"When did you get the idea to join the UNSC?" Yamada asked me. The others in the sectional kept quiet as they focused on doing their jobs.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and began. "I was 19. It was 2546, the war was going on strong with no sign of stopping. Me and my family were born on Earth and we were pretty well off, so when the refugees kept coming from the devastated Colonies looking for a safe haven. My Home, The state of New Montana, was more than willing to oblige. They came by the thousands. The major Cities such as Billings and the Helena were hard pressed with the amount of people searching for work, food, and a place to start their lives again. But we made it work. It was the only thing we could do. My home only was good for three things. People, Food and Strategic placement. We , My friends and I, had just graduated school and had a choice. To fight or go on with our lives as best we could."

"What is hard to make the choice? " She asked me, interrupting my train of thought.

I paused. It took a while for me to choose what to do. "You'd be surprised..."

May 2nd 2547.

Billings. New Montana

United Republic of North America

Earth. Sol System

Grayson T. Young.

"I'm serious Riley! You heard Mrs. O'brien. The UNSC needs all the help it can get."

"Yeah Jacob? Well who's gonna help my dad with the construction crew if I go? Face it it's not our job to fight. The City council is all high and mighty when it comes to helping, but when it comes down to it we are the ones who suffer. I mean When is the last time you had a weekend off from building housing for all the refugees Jacob? And the UNSC? Ha! They only care about power. No I'll stay at home and protect my own if it comes to that."

I sat quietly to the side as my closest friends fought amongst themselves. This war was going bad to worse, and if the refugees were any indication, the noose was closing. Pretty soon there will be a mandatory draft, thankfully that hasn't happened yet. I'm still hoping that these Covenant will open communications, hell even a civil talk could change things.

"What about you Grayson?" My thoughts were cut short as my friends both looked at me expecting me to choose a side. Unfortunately I wasn't paying attention to the later part of the argument.

"Huh? What? " My friends both smacked me on the back of my head. "Ow! What the Hell!"

"Are you going to join or not? Jacob asked me.

"I don't know," I told them honestly. I think about it all the time. If I go what about my family, But If I stay how can I call myself a Young.

"Well I'm gonna join." Jacob told us snapping me out of my thoughts. Riley choked on his drink as he inhaled in shock.

"You are?!" Riley asked, when he recovered.

"What Branch?" I asked him curious of what he was going to choose. Hey when your closest friend signs a death certificate you want to know what was on it.

"Navy. Mom always said that I like space too much for her comfort. I thought I might do some good while I live my dream," He said as he took a bite of his burger.

I looked at my plate. The navy had the highest death ratio of all the combat branches. In high school we were only shown our ships blowing the Covenant ships to hell, but everyone knew the truth. Well anyone who paid attention did. Our ships were the ones sent to hell, not theirs. The only other branch who had a similar death ratio was the Infamous Helljumpers. Back in school we were also shown a video of a squad of helljumpers doing the impossible... Winning. Reaper was the name if I remember correctly. The war correspondent who covered the story had a cool story too. Unfortunately he was killed a few months back.

"You know they get their asses handed to them right?" Riley said with a straight face. I gave him a glare.

"Yeah I know. But it's either die in space quickly, or die on the ground painfully. Besides if I'm lucky I might be stationed on one of those Big stations that they are building up in orbit. Those things would be unstoppable."

"Or you know you could not join and die an old man like a sane person would do," He retorted.

"Congrats Jacob, I'm sure they could use a man like you." I said as I gave Riley another glare.

"What, short?" Riley didn't have the chance to laugh at his own joke before he was hit in the face by a Jacob's hotdog. I tried to suppress my laughter at his face of disbelief.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and took it out. "Damn. Hey guys, I need to go. My brother's school is about to get out." I said as I stood up.

"Alright man see you later then." Riley said, as he wiped mustard and ketchup from his beard.

"Yeah. Make sure your mini-me gets home safely," Jacob added.

"I keep telling you guys Hunter and I do not look alike." I told them. Why do people think we look alike. Sure we both have blue eyes, blond hair, and our mothers chin but we look nothing alike.

"Heh, keep telling yourself that," They said together.

I waved them off as I walked out the door and and stepped into the street of what most would consider a small city. Though at two point five million residents in the city limits alone one, people would be hard pressed to call Billings small. Well that is until they saw the size of Chicago and New York. Even though Billings had grown exponentially large in the six centuries that it stood it was still dwarfed by the larger cities such as New Phoenix in the south and Seattle in the west. And those themselves looked small compared to the mega city that is Chicago.

But what it lacked in size it made up for in beauty. Billings was without a doubt the city with the good looks. With the mighty Yellowstone glistening in the sun at the southern border of the city limits. And a massive wall of sandstone known as the Rims to the north with the Airport and space port resting on top. The city limits expanded further west and east for several miles. Trees and parks dotted the entirety of the city, and beyond the confines of the rows of houses near the edge of the city lay thousands of acres of farmland untouched by the development of man. To the point that the state of New Montana was dubbed the bread box of URNA. With competitors coming up close in the old bread box.

