Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Halo/Bungie products or trademarks. I'm just a regular person writing a fanfiction for Halo.
Author's Note: Hey everyone, I realized that this has been a long time since I last updated my stories. I'll try to get active, I just been busy at school and college admissions (grrr) lately so no stories. Well, enjoy the 3rd Chapter
Chapter 3
Moctui System, Planet Lettari at Wacom Orphanage. 7 years before the battle at Iscereon. 1345 Hours
"Jack, there's a man here to meet you!" A woman called out as a boy came walking up. The man looked down at the boy. The boy looked at him suspiciously as he saw the uniform the man wore.
The man got down on his knee, and offered his hand which the boy shook," Nice to meet you Jack, my name is Major Garvey, would you walk outside with me for a moment?" He stood up and walked to the door, holding it open for Jack. "Thank you Miss Fruiz."
The boy walked to the door, glanced at the man and then walked outside with the man following. Daniels silently watched the other kids running around on the grass lawn and then looked back at the man.
Garvey stared down at him and then slowly said," Mr. Daniels, I'm from the UNSC Special Operations Division. I read your orphanage file and I'm here to offer you a deal. I'm here to give you a chance to exact revenge against the Covenant."
Daniels looked up at him suddenly as Garvey nodded," Have you ever heard of the SPARTAN program? The legendary super soldiers of the UNSC? You have a chance of being able to be one of them, just a different type of SPARTAN. You can be one of them, but you will have to give up everything and will go through the hardest training known to man."
The boy looked back the other kids and then back up at him, "I'll do it. I'll take any chance to pay them back."
Garvey nodded, "Then come with me. You won't be the only one from this orphanage who will take this chance as well so you'll have a friend." He started to walk down the patio and walked to the car with Daniels following him.
Daniels sat in the car and then saw another kid, a girl with green streaks in her hair, next to him. She smiled at him, "Hi my name is Alyssa, what's yours?"
Daniels smiled back forcefully, "I'm Jack."
She started to murmur softly, "I guess we'll be going together then." He looked at her and stared out the window as she started to hum.
"Yeah…"
42 hours later…
Daniels woke up to the sound of the engines stopping and looked around confused. There were other kids where he was well. They all looked frightened and looked dazed as he was. He just remembered that a uniformed man had put him in a cryo tube as soon as he stepped out of the car.
The Pelican door ramp opened and there stood a tall muscular man garbed in green fatigues with others behind him. "All recruits, step out of the ship now!" He barked, pulling out a baton. Daniels looked around at the other kids and stood up, following the others and scrambling down the ramp. Daniels looked around again trying to get a look at the other kids.
"Trainers! Organize these trainee's in the files and the correct number sequence and get them to Reception Center on the double! " The man's voice boomed over the crowd. The men behind him moved out behind the kids and herded the children to a huge green building.
Daniels quickly looked to his left as soon as they all stopped and saw a short girl looking scared and then to his left, a particularly large boy slightly struggling with his Trainers baton. He looked around and then spotted the Major from the orphanage looking down at them with a woman standing next to him on a podium taking notes.
Seconds later the man's voice sounded from the auditoriums speakers, "Trainees! Welcome to the BlackCross Training Facility. You've all volunteered to be part of the UNSC's SPARTAN program. Almost all 596 of you will be formed into Delta Company and your training starts at 0530 tomorrow morning. You will be trained in the most ruthless way possible in order to train you against the Covenant and you will be cold killers after you are done. I don't expect many of you to survive. Trainers, lead these trainees into their barracks!
Daniels felt a prod from the baton on his shoulders and started moving with everyone else. As soon as he got to the barracks, the Trainers left them. Daniels walked forward and saw a bed with his name at the base of it and sat on it. He looked around and saw others wandering around as well. The small girl from before was huddled at the head of her bed next to his and shaking quietly.
Daniels looked at her and then laid down, watching all of the other kids talking or just laying down quiet like he did. He saw the girl from his orphanage chattering away with the others and spot him. She grinned and waved at him. He turned with his face in the pillow sighing.
He heard her running towards him and then jump on his bed. "Hey you! Why didn't you wave back?" He turned over glancing at her and saw her sitting next to him staring at him. "I don't really know."
She laughed and moved her hair out of her eyes, looking at him. "How old are you? I'm 7 years." "I'm 7 also." He replied nonchalantly, looking at her green hair curiously. She met where his eyes were going and smiled, punching him on his side," There's nothing strange about green you know, but I'll see you later then Jack, ciao!" She got up and ran back to her bunk.
