Chapter 5 Soldiers Of Misfortune

Meridian: March 15, 2550

The Director wasted no time putting me and the Alpha to work. I suppose he really wanted to impress his superiors, get that promotion he's had his eye on.

Maybe he just didn't like me.

The AI he gave me doesn't seem too anyway.

"Yeah, I'm still connected to your brain dude." Case in point, he doesn't respect my privacy, at all. "Fuck off, also duck."

That warning in mind, I duck long enough to see an elite's energy sword stab the empty air that my head was just in.

"Thanks." That said, he's still a huge help, he's just…

"Yeah, whatever." An asshole. "Really feeling appreciated, jackass."

Reaching up, I grab the Elite's hand, and twist it to impale him on his own sword. Then it gives some kind of weird death noise. I think it sounded like "Hrrrrk! Blargh."

Taking a breath, I look around, and get a little lost in thought.

Meridian was a beautiful world once, as were a lot of worlds before the Covenant showed up. For the last two years, they've had a losing battle, but they're still in the fight. That's reason enough for me to help, and reason enough for the Director to show off.

I'm not trying to be a dick, I get why he's doing it, what program isn't trying to find the Covenant's silver bullet? The guy just gives me a bad vibe is all.

Maybe I'm being too cynical.

War tends to do that though, and looking at this planet, I can see why.

Broken vehicles, shell shocked soldiers, not even mentioning the fallen ones littering the ground.

That's just from today's battle.

Still, maybe it'll be worth it, at the very least it looks like the Covenant's in retreat for now. Thanks in no small part to me and the Alpha.

"Yep, woohoo. Teamwork for the win." Church replied, deadpanned.

This is gonna take some getting used to. "Right… Well, the section's cleared. Contact the CO, and the Director. We're moving onto the next one."

"I'm on it."

This is gonna be a long war...

…

Meridian: March 27, 2550

"David," I started, getting the attention of the only competent soldier in the platoon. "What's our target?"

"Sir," Corporal David Washington, he's a bit of an optimist, but with everything going on, I find it to be more endearing than annoying. "There's a Covenant jamming tower a couple of clicks from here. While it's up, we're not going to be able get any help or give any. But with the shipment you brought in, I think we've got the ordinance to take it."

"Then let's hit it fast." I said in response. "We've got men counting on us David, let's make sure they we can get their messages."

"Yeah, I never get tired of having to answer phone calls about how we need to do more work." Alpha made himself known, via his hologram.

"I'm sorry, we? I'm the one doing all the work." I reply in fake outrage. "You just sit in my head and bitch about everything, including my music.

"Who the hell listens to pop music, when they're being shot at?!" Alpha replies, in actual outrage.

"Hey, rules of the road," I remind him. "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts the fuck up."

No one disses my music.

"Sir," David starts, trying to get us back on track. "When do we move out?"

"ASAP Corporal." I tell him bluntly. "No time to lose, start packing your gear now."

"Sir, yes sir!" He declared.

David leaves the room, to prep the gear and the troops. Good man, better soldier. I've been thinking of bringing him in as a recruit. But we need people like him on the battlefield now. There's no telling how long the AI training will take. I'm still working on mine.

"Still in your head, dude." Alpha turns to me. "You want to have your little bonding session, then fine. Let's talk."

"Okay," I gave it some thought, trying to think of what to say. "So, you're one of the only AI made from flash cloning a brain, what's that like?"

"The process, or what it feels like? 'Cause I can't tell you anything about the process, Dr. Halsey was very clear on that."

"Well mom always was the secretive type." I sighed. "But I meant your feelings about it."

"It's… complicated," He tries to answer. "I have memories from when I- when the Director was a kid. Heck I remember having a kid. I feel all these things about them, but they're not really my feelings. So why should they matter so much to me?"

"Bullshit." I spat, to his surprise. "Just because it wasn't you, doesn't mean they shouldn't matter to you. You're your own person, but they are a part of you. They should matter.

"I- Thanks Halsey."

