When a human being is stressed, they do various things. They exercise, or they fidget. They can over-eat, drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. They start swearing and talk to themselves, or sing a little song, anything to be rid of their anxieties. When a Spartan is stressed, they pace like crazy. And that's exactly what John was doing. He was nervous because he was about to meet lord Elrond, because it was an informal meeting, and because that took him right out of his comfort zone.

He had been up before sunrise, and had seen the sun rise, just as he did every day. The days here also seemed to be around 24 hours long, just as they were on earth. He had done morning exercises, having found quiet areas of the forests and waterways that surrounded him. Peaceful places where he could run, do press ups, and complete sit ups in peace, away from others. His exercising had baffled all elven passers-by!

Then he had gotten breakfast with the others, and watched the hobbits as they had consumed the largest plates of food he had ever seen. "Huh, they remind me of worms with those appetites of theirs!" Cortana had said in her usual manner. As odd as the comparison sounded, she actually had a point. They ate more than a human twice their size, and those massive rucksacks they carried around with them had been emptied by the time they had reached Rivendell.

It was afternoon now, and Chief was back in his room, anxiously awaiting his meeting with Elrond. The last time he'd had a meeting like this was right before his court martial. It was not a pleasant memory, but his reasons had been well worth it. He had gone after his friends at the risk of the mission and at the risk of his own death or capture.

It was during a minor campaign on Erebus VII. A UNSC raiding party had struck at a newly constructed Covenant outpost in an attempt sabotage the base, then sneak out before ever being noticed. The raid had failed, the Covenant had detected the infiltrators before they had even set their charges. They had set a trap, a good one, and as soon as the UNSC soldiers had reached the centre of the installation, a thousand elites had uncloaked. All hell had then broken loose.

Two platoons of 71 marines: Mobile light infantry, supported by two fire-teams of Spartans. Anton-044, Solomon-069, Arthur-079, Victor-101, Frederic-104, and a close friend and ally of Chief's, Kelly. Service number: 087. That was all that stood against the elites. In addition to these eight foot tall alien monsters, shelling from nearby wraiths, and regular air-strikes from banshees and seraphs, there lay thousands of unggoy and jackals held in reserve. Ready to take the places of the fallen.

It was a tactical catastrophe, and the Covenant had known about the raid from the start. ONI had known nothing of the sudden movement of enemy personnel to the area, or of the true danger the mission had posed to the men and women of the formation. Or, perhaps ONI had known. The UNSC had never trusted them, still didn't. They had good reason to suspect an organisation with a monopoly over Military Intelligence.

The marines were outnumbered, by nearly fifteen to one against the elites alone. The soldiers of the UNSC fought hard, in a bloody last stand, and never gave in. They were surrounded, without any air support or orbital bombardment systems in place. Any human strike fighter that approached was swamped by Covenant bogeys and AA fire. Their only options were to stay away and let their comrades die, or engage and burn themselves. None of them made it to the facility.

The Spartans fought hardest of all, repelling the Covenant time and time again. Yet even with their incredible skills, they could only survive against endless waves of attackers for so long. Victor fell first, trapped inside one of the Covenant buildings by two whole squads of elites. Only seven of the aliens had walked out alive, but when they had, they were holding onto Victor, and both of his arms were missing.

By lucky strikes from sharpshooters, or through overwhelming numbers, they had fallen, one by one the Spartans had fallen. Even Kelly, the last human standing, was eventually surrounded and taken down by disciplined volleys of plasma fire. After two hours of fighting, every marine had been killed or captured. Even the Spartans had been defeated, subdued by the largest of the snarling aliens. The Covenant had then brutally executed what marines remained, but had kept the Spartans alive...only just alive. We could only guess as to the reasons why they wanted them.

Chief could remember it so well, he had an idyllic memory when it came to missions. Going against the orders of his superiors, he had pursued those holding his friends and team-mates captive. Alongside him had been another Spartan, Joshua-029. Joshua had agreed to back Chief up. But of course, the mouthiest Spartan Chief knew hadn't stopped complaining for the entire way! "...If anything goes wrong, we're stuck inside the middle of ten thousand pissed off bad guys!" he had said at one point.

