Chapter I

—Home is Without Name—

1208 Hours, October 2, 2550 (Military Calendar) \
ONI Prowler Endeavor, 16 Cygni star system.

SPARTAN-A279, Alex, awakened with a groan. A sense of vertigo spiraled her vision until the sensation passed. There, the Spartan was able ascertain her surroundings. It only took a few milliseconds to realize she'd been placed within a med-bay. Her body felt unusually light, but glance at her hands confirmed her suspicion—she'd been removed for her Semi-Powered Infiltration Armor. The armors' remains were individually sprawled out, critically damaged from previous missions. Unlike the resilient MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor created for the SPARTAN-IIs, SPI armor couldn't be used for extended periods of time, and its durability lacked that of Dr. Catherine Halsey's creation.

A sharp pain, then, struck Alex's side as he began moving about. The sudden movement disturbed her injury. Alex examined the dark padded dressing over the wound, but it had already begun to heal. It was, from Alex's standpoint, just another injury to add to the list. She'd taken her fair share of punishment over the years, especially during the rigorous training to even qualify to become a Headhunter. She began to have doubts, however; whether or not she would live up to her high expectations. The Spartan ignored the negative feelings.

'The willies,' she confessed mentally.

At that moment, the med-bay's door swung ajar, gaining Alex's divided attention. Jace entered into the bay, dressed in olive UNSC naval fatigues. Alex's brow wrinkled. This had been first she'd seen her comrade without his armor. Without his armor, Jace stood an altitudinous 6'6", dark barbered hair, light brown skin, and dark auburn eyes. A few distinctive scars ran along the underside of his jaw, courtesy of an Elite's claws. Another went across the bridge of his nose, stopping just under his right eye.

As for Alex, she stood 6'5" ½, icy blue eyes, lightly tanned skin, and short, onyx hair. An assortment of healed scars were scattered about her face—one below her lower lip, through her left eyebrow, and another just above her collar bone. She, like Jace, was a seasoned Headhunter, fighting Covenant foes deep in their own territory. Thought separate at the time, both Jace and Alex had completed nearly every high-caliber assignment given and always managed to survive; however, their fellow Headhunters during the mission had yet to survive, leaving Jace and Alex always in rotation for new comrades. Once together, the Spartans combined for an exceptional 93.72 percent compatibility rate. And for the past three months, the Spartan pair had yet to face a suicide mission they couldn't accomplish.

Jace, then, came to Alex's bedside, staring down at her. "How are you feeling?" he inquired.

Alex nodded with an enthusiastic frown, removing a few strains of hair from her forehead. "I'll be once I'm back in the field. How long were we drifting before we were taken aboard?"

"Not too long," Jace answered.

Alex frowned. She must've been unconscious the entire time. It didn't matter now. The pain from her wound had subsided, and she was ready to return to the field.

"Am I cleared for active duty?" she asked Jace.

"Yeah," he answered, handing Alex a pair of fatigues. "Get dressed. We're to report to the bridge."

"Saber Actual?" Alex wondered.

Jace gave her a look, as if saying, "As if you didn't know". With that Jace turned to leave, allowing Alex to get dressed.

Lieutenant Commander Jon Nolan paced about his command station, impatiently awaiting the Spartans' arrival. The Covenant escape pod had finally been discovered fifty-two hours after the mission's completion. It was a success. The Covenant destroyer had been obliterated, leaving not a single alien alive. And with the ship destroyed, the precious locations of the inner colonies were destroyed also.

'Crisis averted,' the Lieutenant Commander mentally rejoiced.

In the thirty-five years Nolan had spent as an ONI agent and naval officer, never had he been so concerned over any op. The feeling was mutual to those around him. His crew was just as anxious.

The inner colonies were a pleasant homestead for the bulk of the crew. Earth, in particular, was Nolan's home. A wife awaited him, and Nolan wasn't about to lose her to the vicious Covenant horde. If the Covenant had obtained such data, the inner colonies would be swept away within six to seven months. The Lt. Commander could only express a sigh of relief as he leaned over the metal railing that curved around his station. At that moment, the elevator-like doors to the bridge parted open. There, Saber Team had entered inside, hands folded behind their backs.

Nolan came down from his station to greet them. The SPARTAN-III super-soldiers snapped a crisp salute, honoring their superior. Nolan returned the gesture.

"Sir, destruction of the Covenant vessel accomplished. All UNSC data has been vaporized," SPARTAN-A290 confirmed.

The Lt. Commander met Jace's eyes. "Indeed," Nolan uttered, facing both Spartans now. "You should be commended. Earth and her colonies would be in great jeopardy if it wasn't for your efforts. This was an untimely bullet, but I'm glad we dodged it."

"Does that mean we're done here, sir," Jace questioned, eager for their next assignment.

The Lt. Commander winced. "No. Our job isn't done, at least not in this system." Nolan turned to face one of his junior officers. "Stealth this ship. I want some distance between us and that destroyer debris field. A Covenant scout team will be here soon, and I doubt they'll be ecstatic about the fate of their comrades. You two—" Nolan acknowledged the Spartans. "—you're with me.