"Anytime, Alpha." I reassured. "You know, you're not actually in the military. You could call me Nathan if you want."

"Okay, Nathan." He looked a little uncertain, but suddenly more determined. "You can call me Church."

…

The jamming tower wasn't as impressive as I imagined it to be. Their fortifications wouldn't hold back shit, they're barely guarded, and they didn't even have a half decent patrol. All things considered, their defenses couldn't be lighter.

So naturally I was worried.

"Corporal, hold the men back here." I ordered. "Prepare to lay down some cover fire, but I want them to be ready for a quick retreat."

"Sir?" David asked, confused.

"There's no way this is all the defense they have for something this vital." I told him. "Church, you and I are gonna do some scouting. How long can you run the camo unit?"

"As long as you need." He answered. "Just don't go guns blazing, all right? The more you move, the harder it'll be to blend you in."

"Understood. Let's go."

Activating the camo unit, I take a slow and quiet stride to the tower, leaving the rest of our men hidden in the hills.

Being a bit closer I can't see anything off, the Grunts look a bit resigned, but I probably would be too if I were considered the most expendable. Still something about this just doesn't seem right…

"Church," I spoke to him on our neural link. I had my reservations about it, but it's been pretty handy. "Crack into their systems. I know something's off, see if you can find the console to shut this thing down."

"Way ahead of you." Suddenly a navpoint pops up on my Mark V visor. Wow, Church works fast. "Damn straight- Hang on."The navpoint changes. "Looks like you were right, this place is a hunk of trap, rigged to blow. That jamming signal goes down, so does the tower, and everyone in it."

"Shit. Okay, easy way's out, what else we got?"

"You still have one of those sticky detonator guns, right? I think we can sneak our way to the reactor, pop one on, then blow this place to hell when we're out."

"Sounds like a plan." I took a breath and followed the navpoint.

I'm not a big fan of improv when I'm in enemy territory. But if I always got what I wanted, I'd be another foot taller, fabulously wealthy, and I would have had the unicorn I wanted when I was eight.

What? Miranda was very convincing.

We're halfway to the reactor, Church is still snickering in my head, and the guards are looking a bit more alert.

Why? We haven't been noticed. What's got their attention-

HOOOOOOONNNNNNNKKKKKK

Shit! "Why's the alarm off?!" I asked when I noticed they were heading outside.

"I don't know! Comms are still off."

"Then check their surveillance cameras"' I shouted in my own head.

Noticing the hallways were now eerily empty, I've begun sprinting. 'On it! It looks like our soldiers started firing on them. David's trying to get them to fall back.'

We enter the room, and I fumble a bit to quickly get my sticky detonator out. I aim it towards the reactor-

"Shit, duck!" Church screams.

Only for me to crouch down to avoid becoming an elite sword kabab. It takes a second for him to realize he missed, and glares down at me. Just to get shot by the detonator himself.

"Blargh!" He screamed.

Acting fast, I kicked him out the room, and shut the door. I flip the switch and wait about two seconds before I hear a muffled explosion.

"Dude," Church says out loud, probably figuring we don't really need privacy right now. "That was badass!"

"We're badass." I told him plainly.

"Yeah, hey you uh- you got more stickies, right?" He asked… come on Church.

"Never leave home without them." Firing a new one on to the reactor, I charge out of the room, and the tower, to the warfront outside.

Looks like David managed to get everyone under control and back in the hills. It also looks like he managed to take out quite a few of the covenant when he was doing so.

Knew I liked that guy.

Still running I flip the switch for the detonator, then I hear the sound of the tower collapsing right behind me. Kind of wish I saw it.

But real badasses don't look at explosions.

…

The stragglers weren't hard to take out.

Not that I was really expecting them to be. There's only so much that a few suicidal grunts, some shielded jackals, and a couple of elites could do against a Spartan and an AI.

What was hard, was not killing the Staff Sergeant in charge, for borderline stupidity.

