Captain Jacob Keyes had just received news that Noble Six was alive and that there were now two Spartans left to fight. Keyes was very glad that Six and the Chief were on the Pillar of Autumn, but they were expecting an attack from the Covenant within the next ninety seconds. Along with the report that their fighting force had strengthened tenfold, he had also received another that the Covenant were approaching the Autumn from the far side of the planet that was located nearby the ring.
"Well, that's it then. Bring the ship back up to Combat Alert Alpha. I want everyone at their stations." Keyes said aloud.
"Everyone, sir?" A disembodied female voice said back.
"Everyone." He replied.
The alarm klaxon sounded, and everyone was getting ready for the incoming attack.
"And Cortana..." Keyes said.
"Hmm?" Cortana replied as her AI form took place in front of Keyes.
"… Let's give our old friends a warm welcome." Keyes said.
"I've already begun." Cortana said.
Just then, Noble Six walked into the room. Since he had boarded the Autumn, he had gotten a set of replacement armor, a set of his old Mark V with a dark Steel color. He walked into the control room with a stern look on his face, helmet held in the crook of his arm like a football. He walked over to Captain Keyes.
"Sir." Noble Six said, and saluted the captain.
"At ease, Spartan." Keyes said.
What's the situation?" Noble Six said to the Captain.
"When we exited slip space, we came across a large ring suspended in space. We aren't sure what it is, or what it is doing here, but we suspect that the Covenant might be hunting for it. Be it a relic or a base of some sort, we can't let the Covenant get their hands on it. However, the Covenant realizes that we might try to stop them, so they are approaching us from the far side of the planet. They'll be here in less than a minute. That's why I've given orders to send our two best and brightest soldiers out onto the field. You…" Keyes paused.
"And the Master Chief." Six said.
"Correct. You'll be working with the Master Chief to take out any Covenant that set foot on this vessel. Can you handle that?"
"Easy. With two Spartans, this'll be a breeze."
"I know that you've been through a lot in the past few weeks, but I need your full attention here. Dwelling on the past doesn't solve anything." Keyes said.
"I won't, sir. You have my word." Six said.
"Then get moving. They're releasing the Master Chief now. Get down there and get acquainted. I have a feeling that you two will definitely be working together on this." Keyes said to Six.
"Sir, yes sir." Six replied.
As six walked out of the room, Keyes stopped him.
"Six!" Keyes said as Six was walking out of the door.
"Yes sir?" Six said back
"Be careful out there. It's a blessing that we found you; we can't lose our Spartans when we've just gained the advantage. Especially not now that we've discovered this ring, whatever it is." Keyes said.
Six smirked. "I'll try, Captain." He said as he slipped on his helmet, locked it in place, and started towards the Master Chief.
A whooshing sound. Cold. His armor switched on. He was awake.
"His suit shows green. Cycle complete." Someone said.
A tech chief stepped towards him and saluted.
"Sorry for the quick thaw, Master Chief. Things are a little hectic right now. The disorientation should pass quickly." Another man, a tech officer, said.
"Vital signs look normal. No freezer burn. Okay sir, go ahead and climb out of the cryo tube." The tech chief said to him.
He stepped out of the Cryogenic sleep unit and gave a quick look at the surroundings. The Pillar of Autumn. The Chief could hear Cortana's voice over the Intercom.
"Fire teams: Report to defensive positions Alpha through Sierra. Sensors show inbound Covenant boarding craft. Stand by to repel boarders." She said.
That didn't sound good.
The automatic doors slid open and a Steel Mark V-clad Spartan ran through the doors. This took Master Chief by surprise. He was sure that he had been the only Spartan on this ship.
"So you must be the famous Master Chief. It is a pleasure to meet you." Six extended his hand as a friendly gesture.
"Right. And you are…?" The Chief said back.
"SPARTAN-B312, Noble Six." Six replied.
"Sounds familiar, but I don't recognize you." The Chief said
"If you want, I can refresh your memory. I covered the Pillar of Autumn with a giant Onager cannon while you were locked up in that cryo-tube of yours, and I protected that AI you have on this ship and brought it here."
"Cortana?" Chief said.
"That's the one." Six replied.
"Well, you sound capable. Mind on filling me in?"