He rubbed his side and then laid his face in the pillow again. "Your name is Jack?" said a voice next to him. He looked over and saw the small girl looking at him. Daniels nodded and she murmured," I had a brother named Jack… before he died…" She broke off and lay quietly back on her bed.
Daniels watched her silently and looked off thinking about his old family. I think everyone here lost everybody important to them… With that thought, he slowly drifted off to sleep.
"Get your ass of the bunk right now and stand at attention soldier!" yelled a deep voice. Daniels jumped up out of bed abruptly and looked around confused. He realized where he was now and saw a Drill Instructor looming over him and glaring.
"You have your orders to stand at attention dumbass!" The man snarled and wacked Daniels in the stomach with a baton. "My name is Sergeant Major Vega. You and the other trainee's are ordered to report outside the gate and join the other drill instructors now!" He yelled at Daniels who was doubled over on his bed trying to breathe while coughing.
Daniels gasped for breath as the Sergeant tapped between his shoulders with an electric shock, and he started to run outside and saw groups of children stumbling towards the gate area. He looked ahead as he ran after them and saw a line of instructors waiting for them. He stood in the lines of kids, trying to breathe as everyone else was. The sun was barely rising.
He saw the Sergeant Major jogging up and shout," One hundred sit-ups and push-ups trainees! On the ground now!" Daniels dropped down on the ground and struggled to finish them when he was near seventy. He felt like he was going to puke all over himself.
Just as he got done, the man shouted out, "Alright, now we're gonna go on a run! Anyone who is not able to keep up with this warm-up is gonna do this all over again!"
They all struggled up and struggled to follow the Sergeant in the "jog", which meant running around the whole base in formations for several miles. A few stumbled and fell, and ended up being shouted at and hit with the batons by the other Drill Instructors who following them like hawks. After they got down exercising for the majority of the day, they were ordered to grab lunch which ended up with the kids having to share with one another and then educational classes set by the AI's the facility held.
The AI started to teach them about a nation in Greece that were called the Spartans and the battle formations. He taught about the battles they had fought and how they were constantly outnumbered and won in the end. He went over the concepts many times and slowly progressed through historic battles.
Daniels stumbled on the bed at the end of the day and collapsed sore. He felt someone sit on his bed and lean on him. "Today was a freakin' exhausting day wasn't it Jack? I feel pretty good though, being this active. Maybe this will actually make us super strong as they say it will."
He looked back and saw Alyssa grinning tiredly "Aren't you too tired to crawl over here? I'm surprised you can still talk this much." Jack asked wearily.
She laughed and shifted comfortably on him. "I like being with you, actually feelin' pretty comfortable just laying here. Too bad we weren't like this so much at the orphanage huh?"
That was true. Daniels had seen her a couple times at the orphanages but never really talked to her. She was one of those social and active kids who interacted with everyone she could and always messed around to get in trouble.
Daniels sighed and poked her backside, "Go back to your bed, we'll talk tomorrow if any of us are still alive with the Sergeant Major still around."
She jerked up at the poke and stood up with a grin on her face, "He's a pretty scary and tough guy isn't he?" Daniels ignored the question as he started to feel the sensation of sleep crawling on him and nodded into his pillow.
"Goodnight Jack." She said, slapping his back hard. He groaned painfully and grumbled, falling back asleep.
4 Years later…
"Stand at attention Cadets!" Shouted the Sergeant Major as he stood up. He was standing next to a Pelican with its back end open with the other Drill Instructors behind him in camouflage fatigues.
Daniels stood up at attention with everyone else in unison. They all averaged 11 years old now and had been trained extensively over the years, rivaling with a veteran marine. Only 328 of them were left from the enduring training they had to face.
"This week is your final week of training! After this you will be administered in several tests and then become Spartan-III's! Survive if you wish to become one of them. You're objective for this mission to organize into teams and prevail while the Drill Instructors hunt you down. Last team that is surviving will be the winners. Now get your gear and report back here in 15 minutes! Daniels, Lighman, Barium! I'm leaving you three in charge of this company. Move out!"
They all saluted and ran off to the barracks to find armor sets, weapons with paint rounds and packs. The armor sets that were supplied were the standard sets that the UNSC marines wore and offered minimal protection. Daniels stripped down quickly and started to don the armor quickly and grabbed a backpack, attaching his rifle to his pack. He hefted his pack and looked around at everyone else doing the same thing. He looked over at Lighman and Barium and saw them talking with a group of others. Lighman looked over at him and waved off his half of the company, heading out to the airpads.