Who in the hell sends out a goddamn strike force, when their superior is scouting the place?! Fortunately, David beat me to the punch. Literally. Cold Clocked that son of a bitch and dragged him back behind our lines. Mid-Battle!

Have I mentioned that I like David?

Sadly, even with good reason, this is gonna have consequences. The chain of command exists for its due reasons, and it bends to no one. So, despite our good Corporal's actions being the sole reason his platoon is still alive, he is now being court martialed.

That's a bad fucking call. We need soldiers like him right now.

Fortunately, I happen to know of a project that's currently recruiting for promising soldiers. One that even turns a blind eye to past troubles in the face of exemplary skills.

"Church-"

"I'm not sure how many times I have to say this for it to stick in, but seriously, I'm in your head." Church interrupted "But, I do happen to agree with you. Sending the Counselor, Corporal David's dossier, now."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now if you're up for it…" He trailed off

"Always."

"With the jamming tower down, we're getting radio signals again." Church explained. "There's news from that missing squad we heard about… It's not great."

I sighed, "How bad?"

"Bad."

…

Charging the Warthog, through rough war-torn terrain, and over mountains of bodies, we finally came up on the coordinates.

It looks like only two soldiers still alive, one wearing some variation of Scout armor, and the other suited up in Locus. They were back against back, in one of the worst firefights I've ever seen.

Ramming into the nearest elites, I brought out my DMR and joined in the fight.

"On my position soldiers!" I hollered over to them.

""Yes Sir!"" They yelled back.

I took out a few jackals and grunts, before I mounted up on the Warthog's turret. I laid down some cover fire for the two soldiers that were left. They hauled ass, taking out more than a few aliens with them.

The Scout took the wheel, and I shouted the coordinates at him. Some of the Covenant tried to give chase, but some fire from my turret ended all objections.

"Thanks for the save, sir." The Scout said, gratefully.

"My pleasure, Private…"

"Gates, sir." He introduced himself. "This is Ortez." He gestured to the taller soldier in Locus armor.

"Well Gates, Ortez, I'd say you're due for some R&R." I said. "I hate to ask, but was your mission successful?"

"Yes sir." Ortez answered. "Their heavy artillery has been destroyed, we completed the objective."

"Sucks about are squad though." Gates said nonchalantly. Not everyone reacts the same way to these things I guess...

"I'm sorry for your loss." I sighed. "Sometimes that's just what happens. That's war, not everyone makes it back."

"Yeah." Gates muttered quietly. "I guess they don't."

We spent the rest of the ride in silence. I'm not sure what they were thinking of, maybe they were just mourning in their own way. But I spent the rest of the ride in silence because- I don't know, really. I guess I just had other things on my mind.

…

Mother Of Invention: March 31, 2550

"Sir!" I heard D- Agent Washington, shout cheerfully.

"You don't have to call me that anymore." I told him with a smile. "No real ranks here, anyway."

"Yes s- Agent California." He answered a bit more firmly.

"Just call me Cal, okay Wash?"

"Right." He answered smiling and looking a bit more relaxed. "Cal, I really can't thank you enough for what you've done for me."

"You don't owe me anything, Wash. We need people like you, if the UNSC can't see that, then we're more than happy to take you." He and I walked a bit longer, finally reaching the briefing room. "Welcome to Project Freelancer, Agent Washington." I told him, with a pat on the pack.

…

I wish I could say I did him a favor by helping him join up.

But I'm not a liar, and to be honest, I'm not quite sure I did. Maybe things will be better for him somewhere down the line, can't be any worse than the potential prison I got him out of.

Whatever happens, I do hope things turn out okay for him, and the rest of the agents of Project Freelancer really.

It's hard to say if what you're doing is really for the best at the time. Sometimes you do the right thing, for the right reasons, and it still comes back to bite you in the ass.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Wish someone told me that sooner. Then I would've just been more like Church.

This is Lieutenant Nathan J. Halsey, Agent California, SPARTAN-B312 of the UNSC, signing off.

Journal Entry: 005