The Covenant forces have been invading the core room three times, yet they have not been successful. Kurt and the other soldiers have been fighting bravely to stop the Covenant advance. Many of them are heavily wounded and exhausted. People would give up under desperate circumstances. But because of Kurt's leadership and encouragement, they are still not giving up. However, no matter how hard they keep up their morale, it had less effect in front of the massive enemies and their aggressive invasions. The end is coming…
~Onyx, Core Room, in front of the Slipspace Portal~
Kurt, Tom (Tom-B292), and Lucy (Lucy-B091) are defending the slipspace portal. They have successfully delayed the Covenant invasion while the others have been retreating into the Forerunner Shield World in Onyx. It is now their turn to enter the portal, but Kurt has no intention to fall back. He plans to stay in the core room chamber to fight until the portal shuts down. Tom and Lucy want to stay with him and fight along, but Kurt refuses their requests.
(BGM: Halo Reach, Pillar of Autumn, Keyes)
Kurt: Tom, Lucy, it is time for you two to leave. I will cover for you. (Cough…cough).
From the countless attack, Kurt's SPI armor has been damaged, and he is mortally injured. Tom and Lucy are hesitant to leave behind their leader alone.
Tom: No, sir. We will stay here and fight along with you.
Lucy: I agree with Tom. We can't just leave you. Besides, you are injured, you need someone to cover your back.
Kurt: I appreciate your kindness. It has been my pleasure to have subordinates like you two. Now, go before the portal shuts down. The UNSC needs any single capable soldiers who can fight.
Tom: Sir! WE CAN'T! Just let us be with you.
Lucy: Sir, please!
Kurt: ENOUGH! THIS IS AN ORDER! GO, OR I WILL SHOOT YOU!
Kurt points his rifle at Tom and Lucy. He has no intention of shooting them. He just wants them to go before the final attack begins.
Tom: Forgive me, sir. I won't change my mind.
Kurt is proud of the two brave Spartan IIIs. He trained many Spartan IIIs closely, and they are like his children, families. He has seen many of his family members killed by the Covenant, and he doesn't want to lose their lives. Kurt has no choice but to use force. He knocks out Tom by punching his belly, and Tom completely faints.
Kurt: (KnocksTom).
Lucy: (Shocking)!
Kurt: Lucy, you and he will go into the portal, NOW!
Lucy: But… but sir! (Crying).
Kurt: I have seen enough blood, and I don't want to lose you. Please, listen to me.
Lucy: … Yes, sir. It has been an honor. Good luck. (Crying).
Kurt: Good luck to you, Spartan.
(Sound of Tom and Lucy entering the portal).
After a long arguing, Lucy and Tom finally leave the chamber. Kurt drags his painful body and checks his equipment. He walked towards the portal and placed two nuclear warheads next to it. Once the Covenant forces get in the room, he intends to activate the warheads and wipe them out, including himself. He then assigns the fallen Spartans in the previous battle and himself as MIA.
Kurt: (Cough…cough). I raised and trained many Spartan IIIs. I also sent them to death. It was me who killed them, who forced them to die. My hands have been wet with the blood of many people. And my sins cannot be washed away.
Kurt takes a deep breath and continues.
Kurt: Spartan IIIs are finally per to Spartan IIs. I won't let any of them die. The death of an old soldier is enough.
Suddenly, Kurt hears a metal cutting sound.
(Plasma cutter sound).
The Covenant is using the plasma laser to cut the door. Kurt quickly grabs his sniper rifle and aims at the door.
(Door breaching sound).
Then the door is breached, and many enemies entered the room.
The Covenant: (Roar).
From the crowd, an Elite with orange armor steps forward and speaks.
Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree: Kill the little demon and bring glory to the High Council. He is wounded, but do not underestimate him. The 'Great Journey' awaits us!
Kurt: You shall not pass me. It's time to finish this, Covenant.
(BGM: Halo Reach, Pillar of Autumn, Lone Wolf)
Countless enemies charged onto Kurt at once. Kurt calmly uses his sniper rifle to shoot a Brute down.