I got into my truck and started up the engine. I smiled when I heard the rawr of the ancient machine come to life. The truck was an antique, several centuries old. But due to careful maintenance, and spendy repairs it ran like new. And sometimes even better than most new models.

I accelerated unto the road and headed to my brothers High School. Skyview, the school that saw several of my family in it's ancient halls. Heck I even met the girl of my dreams there.

I heard a rawr of engines and looked up. It was another transport. By the darked burn spots along the hull. I guess it must be another refugee ship. More kept coming every day. A flight of Hawks flew by to escort it to the port. I stopped when A convoy of warthogs rolled by, followed by even more service vehicles. Pelican dropships used by both the police and EMT's made a beeline for the port for any injuries to treat. After the convoy of vehicles passed I continued to the school.

Poor bastards. I wish there was more we could do. The fuckers over in the California Republic aren't doing anything useful. But who can blame them, they have enough on their hands with the constant terror attacks. New Phoenix is trying to help, but there are just too many to care for. Leaving the state of N.M to try and handle the masses alone along with a few other cities. I heard that Luna was providing refuge but it's just not enough for the demand. But these refugees weren't even the majority. Most went to other colonies like Paris IV and Reach to escape the genocidal fucks that deemed us a front to their gods.

We all payed for it in the end, and with taxes at an all time high at nearly fifty eight percent for the average person, and nearly eighty nine for the wealthy, it seemed like we would crack at any moment. Most adults have to work two jobs just to provide food for their families. Even my family has felt the strain. We have to provide the stores and markets with more crops using the same amount of land because of the damned quota set by the heads of the EUG. It's getting to the point where it's just not possible. And God only knows what will happen when the food runs out.

I pulled into the school parking lot a few minutes before class was let out. I could see a few higher classmen getting out before class ended because of good behavior. I turned the engine off to save on the fuel. If food and housing were a problem, you would think that they were blessings to how tough the EUG was on energy consumption.

I turned on the radio and listened to the news report on the war effort. It wasn't good. Another colony, Skopje was attacked and currently being fought for. According to the reports from the local news station. A large percentage of the population was decimated before the military was able to respond. There was a chance that the media was over exaggerating things, but as of late it didn't seem so far fetched to have reports like this. I turned it off when I saw the first kids exit the school.

I looked and saw my brother step out and honked my horn. He looked over in my direction and walked over to where I was parked. He tossed his bag inside the bed and got in. "How was school?" I asked him. I wasn't interested really, I was just a habit that I picked up from my dad.

He grunted in response before turning on the radio "-is just got reported from our affiliate in Billings, Montana. A civilian evacuation ship from the besieged planet of Skopje just made landfall. We are saddened to report that every person onboard rear of the bridge was found dead due to multiple breaches in the Hull. The transport, named Saviors Hand, had received several plasm-" I turned the station to the local station playing music.

"Hey I was listening to that!" My brother yelled as he tried to flip the dial back. I grabbed his hand and shook my head. He slumped in his seat in defeat.

We drove in silence to our home. The path to our home took us past the urban sprawl that was expanding into the fields of yellow and brown. Thirty minutes passed before I pulled into the drive of our home. "I think traffic is getting more hectic from school every year." I said. My brother gave a huff and got out. I followed. "What's your problem?"

"In Government we were told our assignment would be to watch the latest report from the UNSC reps." My brother said as he grabbed his bag. "Every time they talk they only have bad news. "Another colony lost or a million more dead." I don't want to hear more about this war. I'm sick of it." He slouched his shoulders and walked through the front door.

I gave him a sympathetic look before I grabbed my things from the truck. I quickly followed him into our home. I understood what he was going through. Back in school I had the same teacher. Government was a two semester class, and every one had the same teacher. I sighed, the school only had the one teacher to teach that class. And for a school that had over fifteen thousand kids that was understaffed. But he had a point. This war was killing us, in every way.

Hunter went to the living room with his notebook and pen. He turned the television on to the news, sat down on the couch and started to take notes on everything from stocks to the recent news from the front. I instead went to the kitchen to do my daily chores.

Fifteen minutes later I heard my brother call for me "Grayson come here!" I walked in to find him with the pen held loosely in his hands. His eyes were focused on the television as his assignment was scattered on the floor.

"What?" I asked, angry at the mess he made. He always does this to me I wish he would jus-

"Look," He said slowly as he pointed to the screen. I turned my head to see a man dressed in the UNSC naval dress talking to reporters. But what had made my mouth drop were the four huge suits of armor that towered over him standing off to the side. What really caught my attention were the numbers that were written in white paint on the breast plates.

"What are those things?" I asked as I sat next to my brother.

