8 years later, March 30th 2560, above Zeta Halo

"Alright, Roger, remember the plan?"

"Aye, Cap'n."

"Good. Now, all we have to do is wait for an emergency-"

Explosions rocked the banished ship.

"That works!"

Grabbing his tools and weapons, he made a dash for the nearest drop pod.

"Roger, I hope you know how to fly this thing!"

"Nay, Cap'n, I do not."

"Well, shit. Hold on!"

He pressed a button, launching his pod down onto the ring below. Soon after he entered the atmosphere, the pod hit terminal velocity, and he blacked out. Then he woke back up. Still plummeting. The pod hit the ground, and he kicked the door open, grabbing his tools and running from the pod before- Thoom -Suddenly, the explosive shockwave from the self-destructing pod knocked him to the ground. A moment later, he got back up, dazed from the explosion.

"Roger, status."

"Aye, Cap'n. All yer systems be nominal."

"Good."

He sorted through his weapons and tools.

Shotgun, check.

Battle rifle, check.

Universal handheld manual targeting system, check.

Multitool, check.

Multitool attachments? Wrench, screwdriver, welder, flashlight, all check. He'd lucked out this time.

"Any signs of life?"

"Aye, there appears to be a UNSC distress signal, coming from the northeast. Shall I mark on yer map, Cap'n?"

"Go ahead. I'll check it out."

He moved towards the location Roger had set for him. As he neared it, the red smoke of a flare came into view. Gunfire. Banished roaring. A firefight. He climbed up the cliff, vaulting up the last few rocks, and shooting the unfortunate jackal that almost backed right into him.

"A spartan! We're saved!"

One of the marines called out. The others looked relieved.

"Looks like we've got the upper hand."

Another remarked.

He aimed his shotgun at a brute. He fired. Once. Twice. Three times. It went down. Battle rifle for the Grunts and Jackals, shotgun for the elites and brutes. A simple formula.

"Whoo! Now we are back in business, baby!"

He shouted, when the battle was over.

"Never thought I'd live to see a spartan again, sir."

One of the marines said, jogging up to him.

"You really saved our asses back there. What's our next course of action?"

He saluted Jason.

"I was actually hoping you could tell me. I'm just an engineer."

"Oh. Well, alright then. We've got Intel that suggests that the nearby banished stronghold acts as a weapon repository."

"Then that's where we're going. You got a vehicle?"

"Yes, sir. We've got a razorback, two gungooses and a rockethog."

"Alright, hang tight. I'm not quite sure what those first two are, but I think I've got some engineering to do. If you don't mind."

"Hang on a second- Loran! You mind if the spartan engineers our vehicles?"

"Will he make it better?"

"He's a spartan, so-"

"Then we're all fine with it!"

"You heard 'er, spartan. Get to it."

Jason simply nodded, pulling out his multi-tool. He picked up a gungoose, and carried it next to the razorback, before doing the same with the other. Machine guns on a mongoose… Smart. He carefully removed the machine gun parts from the smaller vehicles, removed the front hood of the razorback, and installed the machine guns. He used parts from the firing mechanism on the gungoose as well, to ensure that there was full control over which gun was being fired. All the while, the marines watched from a safe distance. He removed the turret from the rockethog, looked at it, completely disassembled it, put it back together in a way that fit on the underside of the razorback. He checked that his UMT system was connected to the newly constructed front facing rocket barrage, and clipped it to his belt, safety on. The sun was rising, already.

"Alright, marines. Razorback is decked out with weapons. What do you think we should call it?"

"Well," Loran offered, "since I'm the one in charge of driving her, I think maybe we call this one a… Rig. As in jury rig?"

"I think that is fantastic. We all ready to get moving?"

"Been ready," the group's leader, who's name he had learned was actual Markus, laughed. "Just waitin'' for your ass to finish."

"Yeah, that's fair. Roger?"

"Yarg, Cap'n. Yer first mate is online."

He heard a laugh from one of the marines.

"Your AI is a pirate? That's fucking awesome!" If Jason recalled correctly, this marine's name was Peter.

"Hahah! Ye'd best believe yer arse I'm cool!"

"You ready, marines?" Markus asked of his team.

"Sir, yes sir!" The marines responded in unison.

"Oorah!"

"Oorah!"

"God, I love working with marines," Jason remarked, hopping into the side seat of the Rig.

"Glad to hear it, Spartan," Markus replied.

"How do I work this?" Loran paused, looking at the steering wheel.

"Same as before. Only now, you have guns."

"Sweet!" She stepped on the gas, once everyone was in the Rig. "Let's roll!"