With that the Lt. Commander turned to leave the bridge as the Spartans followed behind him. Lt. Commander Nolan was an aging man, currently 52 years of age. He'd spent seventeen years as an ONI spook, working as an overseer for the latter portion of his career. Nolan was no different than any other ONI agent. He was often selective in his speech, usually giving only tidbits of information. In addition, he was often rude, blunt, and sneaky—just the type ONI adored. For the past eight years, Nolan had been the commanding officer over Saber Team since its activation in 2535. And now with the Human-Covenant War in full swing, no mistakes needed to be made, especially concerning the whereabouts of the inner colonies.

The Lt. Commander, then, once leading the Spartan pair into the Armory, stopped in mid-stride. "With this war growing in intensity, this will undoubtedly cause a ripple effect to your missions. Therefore, you need to be better prepared," Nolan explained, gesturing to the Spartans to head inside the Armory.

Saber Team entered into the armory. At once, Jace and Alex's eyes gravitated to a pair of modified armor variants. The Lt. Commander advanced beside both Spartans as the armory door automatically sealed behind them. Before them, a pair of SPI variants was loosely assembled upon separate metallic, humanoid-shaped molds. Each individual component was neatly organized within the reflective frames, differing from the original SPI armor. For the Spartans, it was difficult to imagine what the units would look like once completely assembled. A pair of technicians stood beside the molds, arms folded behind their backs in their clean, wrinkle-free fatigues.

The Lt. Commander leisurely stood beside Alex, scratching the prickly gray stubble on his chin. "Though the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor is unavailable to you, new advancements have been made on your behalf. The SPI Armor Mark III is an experimental unit developed by Section-III. This armor was been recently issued to every Headhunter currently active. Various corrections and changes have been made. With everything in life, the armor has its pros and cons. For starters, the photo-reactive panels have been removed."

Jace shot the Lt. Commander a stern glare, then looked away before Nolan reacted to his sudden head turn. No panels? What was Section-III thinking? If it wasn't for those panels, Saber Team—including every other SPARTAN-III—would have died a long time ago. Being elusive to the enemy is was completed missions, now they were exposed. Alex, for her part, shared the same sentiment. However, the SPARTAN-IIs had long been without such panels, and their success outweighed the missing feature. Concerns, though, remained present. Nolan thus continued, oblivious to the Spartans' silent disapproval.

"The panels have been replaced with denser alloy, able to withstand a direct blast from an overcharged Covenant plasma pistol. However, and this is where the cons come in, that's about all you can take. Anything more, like an explosive projectile for example, the armor will fail. Furthermore, a new oxygen unit has been installed, enabling you an air supply for twenty minutes. More details will be explained further. Overall, the units are more durable, long-lasting, and require minimal maintenance. But know this, these units were incredibly expensive to manufacture, so take care of them."

The Lt. Commander turned to leave, hands deep in pockets. "Report to my quarters for your next assignment when you're done here," the Lt. Commander ordered, just before the armory door shut behind him.

The techs came before the Spartans, asking them to disrobe their fatigues. Once they did, they there guided to each of the suits, where the technicians began adhering the assortment of components. The exterior was smooth, having a state-of-the-art feel. Next, the Spartans felt the gel layer match their body temperature perfectly. Lastly, once the entire armor had been fitted, the one of the technicians handed Jace and Alex their helmets. Under the permission of the techs, the Spartans donned the helmets. An assortment of information flashed before their eyes, similar to that of their previous HUD.

When all was complete, the armor variant was different from that of the original SPI design. The angular chest plates was large and smooth, while the shoulders were rounded and bulbous. Also, the helmet, in design, seemed more futuristic, as if it was preserved for a later project. Coloration wise, the armors kept their default olive tent. As team leader, however, Jace's armor sported platinum stripe went across the right side of his chest plate, while a likewise strip along the top, central portion of his helmet.

Lastly, both Spartans supported a minuscule dark insignia of the UNSC upon the upper sections of their chest plate. The technicians, then, ran a series of physical tests, confirming that the Spartans appeared comfortable in their new skin, so to speak. Eventually, when all the tests had ceased, Saber Team was freed from the aggravating technicians.

Once alone, Alex made a sigh of relief. She flexed her right hand, curling and uncurling her fingers. The armor would take getting used to, but once it was broken into, Alex knew it would greatly improve their overall effectiveness.

"I can get used to this," she happily expressed.

"Beats having armor more durable than cardboard," Jace tuned in, but the team leader quickly pushed aside his excitement toward the new armor. Lt. Commander Nolan awaited them in his quarters for further instruction. "We should get moving. The Commander's waiting."

"Right," Alex concurred.

With that the Spartans abandoned the armory, swiftly walking back toward the bridge. The Endeavor's crewman stepped aside as the alpine soldiers caught their undivided attention. Actual Headhunters were something rare to see. They were usually so far behind enemy lines that even hearing from them was a surprise. And since Headhunters conduct consistent suicide missions, they are most likely to die in combat.