My brother turned up the volume some more. "-iers are equipped with the best weapons of the UNSC. Together with the aid of our brave men and women off and on the ground, these our greatest warriors have successfully carried out numerous strikes that have brought our enemies to their knees time and time again. Trained at a level that no one else can fathom and gone through rigorous tests and procedures that even the most elite of the One Oh Fifth can't accomplish. These Spartans here now and fighting alongside our sons and daughters on the front have singled handedly killed well over thousands of the demons, each. They have no fear, They never retreat, and they have never been defeated, these are our super soldiers. The swords and shields of humanity," At that remark both me and my brother shared a look as the reporters who were there all shouted their questions. The man held his hand up signaling the audience to stop. "For those who have questions they will have to be answered later. Good day," At that, the man turned and walked off. As did the suites.

My mouth went dry when I realized what were in those suites. People. No, not just people. Those things had nearly two feet on me, they were freaks. Spartans... I had heard rumors of armored soldiers, but I thought they were those crazy helljumpers.

My brother turned off the screen and got his papers off the floor. "I'm going to start my assignment... I think that I have enough material to get it done."

I nodded my head and he walked up the stairs to his room. I got up ad went back to finish my chores. Are we really that desperate that we would make super soldiers? And why numbers? I don't trust them. Maybe Mr's O'brien is right, Maybe they do need all the help they need.

Aw hell! I ran my hand through my hair. Should I join? No. I'm needed here with my family. If something would happen I would never forgive myself... but what about the other families? I stopped my mental argument when I heard the front door open and want back to my chores. I'll think about this later.

Three days later

I may be boring but hey at least I can't put people asleep when I talk. Sunday church service however is another thing entirely. Even the most hardcore Bible thumping person you know can fall asleep listening to my pastor. And that's being nice. The focal point of the service is when I get to play the drums on worship team. After that, it's just like school. You sit in one place of a long time listening to an old guy talk about things you read about constantly.

Though unlike before back when I was six, and the church was a little over two hundred people who were like family. It had well over six hundred with the majority of them trying to find a purpose when they were uprooted from their homes by the genocidal freaks. The church does what it can but it's not a money bank. There are limits to what it can and can't do.

But my job was to play the drums, read my bible, help the poor and tell the good news. I stopped doing the fourth when I was punched in the face by a survivor from Jericho seven. I can't really blame him. I mean the genocidal Aliens who were killing everyone where following what their 'gods' commands... So that puts a damper on the relations with those who don't have any faith. But we can still serve and provide for those we can. But I always felt I could do more. I mean I'm six feet one inches tall and have worked on a farm all my life. Maybe the UNSC could use a guy like me. My eye brows creased together due to the frustration of it.

Who am I kidding. I had average grades, I barely talk to anyone besides my family and friends... hell I barely talk then. Fucken hell. God? You got anything for me?

...

Well I guess I can still listen to the sermon. Speaking of which. looks like he's talking again.

"-e as followers of Christ must live like Christ, We must be vigilant. Darkness is all around us, we must be prepared to stand against it at all times. Even when all hope is gone we must hold onto our faith. In Romans three ten to seventeen. It states. As it is written: None is righteous, no, not one; No one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; No one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known." He paused his speech to observe the effect of his words.

He closed his Bible and took a breath. "As Christians, God has commanded us to show love and be kind to one another... but even David marched to a war though he knew nothing of the cost. We have been called to serve. Will we answer that call, or will we allow those who practice evil to go without the judgement they have brught? I know many of you feel as though God is not with us. I assure you, he marches with all of us. The question is will you march with him. Thank you, You are dismissed."

At that the pews began to empty. I however found myself looking at the ceiling. Fuck. It seems I got my answer. I took a breath to calm myself. Now just to convince my mom. Could you handle that one too God? I looked over to my mom only to see her smack my older brother on the head. I smiled. "Amen."

Author's note.

I am sorry for the long delay I just started my second semester of College and I had to focus on getting started.

So yeah. Hopefully this Chapter doesn't come off as "Hey Guys! GOD lOVES YOU!" because I'm not going for that at all. well he dose love you but bla bla bla. It's just important to Grayson's character and some of his decisions. So if you're upset that I focus on his relation with Lord almighty... yeah yeah yeah, I understand where your coming from. truly I do. But rest assured there only one chapter of slow boring stuff before the fun starts. And as with the religious stuff It is only important when it applies. like in some chapters where some would be hard pressed in their faith. Don't worry I won't have him be some OP soldier that manages to escape unharmed. There will be death, heartbreak, and gore... ooooh lots of gore. cant have a halo story without it.

Now as for the story I'm gonna try to stay as close to cannon as possible, with a few fun things thrown in. If you catch them you win a cookie, that you will never see. And As for Casquis, I can't wait until I get to the fun parts. I never knew how hard it was to write slow segments until I wrote this. It was agonizing trying to set the mood of Civilian life. I have an even higher respect for you doing so in The LIFE.

Next chapter. We see our hero fight the most terrifying thing known to mankind. Mothers! So until then Good hunting!