But nothing had gone wrong. The two had slipped past every Covenant they had come across, quickly finding their missing team-mates. The Covenant had made a grave error. They had been treating the Spartans injuries, who although exhausted, were almost completely healed. Even Victor's arms had been restored. They were all held down by powerful retainers, too strong for them to break free of, even with their armour on. Grave error number two: The Covenant had not removed their armour.

It was all so strange, reflecting back on it now. The Covenant had never spared a Spartan before. If there was a God out there, somewhere in the universe, only he knew what the Covenant had wanted of them. Chief and Joshua had butchered every alien in the place, given weapons to the others, and had fought their way out of the facility. Even with their armour badly damaged, nothing could stand in the way of these six merciless warriors and their rescuers.

A few hours later, they had all marched back into the centre of the UNSC camp.

It was then that John and Joshua had to answer for their actions. They had disobeyed the direct orders of no more than a rear-guard admiral of the fleet. Of course, ONI had stepped in. Even though Joshua and Chief had disobeyed the Admiralty, their transgression had been wiped from every database. A parting reward for their troubles!

That experience had not been pleasant, the punishments severe. This was why John couldn't help but feel tense right now, even though he knew nothing bad would come of this meeting. Elrond was kind, not cruel, but he just couldn't shake the feeling from his body. Again, Cortana, his ever watchful guardian, intervened as his heart rate began to spike once more.

"Just relax Chief. These are good people around here. Ethically, these people seem to be dead on! It'll be interesting to meet more humans, to see what they're like. There's nothing in Rivendell that can harm you Chief. This place is a paradise, and you deserve reward for all your troubles. Even if you don't want it, you deserve to enjoy the peace you worked so hard for. Imagine what the Covenant would have done if they'd found this planet! You saved them Chief." Cortana was right, he shouldn't be this tense. It was just like a missions briefing. He should be eager, not worried about what these people would have to say.

Just then, as Chief continued to gaze at the valleys of Rivendell, a horn blew out across the land and afternoon air. It was obviously a signal of something, something important. But, what exactly? "Fancy a recon operation?" Cortana said with a hint of ironic sarcasm, "Go out and see what all the commotion is about Chief. It'll help take your mind off of things" He did as she asked. He strode out of his room, along beautiful carved wooden corridors, towards the exit. The moment he walked outside, he saw something very, very beautiful.

A giant bird, like an eagle was soaring right towards him. But it meant no harm. The eagle was colossal, yet so graceful. As it soared over him, Chief guessed that its complete wingspan had to be close to 12 metres (around 40 feet). It's fine, golden-brown plumage glowed in the mid-day sun. With a loud shriek, it rose up into the sky. It effortlessly circled the snow topped peaks of their great haven, and with one last mournful cry, it was gone. Such a magnificent image. This place surely was filled with great beauty. Chief didn't much care for such things, but he could still appreciate it.

He thought once again about his old Spartan team-mates. They were as good as family to him, the closest of friends. Even if they all struggled to show it...

...Then one of the hobbits was coming. It was Pippin, jumping up and down as he ran towards Chief. Shouting jubilantly. "Here's here! He made it, he's finally here!"

"What is it? Who's here?" Chief asked him coolly. Chief knew by now that Pippin wasn't exactly the clearest speaking of people. Especially with that thick accent of his. The young hobbit was almost leaping around the place. Any more so he would have been bouncing off of walls and trees!

"It's Gandalf Chief! Gandalf has come! He was riding on the giant eagle, who he said was the lord of all eagles, and who he said he was-" Chief held up a hand in protest. "Hold up Pippin. You're obviously exited, but please slow down. Who is Gandalf?" Pippin took a deep breath, calming himself down and started over.

"Gandalf is the grey wizard. He's well known amongst the hobbits. For both his amazing fireworks, and also for being a bit of a trouble maker amongst the older ones. He's the wisest person I've ever met, maybe even wiser than Mr Elrond. He was supposed to meet us at the village of Bree, where we were coming from when you met us. That was also when Strider found us, luckily. We were supposed to meet him there, but he wasn't there, so we knew something had to be wrong. He flew on that giant eagle. An old friend of his, apparently..."

An old friend of this, 'wizard', is a giant eagle? Chief wondered if he was ever going to get used to this world. "Oh, great, a wizard. Wonderful!" His frustrated AI sighed over his internal speakers. Chief couldn't help but smile. It sounded like she was adapting to Middle Earth just as well as he was!