Personally, Jace hated the attention. If he was a Marine, these crewmen wouldn't give him a second glance, but as a Spartan, all eyes were always upon him. He could understand, though. A towering foot soldier encased in armor made him a prime subject to be gawked at. Plus, the only reason the Human-Covenant had last this long was because of the Spartans. Without them, the war would have probably been over after Harvest. Luckily, the SPARTAN-IIs were there to give the UNSC a fighting chance.

Saber Team reached the Lt. Commander's personal quarters. Jace knocked twice. A muffled voice granted them entry. The Spartans walked inside Nolan's quarters, closing the door behind themselves. Nolan's quarters were a modest room. It was as large was home's master bedroom, supporting a desk, several computer consoles, a marble mantle, and a cot in the corner. The quarters were exceptionally neat, not an item out of place. A picture of Nolan and his wife gained Jace's attention. He seemed happy in the picture, something the Lt. Commander no doubt once felt. The Covenant, however, had a way of changing things.

"We took that on our sixth anniversary," Nolan spoke, taking the frame in his hand. "Took her to Arcadia."

The Lt. Commander grunted as he set the picture back down, the loving memory had been tainted by the Covenant's recent action on Arcadia. He leaned forward, resting his elbows onto his antique oak desk. His hands held a palm-sized device, similar to that of a garage door opener. He thumbed one of the rubber keys, bringing to life one of the darkened console screens mounted upon the far wall. A detailed grid of the 16 Cygni star system came into view, highlighting a Covenant orbital platform orbiting around an uninhabitable planet. Jace and Alex observed the station, curious.

"That's your next assignment," Nolan said, standing upright.

"What's its significance, sir?" Jace asked him.

"That platform, until a week ago, has been roughly abandoned by the Covenant for seven months now. All of sudden, they're flocking to it. Well-placed probes have shown the station's activity has increased over the pass few days. They're being quite secretive about it, too. I don't like it, and my colleagues agree."

"What do you want us to do, Commander?" Alex inquired, not taking her eyes off the visually abnormal station.

"Get there and find out exactly what they're doing," the Lt. Commander stated with a hue of irritation.

When the enemy began keeping secrets, it greatly increased the awareness of ONI. The Covenant's existence was surprising enough.

"If you discover anything noteworthy, report back immediately." Nolan reached into his desk, retrieving a square plastic case, containing a palm-sized disc. He handed to Jace, whom took it.

"That disc contains your next assignments. We'll be leaving this system to return to Reach, and since you'll be out of radio contact, that should keep you occupied. Any intel that you obtain should be sent via priority transmissions, encryption code Gamma. Furthermore, since you've recently destroyed your means of transportation, a Corvette has been provided for you in docking station D-04. You're dismissed."

"Sir!" the Spartans spoke, saluting the Lt. Commander.

With the assignment given, Saber Team made their way to the specified docking sector. Once there, the Spartans admired the Mako-class Corvette attached to the airlock. Jace and Alex adjusted their helmets, opened the airlock, and ventured inside the Corvette known as the UNSC War Eagle.

The Corvette had been previously stocked, full to brim with a variety of weaponry, crated foodstuffs, and additional components for their armor. It brought things in perspective for the Spartans, knowing they'd be aboard his vessel for quite some time. Saber Team had spent months, sometimes years within Covenant-controlled space. For Jace, he hadn't set foot upon planetary soil in years that wasn't human colonized. It would be nice for some relaxation, but his duties as a Headhunter came first.

Jace made his way through the narrow spaces, eventually reaching the minuscule bridge. A pair of seats were stationed to the prow of the bridge—pilot and co-pilot. Being that Mako-class was one of the smallest ships in the UNSC, every section had been downsized. The bridge, for one, could only support a maximum of seven individuals. For the Spartan pair, however, it was perfect.

Jace took a seat in the pilot's seat, greatly cramped from the armor. The MJOLNIR armor seemed more bulkier than the SPI armor he'd been accustomed to. He brought the War Eagle to life, then activated some additional systems. When the multiple consoles flickered on, showing a spinning ONI insignia. Jace touched the screen. A window expanded, displaying a digital photograph of a microphone, just before an automated voice spoke to him.

"Code in, please."

"Lieutenant, Junior Grade Jace-A290. Saber Team, A-11691."

The computer analyzed his voice, processed the input, then responded. "Validation confirmed. Welcome aboard, Lieutenant."

Alex took a seat in the co-pilot's seat, setting her helmet down in her lap. She initiated her personal login information, waited for the validation her, then relaxed. As a precaution, she began warming the weapon systems, then the stealth systems. When all preparations had been completed, Jace detached the Corvette from the airlock, fired up the engines, and traveled a kilometer from the Endeavor, then powered the Slipspace drive. Before them, a whirlwind of sapphire light came into view. The UNSC War Eagle vanished into the portal, whisking Saber Team into the darkened abyss.

Author's Note: In case you're wondering, the SPI Armor can be classified as a cross between the original Mark II and MJOLNIR Mark IV armor unit. If you have any serious complaints or constructive criticism, please include them in your reviews. I'll greatly value your impute in order to make this story better for readers.

Disclaimer:I hereby announce that I, NeoAurora, do not own any rights to Halo. However, all OCs—Jace, Alex, Lt. Commander Nolan—belong to me.