BD: This, even though it's the second book, is the prelude to Rise of the Spartans.

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo Installation 04, 05, or any of the Forerunner Installations

Chapter I: The Spartan III Prototypes

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0951 hours July 21, 2553 (Official UNSC Time) New Reach/ Alpha Centauri System

"Brimstone, watch your six," Shield reminded his teammates for the fifteenth time, "check your radar. You have contact at Four O'clock." If I didn't know better, I'd say that Brimstone had no brains at all, Shield thought. Colonel Norman "Shield" Harmon, the brains behind the new Spartans, is the UNSC's rookie strategist that helped postponed the attack on Earth to the point that the Covenant stopped the assault. This "Shield" is the only Spartan whose armor is not that of the normal UNSC Spartan Armor. Shield's armor is the Trojan Mark II suit made by the company Zodiac Inc.

"Shield, you know better than I do that Brimstone is dead tired from the 'exercise' you put him through yesterday," Pollux said. Captain Jorgan "Pollux" Harmon, Shield's younger fraternal twin brother, is the unit's only Supply expert, who is capable of pacifying even a Pure Form Flood in a blood rage. Pollux raised on Coral, before the planet got glassed, as a gardener of "beauty beyond the mind's imagination".

"Hey, Pollux," Castor called, "where is my ammo that I had ordered?"

"It still isn't here yet, Castor," Pollux replied.

"Spartans, we have an incoming transmission from Earth," the communications officer stated.

"Good morning, Spartans," Lord Hood flamboyantly stated, "Today, you will go on your first mission: Protect the delegates of Sangheilos for the treaty on Earth to the UNSC cruiser, Bringer of Peace, and Encounter the Dawn of Blood en route to Earth. Hood out."

Once the message was over the whole command center was as silent as a graveyard at midnight. It was an eternity before anyone had made a noise. "Colonel, sir, we have a transport ready to take you and your team to the Bringer of Peace, ETA five minutes," the communications officer briskly stated.

"Veins, you have three minutes to prepare for this mission," Shield muttered, "Prepare for anything to go wrong, especially you, Brimstone."

"Sir, yes sir," the squad automatically cried.

"Move out," Shield commanded. If only we didn't lose him, then this rabble of soldiers would have been better, but that is wishful thinking. "Sol, what is the problem?"

"Sir, you and I both know that the negotiators are not really going to need us to protect them. What they don't know is that the Bringer of Peace is actually loaded with enough NOVA bombs to destroy Sangheilos and its star system and we don't know where the detonation system is and if it is a timed or remote-detonated system," Sol grimly said. "With that in mind, I cannot help but wonder if this is all a plot to continue the Human-Covenant War until both sides are completely decimated."

"That is plausible," Butcher stated as he walked onto the launch deck; "however, the only place to set the charges to detonate the NOVA bombs is in the Armory, and still every ten minutes the entire armory is thoroughly cleaned of possible explosive that might be found as unstable."

"That is not what I am afraid of, it's the fact that before we are in Slipspace with the Negotiators, the whole ship will explode and destroy the whole star system," Sol gruffly retorted.

"That will not happen especially with me on board, Sol," Butcher calmly replied without any sense of anger in his tone.

"Boys, is there a problem with getting along with each other?" Diana said in her silk-like voice. "Don't make me have to separate you."

"Diana," a shadow spoke in the shadow of the control tower, "how have you been these fine years?"

"Luna," Diana flamboyantly exclaimed, "my, my. You have grown to be one of the most infamous assassins around, haven't you? As for me, you already know the answer to that question, for you would not have asked it if you didn't know."

"Yes, yes," Sword bellowed harshly, "glad to have the reunion here, but we are in a hurry." Being the target of many glares, Sword felt satisfied he had been a pain to a degree to everyone gathered around.

"WEEEEEEE!" Brimstone shrieked by on a Covenant Ghost forcing Pollux out. "This is fun!" Oblivious to the many questioned looks his ways and the former mood of the deck, Brimstone tries, to no avail, to start up one of the installations many Pelicans.

"WARNING: INCOMING TRANSPORT!! PERSONNEL WILL REPORT TO BATTLE STATIONS!! VIENS, REPORT TO THE LAUNCH DECK FOR PICK-UP!" the intercom screeched.

"Seems that I am late getting here," Castor said. "Roll call, Brimstone!"

"Armed and ready," Brimstone reported.

"Butcher," Castor called.

"Accounted for," Butcher monotonously replied.

"Diana?"

"Scoped in on target."

"Shield?"

"You know I'm here."

"Pollux?"

"Present."

"Sword?"

"Here."

"Sol?"

"Present as always."

"Luna?"

"Here."

"Where's Bandage?"

"Where else would he be, but in the supply depot getting extra medical kits?" Brimstone stated nervously glancing at his arms with dread.

"Great," Castor growled, "our first mission and he's out getting extra weight."

"Relax, Lieutenant," Bandage rambunctiously said. "I have all the medication we will need even in a firefight, no, Brimstone, do NOT light that flamethrower, now." Everyone chuckles while Brimstone puts out the lighter regretfully.