"...anyway!" Pippin continued suddenly, "when I asked him why he hadn't been there, what had went wrong, he just kept saying that he had been betrayed. But he told me I was wasting his time because he needed to see Mr Elrond about very important matters. I told him about the wraiths, and Strider, and Frodo's injury. I also told him about you and how you had saved us and-" Chief had stopped him again. "Wait. You told him about me? What did he say when you told him that?"

Chief almost hadn't been listening. The young hobbit just talked so much. He had always blotted out irrelevant conversation, even amongst his fellow Spartans. But that part had gotten his attention. "Gandalf said he wanted to speak with you right away, said before he saw Elrond he wanted to meet you. I told him that Elrond was waiting for him. Gandalf said that he would join him shortly and that you could stay and contribute to his talking with Mr Elrond, depending on his impression of you...he's here now! Look, there he is...Gandalf! Over here! This is John the Spartan!"

Pippin was waving to an older looking man. John saw a tall but elderly looking man, carrying an old and worn out looking staff, which once must have been a very fine and ornate thing. He wore a tall, pointed hat. Brimmed, covering his ears and brow, almost concealing his misty and piercing blue-grey eyes. He wore a long, grey and musty looking cloak, a little like the trench coats that some UNSC brass and ONI spooks would wear. It was old, worn and shabby looking. With moss and rising damp covering its bottom part. His long, shaggy beard hung down almost to his waist, and it was messy. Full of leaves and twigs. It looked like the old man had been through one hell of a past few days.

Gandalf was talking with Merry. Samwise was nowhere to be seen, possibly with Frodo. As soon as Gandalf saw Chief, he stopped dead. He had looked the mighty warrior up and down, and raised a quizzical eyebrow beneath his brimmed and pointy hat.

"Pippin, come here please!" Gandalf ordered in his wizened, but commanding voice. The young hobbit immediately came trotting up to him.

"What do you want Gandalf?" He asked him with hopeful eagerness, as if expecting to be given some vital and highly important task. The wizard narrowed his gaze, and looked him up and down a little. Like would a father being firm with one of his children.

"You know what I want of you, Peregrine Took. I want you, and Merriadoc, to go and find Frodo. You will be pleased to know that he is well and nearly mended. He is with Samwise. Go and find them, leave me in peace."

He was firm, but as Chief noticed, not hard or cruel. Not by any standing. "Ok Gandalf" Pippin answered, with a trace of disappointment. "Come on Merry! I wonder if Frodo is awake yet!" He said, as eager as ever.

"Yeah, let's go find him!" Merry agreed, who smiled and nodded. The two hobbits scurried away quickly, heading off towards the nearest building. Leaving Chief and Gandalf alone.

"They're so much like children you could say, in some ways. Aren't they Spartan?" The Grey wizard began, breaking the silence. Chief just nodded, he wasn't actually sure he agreed with him. He saw more to the Hobbits then the wizard was telling.

They were innocent and naive, but they were also determined, exceptionally determined. They were all good natured, and brave, very brave for such small people. They were also incredibly kind. Something Chief had not really experienced before. There was something awfully charming about the little Hobbits!

"I think there's more to them than meets the eye" He replied, making up his mind.

"Very well said!" Gandalf replied. The mysterious warrior was giving a good first impression so far.

Chief couldn't help but sigh. This world was all so strange to him. This world was filled with trolls and magic and things he had known once to be impossible. Now, he would have to deal with, of all things, a wizard! Chief recalled what Aragorn had said to him, about the Valar who posed as wise men in this world. Visitors maybe, like himself perhaps?

Gandalf strode over, walking confidently, but also using his staff to aid him a little. He was, again, the first to speak. "You can learn all that there is to hobbits very quickly Spartan. And yet, even after half a dozen lifetimes of men and dwarves, they will still be able to surprise you."

Chief found himself agreeing with Gandalf this time, even if the dozen lifetimes thing baffled him a little. Emotionless as he could be, this facet of his character allowed Chief to cope efficiently within such bizarre situations. He also walked up to Gandalf, and bowed. It was the way things were done here, he'd picked up on that much over the past few days. The wizard smiled. He approved of his politeness, but...

