This is the second chapter in the story, "The Unlucky Spartan."

Queen - Thanks for my one and only comment on the story thus far. I realize that some things are written word for word because I was researching the book as I made this. The story is supposed to have a sense of familiarity because Daniel is going through what John went through, just from a different perspective. As you will see from this chapter it happens again. Soon enough though we will get to a point where I will start writing about events that didn't happen in the book or was just briefly touched on. For example, the mission John goes on with only a handful of other Spartans, what did the other Spartans do ect. Hope you continue to read and *hopefully* enjoy.

---

"Go up that pole!"

Daniel, Ruchi, and Fhajad were running with the other children. The goal was to ring the bell and get back to the officer, Mendez. The same one who had asked what was the prize for winning was already ringing the bell.

"How the heck..."

Daniel realized that muttering to himself wouldn't do him much good so he grabbed onto the pole in front of him and started shimmying up it. Smiling as he reached the top he began to cross the rope money bars.

"We are nearing the bell!" Fhajad said with a smile. Daniel and Ruchi nodded as they landed next to him and looked up the two ladders that stood before them and the bell. Sure they weren't going to come first but as long as you don't come last. Daniel started to climb up one of the ladders, sweat pouring down his sides and his aches were now so hurtful that they couldn't be considered aches anymore.

He smiled, reaching the top of the ladder his hand began to reach out for the bell, right as he touched the golden string that hung from the object of want a cracking noise was heard. In a flash of two seconds, Daniel had just touched the string, but didn't grab it, the ladder he was on cracked under him and he collapsed all the way back down to the platform they had just worked so hard to get away from.

With a loud moan he stood back up and started climbing the other ladder, eventually getting to the bell and ringing it a couple of times he slid down the pole and met up with his two other teammates.

"Was. I. Last?" trying to talk while gasping for air wasn't easy.

"No, those two are." Ruchi smiled as Daniel turned around to see two kids run together side by side, he could only see one name stitched onto the shirt, "Kelly" he muttered to himself.

Soon they were all back in their lines standing and waiting what to do next but the same kid who asked what we would win just got told he lost. Ironic. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. If your team fails, you fail."

---

The hours turned into days, the days into weeks and the weeks into months. Their training never allowed for a break, not even for a second. It was rigerous and necessary. This is what Dr. Hasley kept telling herself day after day, even when she wasn't on Reach and doing a completely different project the regret still hit her every day.

She had condemned seventy five children to hell and from her last report it looked like the weaker ones had started to be picked off, their number was dwindled down to sixty seven. Sighing she continued to shuffle around her office for something, her mind was scattered and focusing was something she couldn't easily do at this moment.

"John…" she had taken a particularly liking to one spartan in general, John 117. This was a terrible form of conduct and she knew it, however she treated all the Spartans like they were in a big family and she saw John as the older brother of them all.

Clasping her hands together a thought came to her head, she had remembered what she was trying to find. An early paper design for her new armor she was going to create specifically for the Spartans. A way to make make them even stronger, better then they already were. But it would take time to develop and she had time. It was nearing the two year mark from when she first introduced the Spartans into her program.

Maybe it was time for her to go back and see how they were doing, I mean she already has all the data on her pad but seeing is believing, or so they used to say. With her mind set she began to pack her things but it seemed her plans wouldn't go her way for today.

"Ma'am, ONI personal is on the video call for you. He said it was classified and for your eyes only. Channel eight." The marine saluted and left.

"Of course."

---

0630 Hours, July 12, 2519

Epsilion Eridani System, Reach Military Wilderness

Training Preserve, planet Reach

The jagged mountains were blanketed in a white snow as the dropship roared over head. The sun was just now rising giving a pink and orange fill to the once blue sky. Some of the children were chatting and Daniel could over hear them.

"You'll lose. I am dead am with a snowball." Kelly smiled to John.

First name basis with everyone became available after the first couple of months. After two years you just learn everyone's name by habit, wanting to or not.

"Dead is right. Especially when you load them with rocks." John muttered to himself in particular.

At that time CPO Mendez walked out of the cockpit and into the passenger compartment. The trainees stood up and snapped to attention.

"At ease, and sit down."

Everyone complied.

"Today's mission will be simple for a change." Mendez's voice easily penetrated the roar of the dropship's engines. "Pass these out recruit." He handed papers to Kelly who responded with a salute, "Sir!"