"There is a lot of Covenant outside firing on the Autumn. They've got multiple boarding aircraft, as well. I don't know exactly how much time we have until they get in, but we're supposed to meet up with Staff Sergeant Johnson." Six said.
"Alright. Lead the way." The Chief said.
"But we haven't finished your armor calibration, yet. If you'd just give us a moment…" the first marine said.
"I'm fine. I have another capable Spartan covering me. Stay safe, you two." Master Chief said as Six and him walked towards where Keyes said Staff Sergeant Johnson would be.
They walked in on the Staff Sergeant giving the marines a motivational speech before battle. According to Keyes, that was probably what he would be doing when they got there, and he was dead on.
"Men, we led those dumb bugs out to the middle of nowhere to keep 'em from gettin' their filthy claws on Earth. But we stumbled onto somethin' they're so hot for, that they're scramblin' over each other to get it. Well, I don't care if it's God's own anti-son-of-a-bitch machine, or a giant hula hoop, we're not gonna let 'em have it! What we will let 'em have...is a belly full of lead, and a pool of their own blood to drown in! Am I right, Marines?" Johnson said.
"SIR, YES SIR!" The marines replied.
"Uh-huh. Damn right, I am. Now move it out! Double time!"
Six and Chief approached the Staff Sergeant, and he turned to them.
"Here we go, now those bugs have more to worry about than the whole damn UNSC. I expected them to take longer to thaw you out, Chief." Johnson said.
"We skipped some of the diagnostics. I was told that we needed to get down here, so we did. He said that it was urgent." Master Chief said.
"And you, state your name, soldier."
"Noble Six, first Lieutenant."
"Which means you outrank me by about half a dozen ranks, is that right?"
"I guess it does."
"Well, I guess that means you'll be able to make some important decisions, too. Make the right ones, you hear?" the Sergeant Major said.
"Will do. Now, back to what you called us down for. I was told it was important." Six said.
"Hell yeah it is. The Covenant have almost gotten through—"
Suddenly, Six, Chief, and Johnson were interrupted by the blood-curdling roar of a Sangheili. They turned to find the image of the savage, deadly warrior brutally murdering the tech officer and chief that had been attempting to calibrate Master Chief's armor minutes ago.
Several more Elites were pouring from the doorway, which scared Six into grabbing Master Chief and the Sergeant Major and forcing them to move.
"We'll have a better chance if we meet up with the marines ahead. I'm not throwing lives away to these pieces of shit." Six said.
It took them a minute, but they finally caught up with the marines. When they got there, the marines looked in awe at the two Spartans.
"Woah." A particularly awestruck marine said
That voice happened to be the one of Clancy Maegan, the marine that convinced the Lieutenant not to give the orders to shoot down Noble Six's Phantom.
Another marine looked at Clancy and nudged his shoulder.
"Hey Clancy, I bet that you didn't expect this, huh?" he said.
"Not in a million years." He replied under his breath.
"Listen up, marines! This here is the Master Chief, and next to him is the Spartan Lieutenant Noble Six. You know what that means?" Johnson boomed.
"That we actually have a chance now?" a marine yelled from the back.
"Ooh rah." Another marine said.
"What it means is that you treat these men with respect! Master Chief and Noble Six are two of the last Spartans that we know aren't dead yet. Along with that information, Noble Six outranks even me, so obey him as you would if you were obeying ME! Is that understood, marines?" He shouted.
"SIR, YES SIR!"" The marines shouted back.
A marine came up running from behind the rest. All of the marines, including Clancy, moved to the sides of the hallway to make way for him.
"Master Chief! Captain Keyes needs you down at the bridge! It's Urgent!" the marine said in between gasps.
"Thank you for the information, soldier." The Chief said.
"Sergeant," Six said. "Do you think that you can hold off these Sangheili while we make our way to the bridge?"
"Easy pickings," Clancy said aloud.
"What he said. Get ready marines! Move, Spartans, move!" Johnson said as he got into a stance that made him look like he was born for this. He probably was.
"Alright. Let's get down to the bridge, Chief." Six said.
"Aye aye, Cap'n." Chief said.
Noble six smirked.
"That's Lieutenant to you, mister." Six said.
They both chuckled as they ran to the bridge as fast as their feet could take them.