Shade was hard to come by in Valhalla. Well, that isn't entirely true. There was shade everywhere. The hard part for Private Dexter Grif was finding shade where the rest of his team wouldn't be able to find him. But he had found that bit of shade just past the tree line, out of sight from both bases.

Grif sat with his back against a tree, hands clasped behind his head, the picture of utter tranquility. His orange helmet lay beside him and his sweat soaked dirty-blonde hair stuck to his forehead in several stringy shapes. His blue eyes were closed and his red-hued chubby cheeks rose and fell in time with his breathing. The stubble of his jaws and chin was exceptionally long as the universe's laziest soldier felt no inclination to shave.

"You've done it again, private Grif!" he praised himself. He gave a lazy yawn before continuing.

"If ever there was a soldier who knows exactly where the best shady spots and hidden dessert caches around this place are located, it's me."

Grif reached for a slice of chocolate cake. Where he had found the chocolaty morsel, only he himself knew. He grabbed a fork from his attaché case and dug in, humming happily to himself.

"Semper Fi, you delicious creation." Grif said fondly before taking a huge bite.

A pair of eyes studied the resting figure in the orange armor with disdain. The figure breathed the sound of an apparition as it studied the man and decided he was nonthreatening. Unfortunately for the orange soldier, the figure was not nearly as trustworthy.

BBBBBB

A pair of golden gauntlets tightened a golden helmet with a purple adornment over a face tightened with anxiety.

Calm yourself, Lambda intoned into Agent Missouri's mind, you have done this before, Moe.

He gave a mental sigh in response.

He and Lambda were not alone. They stood in the center of a council of judgment; of them, of their mission and of their existence.

Donut, Simmons and Sarge stood in an incomplete circle around the former freelancer and his AI companion. The dark grey of the room around them, circling the circle of humanity, matched the grey of the red team's decision.

"I know I'm not one to judge you. I dropped out of the air and landed into your lives as a complete unknown. You know who I am, who I was and the importance of the AI I carry. I wasn't going to do this. I wasn't going to ask for your help, but the harsh reality of the matter is that I just can't do this alone."

Missouri looked into the eyes of every man in the room. He then looked to a corner where private Grif would have made four.

"I wish everyone on this team felt the same way as Sarge does, but everyone has to choose their own way. No one can – or will try to – force you into this. If Lambda and I must go this alone, we will die with honor and respect for you all.

"But I implore each and every man in this room to join us. You are heroes to the galaxy. Your skills far surpass the way you speak about yourselves. We… I need you for whatever comes next. Whoever we face… the will not know what to do with us. Because if you join us, we will join you. We will be a team, bonded in battle, through sacrifice, through peace and through war. Join me and together we will break free of the hold the UNSC has on each of us. And we will, finally, live in peace. "

BBBBBBB

Red base loomed before Speartip and her orange prisoner who continually frustrated her by moving too slowly in front of her.

"Keep moving! Nobody is this slow except on purpose!" Speartip stage whispered sternly, poking her prisoner in the back with the barrel of her battle rifle.

"Listen, lady," Grif said as he turned his head to look at the UNSC Special Agent, "I know you don't know me very well, but if you expect me to move any faster than this, you may as well shoot me now. Or, you know, let me go."

Speartip raised her rifle and clicked the safety off. She pressed the barrel between Grif's visor and pressed her finger to the trigger.

"Now." She growled.

Grif shuddered, his mouth moved to try to form words but they were impossible to come by at the moment.

"Yes ma'am." He squeaked.

"That's what I thought. Now move, fucker." Speartip breathed dangerously.

Grif fell into a trot in front of the Special Agent as they moved toward the red base.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are not a nice person?" Grif groused.

"I just get hired to do mean things." Speartip responded idly.

"Yeah, yeah. That's what all you government agents say. The point is you're threatening a totally nonthreatening person to try and get another person who has no reason to care about me to step down and give his life and his AI's life to you. You are kind of acting like a bitch. Just saying."

"Shut up! I'm warning you!" Speartip ordered, her voice rising in pitch.

"Or what? You'll probably shoot me anyway after all of this is over. You assholes are all inhuman anyway, so what does a promise from you matter?"

"I am as human as you are." Speartip said, speaking softer and not only to keep a low profile. He had brought emotion out of her.

"You think I don't want to live in peace and be left alone by the UNSC politicians? The ugly fact of the matter is that I don't have a choice. So shut up and get moving so we can get this over with."

Grif would have retorted, but Speartip was cut off by a light blue blur slamming into her body and knocking her to the ground.

"Get out of here Grif! Run!" Carolina yelled.

"Okay! I'm getting out of here!" Grif whined as he took off in the other direction at a fast walk.

"Carolina! You were supposed to be dead." Speartip said, anger evident even though the white-clad agent spoke softly.

"I got better." Carolina said.

Speartip pressed her feet into the sternum of the aqua-colored freelancer's armor. Kicking hard, she dislodged Carolina and sent her sprawling to the ground.

Speartip drew a combat knife and threw it. Her target was not Carolina, however. Carolina followed the trajectory of the knife in slow-motion as it sank into Grif's back. He fell with a loud, painful groan.

"Grif! No!" Carolina cried out as she pushed herself from the ground and ran toward Speartip.

Carolina threw a punch at Speartip who ducked, spun and landed a hammer-like punch to Carolina's speed unit. She clutched and wrenched for her life before finally tearing the speed unit from Carolina's back. A solid kick sent Carolina hurtling forward.

Carolina just barely managed to roll to avoid the bone-crushing stomp Speartip was poised to deliver to the back of Carolina's head.

Carolina kicked upward, the heel of her metal boot catching Speartip's chin and sending her stark white helmet flying backward. Speartip landed on her seat with a grunt. Carolina made it to her feet at the same time as Speartip rose to her haunches, glaring hatefully at Carolina.

Carolina set her eyes on Speartip's face… and gasped. Her green eyes widened and she gaped, her hand flying to her lips in disbelief and betrayal.

"No… no! It's… It's you!" Carolina stammered as she reeled at the revelation of Speartip's bare face.

The initial shock dissipated as Carolina stared down her adversary who was climbing back to her feet. Her shock was replaced with anger and betrayal as she once again leveled her eyes at the woman before her.

"It's you. But why?" Carolina demanded hotly.

Speartip's eyes narrowed as she prepared to answer her former dear, close friend.