Daniel grabbed his piece of paper and his mind started to wander, over the last two or so years he had learned that everyone had his or her own special talent which made them unique. But for whatever reason he couldn't fathom, he didn't have one. He was alone in this group, sure he had Ruchi but even she had quicker reflexes then most of the kids. He sighed as the last words of Mendez's speech hit him, "One more thing, the last trainee to make it to the extraction point will be left behind." Mendez glanced out the window, "And it's a very long walk back. Trainee 117: Your up first!"

The ship lowered as John pointed something out to everyone, Daniel was slightly lost after not listening to orders clearly enough. He knew, from past experiences, that if he asked the CPO to repeat himself all Daniel would get is an ear lashing, so he awaited and figured instinct would do the rest.

He watched as recruit after recruit got out at different points, finally it was Daniel's turn and he looked back at Ruchi and smiled as he jumped out of the ship. He turned back and watched it take back off and continue to choose spots to unload.

This was one of the first times he had been alone and it was actually silent, he wanted to think about things, about why he was here and his family, but his will pushed him away from it. He was thinking about training, how he had accidentally got caught stealing snack food during the middle of the night and CPO made him train at night for two weeks. Daniel smiled at the thought, for whatever reason he didn't know. Maybe he looked up to Mendez, whatever it may be he was happy to see the CPO looking stronger every day.

A sound or gurgling water rushed into his ears and he looked around. He started to follow the sound and eventually made it to a river where he saw all the other trainees.

"Took you long enough!" Ruchi smiled cheekily at Daniel.

"I was just around the corner." Daniel's cheeks flushed red as he saw John counting the number of people here. Daniel looked around and did it in a flash, "Sixty-seven present."

John nodded and instructed everyone to sort out this map business, Daniel didn't care to much about this but handed his piece of the map to Sam who looked at him funny. The map, after some toiling, was finished and they had decided on an extraction point and plan. More so John decided on it but hey, if he wanted to play leader then let him.

The group started to race towards the extraction point, Sam had taken scouting because he had the best eyes and ears out of anyone. Several times they stopped or froze because he heard a noise and it turned out to be just a bunny or bird.

Stopping at noon they ate berries and the like. Fhajad decided to speak up, "I want to know one thing," he wiped the sweat off his dark skin, "We're going to get to the extraction point at the same time. So who'se getting left behind?"

"Draw straws?" Daniel suggested, it seemed like the fairest way.

"No!" John stood, it seemed like this next speech was just to spite Daniel for saying what he had said, "No one's being left behind. We're going to figure a way to get all of us out."

At that Daniel tuned out, clearly annoyed at John just taking leadership once again. He could have pressed it but he decided not to considering the group had started to once again move towards the extraction point.

The sky had gone from pink to blue to a dark red as the sun was just beginning to set. They had reached the general area of extraction and were discussing how to deal with the non uniformed men surrounding the dropship.

"Maybe they're rebels. Maybe they stole the dropship and killed the chief." Sam suggested.

Maybe John liked to provoke them or perhaps this was his way of spiting them, "No way, nothing can kill the chief." It seemed that every sentence that came out of a certain few Spartans were always wrong, Daniel especially. Maybe John had thought Sam was Daniel in this occasion and was just trying to provoke him further, that self centered jerk!

No, that wouldn't make sense. These were his brothers and sisters as far as he was concerned and Daniel was not about to go screwing things up. So he listened intently and realized John had already picked a team and was sent to go get ready. He watched as Kelly and Sam prepped and brought the unsuspecting victim back in place as a barrage of rocks and other heavy objects smashed into him.

If that wasn't fun enough the other men came from the dropship as well only to start a fight with the rest of the kids, they ran out screaming. Soon enough, after a few well placed punches here and a bite or two there the men had been taken down. Daniel was especially happy for he had tripped one of the men and landed a kick right to his head.

They all ran into the dropship, all for Daniel and John that is. John, who thought he was the last one to get on ran right into the cockpit and started getting into contact with Deja. Daniel on the other hand was looking around for the others when he heard the dropship's engines spur into life. "Oh no!" he shrieked as he ran as fast as he could to watch the ship disappear over the sunset.

00000000000000000000000000

END TRANSMISSION

00000000000000000000000000

Well there is the second chapter in the story "The Unlucky Spartan".

I hope everyone who has read the books is really liking this as I am weaving in and out of the story line to show you different perspectives.

Comments and reviews would be great, hell even a flame would be nice. =]