Daniels looked at his third of the company and saw Angela struggle with the backpack. She was still the shortest out of the candidates and struggled with a lot of things because her height. He walked to her and picked up the pack with one arm and put it on her back. She looked up at him and smiled, "Thanks Jack."
He nodded curtly and then felt someone nudge him in the side with an elbow. He turned and saw Alyssa grinning slyly, beating her eyelashes, "How come you never take care of me like that Jack? I'm getting pretty jealous of Angie now." She laughed while putting on her helmet and started to walk out the door.
Daniels shook his head and looked back at Angie, surprised to see her blushing slightly. He felt a smile creep on his face and motioned his hand forwards, "C'mon, we're gonna be late. Let's move out Bravo Company!"
She nodded and followed him as they ran out back to the airpads. Shortly, everyone was geared up and standing in three groups, all ready to go. The Sergeant Major finished walking down the line and then shouted for everyone to get on the Pelicans.
Daniels ran up the ramp with the others and sat next to the door. The door started to close and he felt the rumble of the Pelican under his boots. He looked around at everyone and saw them inspecting their gear one last time.
Minutes later, a drill instructor walked out of the cockpit and opened the door to the Pelican. "Your last training simulation starts as of now. Everyone get out now! Go go go!" He shouted while the candidates staring at him with bewilderment.
Daniels stood up and then realized that the Pelican hasn't even landed; they were fifteen feet above the ground. He was about to look back when he felt the Drill Instructor's boots kick him in the back, sending him tumbling out.
He hit the snow, luckily in a soft patch with his armor taking the brunt of the blow on his back. Daniels quickly rolled out of the way as he realized others would soon be falling out the same as him and landing on him. He ran to the cover of the trees and watched as the others jumped out or fall out. The Pelican soared off minutes later.
He walked slowly the others and heard someone crying in pain. Daniels ran quickly to a boy who holding his legs, crying. Alyssa crouched next to him, pulled out her first aid kit and looked over the boy's leg, shaking her head," From what it seems like, this kid landed on the rock with his pelvis and it shattered, along with his leg. Too bad that this type of armor has minimum protection for that area."
Daniels looked over his shoulder at the others and saw them standing behind him, some with dents in their armor of where they landed or standing in an awkward position. "Alyssa, I want you to go check over them and see who is in serious condition and who isn't. See if you can get Austin to get COM's with the other platoons to rendezvous at the mesa." She nodded and ran off to check on the others. He looked at the kid crying out, gritting his teeth in pain.
Daniels got a flashback of when he was in the history class and they were learning about the military forces in the 19th century. There was a division of Special Forces that was so effective and cruel at the same time. If one of their men were wounded to where they couldn't treat them, they would kill or leave them so they wouldn't fall behind. They were condemned but honored at the same time for their fighting style later in the war but proved to be the most effective soldiers...
He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up, seeing Angela looking at him, "I'll start having everyone moving out; Austin has found 2nd and 3rd platoon. 4th platoon seems to be out of COM's right now. You can finish up here with Alyssa and Ben." She looked at the others and motioned them forward to the woods.
Alyssa walked toward Daniels and pointed over her shoulder, "The other one hit her head on a rock and is knocked out for a while. Everyone else only has cuts and bruises for the most part. What should we do about her?"
He pulled out his knife from his boot and stood up slowly," We can bring her along, but only if you're certain she can wake up in a few hours. I don't want anyone lagging us behind. We have a long way to go to make it through the week." Daniels looked over at the boy on the ground and saw him pale, looking up at them. The kid was starting to realize what they were going to do when he saw the knife.
"We'll take her along; I'll take care of him." He said and crouched next the kid. Alyssa and Ben walked over the girl and pick her up, following the platoon's direction.
Daniels looked at the name tag of the boy and saw the name Beyer. He remembered seeing him in the study room; Beyer was more of scholar rather than a fighter. He excelled in the academics while barely passing the physical drills.
"W-wait! I…I can still fight with you guys! P-please just don't kill me…" The Beyer stammered, tears going down his face. Daniels shook his head and put his hand over the boy's eyes, as Beyer started to whimper. Quickly, Daniels stabbed his knife in the boy's forehead.
"Not this time you can't." Daniels murmured and stood up, sheathing his knife. He picked his gun and shouldered it, following after the others and not looking back.
The End.
A/N: So what you guys think? I sure hope that many of you enjoyed it although it was kinda short. Please feel free to review and comment.