(Sniper rifle shot).
Brute: (Scream).
Then, he kills a Jackal and two Grunts. His shots were rapid and accurate, and they were all headshots.
(Sniper rifle shot).
Jackal: (Scream).
(Sniper rifle shots).
Grunts (Scream).
The Covenant are stunned for a few seconds, and they start to realize what happened. They make roars and run towards Kurt even wildly. Kurt switches to a rocket launcher and pulls the trigger.
(Rocket launcher shot).
The Covenant: (Scream).
Kurt: Come on, aliens. Can't you kill a single human? You and your prophets are weak!
He taunts the Covenant to lose their calmness, and it works ideally. The Fleet Master is running out of patience, and his orders are becoming rougher.
Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree: What takes it so long? Make the Mgalekgolos pin him down!
Two hunters jump onto Kurt. They swing their arms and shields fiercely, but Kurt doesn't even get a single scratch.
Hunters: (Roar).
He dodges the melee attack stylishly. Then, he picks up a gravity hammer from a dead Brute nearby and smashes it to the Hunters.
(Gravity hammer sound).
Hunters: (Scream).
When the Fleet Master sees his Hunters turn into pieces, his rage rises.
Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree: Tell the troops to shoot the damn demon!
Elite Squad Leader: But Master, it will hit the allies.
Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree: I ORDERED TO SHOOT!
Elite Squad Leader: As your command. MARK ON HIM AND SHOOT!
With the Elite Squad Leader's command, many Covenant Carbines blow fire. Some shots are hitten by the allies.
(Covenant Carbine shots).
The Covenant: (Scream).
But the Fleet Master thinks it is a necessary sacrifice for the victory. Few bullets also hit Kurt's body. Unlike Mjolnir Armor, SPI armor has no energy shield. The plasma penetrates Kurt's armor and melts his skin.
(Covenant Carbine shots).
Kurt: (Painfully screams and breathes heavily).
A normal person would faint, but Kurt bears his pain. His body is already exceeding its limit. Yet, his steel spirit is keeping him moving. He knows that if he falls, it will leave the other side of the portal defenseless. He grabs his assault rifle from his back and takes down the Elite Squad Leader.
(Assault rifle shots).
Elite Squad Leader: (Scream).
Kurt yells at the Covenant.
Kurt: (Cough). Your boss is a cruel monster. I feel sorry for you guys, and I am glad I never had a horrible boss like him. (Laugh).
Kurt looks at the slipspace portal, and it is not closed yet. He doesn't know how long he can still delay the enemy invasion. Even though he is fighting like an immortal man, invisibly, his body is accumulating damages. Slowly, his movement becomes dull. Instinctively, he knows that he cannot last very long, and it is a matter of time that Kurt will get another hit. The Fleet Master notices it and sees it as a chance. He grins and orders the Elites ready to fire the Fuel Rod Cannons.
Finally, the portal shuts down! When Kurt sees it, he feels accomplishment. His remaining task is to lure more enemy forces into the chamber and activate the warheads. However, things are not flowing smoothly. Suddenly, countless radioactive particles coming out of the cannons are flying towards Kurt.
(Fuel rod cannon sound).
Usually, Kurt would take cover and easily avoid getting hit. But his reaction is slow due to his injury. The particles hit him, and he was blown away to the wall. The wall becomes rubble and crashes on him.
Kurt: (Scream).
(Crashing sound).
(BGM: Halo Reach, Pillar of Autumn, Closing Cinema)
Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree: Hold your fire! I will finish him in my own hand as respect toward him for being a true warrior.
The Covenant stops their attack while the Fleet Master walks towards Kurt holding his energy sword.
Kurt: (Breathes heavily).
Kurt is heavily injured, and he can hardly move his body. His final task is to push the button on the remote controller to activate the warheads. He tries to pull his arm, but the bone broke from the collapse. His body is starting to lose temperature, and he becomes unconscious gradually.