"I do not ask you to be so formal with me, I am no master of yours John. But I am pleased that you are a man of good manners. It is a rare trait amongst soldiers." He smiled broadly at Chief, so warm that he couldn't help but smile back. This man appeared to be nothing like Elrond, all apart from the elf lord's wisdom. Charismatic and vibrant, with something so youthful about him. Something that seemed to defy explanation. He also seemed to be quite upbeat, so rare from someone of his age.

Chief could see the spark of authority in the man's eyes, if he even was a man. He may even be older than he looked! "I have heard a great deal about you, Spartan. The young Peregrine Took told me everything he knew about you whilst I was making my way up here. He told me about your great dignity, your kindness and your incredible skills as a warrior. I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done John."

The Spartan shuffled around, a little awkwardly. Gandalf sensed his body language, and continued. "Yes, Pippin also told me your name, as you know, and that you are not always comfortable with people using it. He told me you prefer the title Master Chief. Your military rank I will assume, yes?" Chief was a little shocked. This Gandalf knew more than you would naturally expect!

"How...how do you know about-" "-I know more than I think you would believe Spartan" Gandalf interrupted. "Pippin also told me in brief, the tale that you had told him and the others. About your past and your recent history. Of course, I know that the story you told them was a deception! Yet, I am not angry. I am in fact impressed. You show great wisdom Chief, it was a good decision not to tell the complete truth about our galaxy. I particularly enjoyed your description of the Flood. Demons indeed!" He revealed, chuckling a little to himself.

Now Chief was really shocked. He felt no embarrassment for the tale he had told, it wasn't part of his character to be. But he was stunned by Gandalf's knowledge of the truth. How was it possible that Gandalf knew so much? It was not possible, not on this backwater world. The only possible explanation, was that what Aragorn had told him was true, and also that Gandalf was not of the world around him.

It was at this moment that he realised that it was Gandalf, not himself, who was the most enlightened man in Rivendell. Would Gandalf be able to explain what the hell was going on here, on this world? "I'd imagine that you know how things are possible here?" Chief began to ask. "How things that should not be possible, are possible on this planet."

Gandalf smiled. "I do" Chief looked at him with narrowed eyes. Gandalf was being very coy, being deliberately evasive. Chief knew what was happening, what Gandalf was doing. He was withholding information, but he didn't understand why.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" Chief said, concealing his disappointment. It was infuriating being kept in the dark without just reason.

"No. I am bound by duty and by oath not to utter such things, even to you. I cannot tell you about my origins, or about the exact nature of Middle Earth. For risk of interfering with the people of this world, and the risk of causing irreparable damage to these lands. It is the same reason why you did not tell them about your true origins." Chief nodded, he understood this well enough.

"However, I will tell you this Chief. There is knowledge that I possess, that even you would not be able to understand completely. I am aware of your exact nature, and of the nature of the UNSC. I am aware of the Covenant, the flood, and of the danger that they pose. I am even aware of the race you know as the forerunners, and the amazing technology that they created. But I also know greater secrets about this galaxy, and this universe. But I am forbidden from interfering in the affairs of younger races, because of the damage this would cause them. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

Gandalf was a mystery to Chief, and to pardon a pun, he was completely spellbound by him! He guessed that the origins of this strange world may not be as mystical as they appear. "I understand. Is this world a product of advanced technology?" He asked Gandalf, and was almost immediately annoyed at how innocent he sounded when asking it. Gandalf paused for a little moment before speaking.

"Perhaps Spartan...I cannot say." Chief cocked his head slightly, in suspicion. "Can't, or won't?"

Gandalf raised a questioning eyebrow at Chief, and his jaw tightened a little, but then he relaxed and became warm and open again. He could understand why Chief was being so stubborn. "You may be surprised that the answer is a little bit of both. But all the same, I cannot say. I must move on Spartan. You may join me if you wish, and hear what I have to say to Lord Elrond. You are more than welcome John. What say you, Spartan?"

Chief wasn't sure, but he needed to get some proper Intel. Gandalf seemed inviting enough! "If you would both have me, sir" He replied honestly.

"Of course John! I would imagine you will find the meeting most enlightening. You are at a unique position to contribute to what is about to take place. You will know things that even Lord Elrond is not aware of. I will gladly listen to your council during the course of this meeting."

The two new, if slightly reluctant allies strode off together, ready to meet with Elrond. Little did Chief know it, but the three of them were about to decide the immediate future of the free peoples of Middle Earth. Decisions that could potentially shape the course of history...