell me how a Smart AI like yourself comes to exist?"

"Doctor. To create a 'smart' AI. One needs to first scan a brain from someone who has died then after scanning..." Kalmiya was cut off by Halsey

"Exactly. Hence why I have the two cryo jars."

"But you only need one to create an AI. You've cloned yours three times and you this other one making four in total." retorted the AI

"I have three clones as back ups incase my first clone fails." Explained Halsey

"And the other?" Quizzed the computer assistant.

"My Spartans can win this war. But they can't do it alone. I need to create the most powerful AI the UNSC has created to date. One capable of hacking covenant systems with minimal effort. But it also requires something that I myself nor my cloned brains have. And it something that my Spartans have been trained so long that may have lost it." Ranted Halsey as she returned to the cryo Jars.

"And what is that doctor?"

"Humanity..." she answered as she wiped the frost off the cryo jar revealing a name on it.

O. Uraraka.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An Unggoy stood shaking in his boots as he looked at the slain covenant soldiers corpses cut apart. The foot steps behind him made him screech in fear.

The owner of the footsteps growled at the smaller alien "Quite! What happened here?" The Unggoy was surprised to see that creature standing before him was infact a Jiralhanae.

This was the first time the little Unggoy witnessed a Jiralhanae clan step foot on a human world. The covenant we're holding back on realising these brutes into the fight until they felt they were needed. These large savage ape like creatures were more intimidating then the Sangheili the Unggoy felt. And they were much more primitive in the acts of battle.

When the Unggoy didn't answer one of the Jiralhanae roared "ATRIOX ASKED YOU A QUESTION!"

The Unggoy Yelp and ran past them "Scary human!! Run away run away!!"

The Jiralhanae that was named ATRIOX shook his head at the Unggoy's cowardness but he couldn't dwell on it for long as the covenant's unofficial Jiralhanae leader Tartarus radioed in.

"Have you found what has been killing our forces in the area?" The Chieftain asked.

Atriox grumbled a reply "An Unggoy said something about a human. Still investigating."

"Be quick about it. We do not wish to keep the hierarchs waiting." The radio signal shut off after Tartarus's deceleration.

Atriox gritted his teeth. He and his clan have for the longest time been the ones selected for suicide missions and many of them would be slaughtered for the Great Journey.

But Atriox was slowly getting tired of the prophets and the supposed great journey. So much blood wasted for such little reward. Often more then not he would be the only survivor of each mission.

So this one will likely be no different.

He and his other clan members stalked through the street searching for whatever was killing the covenant forces in the area until a voice echoed from the surrounding buildings.

"So your leaders have sent more of you to be slaughtered."

The Jiralhanae grouped together readying their weapons and searched the buildings as they grinded their tusks in anticipation for battle.

"I'll admit I had set out for different plans for the benefit of society. But since your kind and the others species that fight beside you have declared war on mine. My fate and destiny has become clear." Echoed the voice as knife flys out from the shadows and imbeds itself into a Jiralhanae's neck.

The others grunt in surprise and open fire at the shadows the blade came from only for another of the group to fall to the ground headless and blood spurting from his torso.

Atriox barely caught the movement of the mysterious warrior. But his reflexes were good enough to deflect a blade that was aimed at his torso.

It was then that he finally viewed his opponent. Shaggy black fur sat on top of its head with various cloths wrapped around his arms as well as a red one on its face. While the rest of the humans body was wearing some kind of combat suit covered in various bloods.

The Jiralhanae opened fire on the human but he was quick to dodge and charge in for a strike cutting down two more the clan members and slicing Atriox's shoulder.

The covenant killer Stain licked the blood off the blade and began walking casually towards Atriox who stood motionless as the human approached him.

Stain readied his blade for the final strike "You tried and failed. But I will end this quickly and prevent any more suffering."

Atriox without any hint of warning lunged out and gripped Stain by the throat and began to squeeze causing the human to drop his weapon and wheeze for air.

"I... licked your blood... my quirk should've... paralysed *gasps* you".

Atriox growled and sneered at the tiny human in his grip. It was at this point Stain realised his quirk has no affect on this covenant species. With one more powerful squeeze and powerful shaking and tossing around like a rag doll the hero killers neck snapped along with every other bone in his being.

Atriox tossed the lifeless corpse to the side in disgust and stormed off back to the nearby covenant ship to report in.

(A/N: I had intentions of releasing this chapter earlier as my little thing to say Happy 20 years of Halo but fatherhood got in the way.

I think this chapter revealed what my intentions of what my plan with Ochako were. And if it wasn't obvious then you'll work it out eventually. Someone did comment that theyed be upset if that was my plan for Ochako. Unfortunately for them I not gonna change the game plan I've set for this story.

Anyways I hope y'all enjoyed this update. I intend to release more chapters before Halo Infinte's campaign comes out but we'll just have to wait and see how I go.

Anyways PLUS ULTRA!!)