(Fleet Master's step sounds).
He hears the approaching step sound of the Fleet Master, and it becomes louder and louder like a messenger of death is about to take away his life. Desperately, Kurt passes out.
?: Kurt… Kurt!
In his unconsciousness, Kurt hears familiar voices calling him. When he opens his eyes, everything was white.
(BGM: Halo 2: Epilogue)
From a distance, Kurt sees his fallen Spartan brothers and sisters standing. They are nodding their heads and giving thumb ups to him. Magically, his body feels very light, and he walks to them.
Kurt: Solomon, Malcolm, Anton, and everyone! I am happy to see you all.
Solomon: Kurt, you are the true Spartan among us.
Malcolm: You fought beautifully. You gave a heck to the Covenant.
Anton: You are the best. We admire your braveness.
Where am I? Am I dead? Am I in heaven? It matters less to Kurt. He is happy to have a reunion with his family again.
Kurt: Come on. There are so many things I need to share with you.
Then, he sees his friends' faces become serious.
Solomon: You still have one final task that remains. It is too early for you to join us.
Kurt: What task?
Malcolm: You need to activate the warheads and kill all the Covenant.
Anton: If you don't stop them, they will kill Fred, Dr. Halsey, and your Spartan III disciples. You are their only hope now!
Kurt: … You are right. I need to go back and finish it. (Sigh). I am a busy man. I can't even rest after I am dead.
All: (Laugh).
Kurt: Thank you for encouraging me and pushing my back. I am ready. When I complete my task and come back here, buy me a good drink!
Anton: Oh, we will surely get you some strong ones. (Laugh).
Solomon: Remember, brother. We are always with you.
Everyone salutes to Kurt, and so does him. He is ready to wake up and faces his last enemies.
(BGM: Halo Reach, Lone Wolf, Lone Wolf)
When Kurt is conscious again, he sees someone standing in front of him, the Fleet Master. The Fleet Master is gloating his victory. He is too arrogant, and thus he gives Kurt enough time to grab the remote controller. Kurt uses his last power to draw the controller out of his bag secretly.
Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree: With respect, I shall kill you with my sword. After I kill you, I will open the portal once again and hunt down the remaining demons. Your effort has less meaning in front of us. (laugh).
The Covenant makes a huge war-cry and presenting the celebration of their victory. The Fleet Master is now ready to stab his sword at Kurt.
Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree: Now, it is time for you to die, little demon.
Kurt: (Laugh). Die? (Cough). Didn't you know? Spartans never die.
The Fleet Master hardly understands why the dying human laying down in front of him is laughing. He was expecting a despairing face from Kurt. But because of that moment of confusion, the Fleet Master and his Covenant minion's fates are doomed. Kurt shows his controller to the Fleet Master.
Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree: (Shocking)!
The Fleet Master realizes what Kurt is holding and tries to prevent him from pressing it, but it is too late.
(Sound of pressing the button).
When Kurt pushes the button, everything becomes white. Without pains, the Covenant turns into ashes. The Fleet Master couldn't even say a single word to curse Kurt.
In the light, Kurt said his last words.
Kurt: My life wasn't bad at all. Goodbye and farewell, everyone.
(Explosion sound).
~Epilogue~
(BGM: Halo Reach, Epilogue)
Dr. Halsey: With the nuclear explosion, our enemies were destroyed. They were ferocious and brutal, but they could not defeat you. After the Human-Covenant War was over, the UNSC corvette, Glamorgan, picked the transponder signals from your Mjolnir armor in the debris near Onyx, and we were rescued. Because of your effort and sacrifice, we could escape into the shield world. And excavated the advanced Forerunner technologies, the technology that can evolve humanity into the next stage. Human-Sangheili Alliance, Battle of Installation 00, many things have happened, and I wished you could see them. Even though your body becomes space dust, your courage and spirit will live inside of us forever. Kurt Ambrose, a brilliant hero, rests in peace at Trevelyan, November 3rd, 2552.