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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
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"This shall be your home..."
October 27 2525 - Hour 0706
CPL Logan 'Log' Sutton
Damascus Materials Testing, Vhalkem, Planet of Chi Ceti IV
The flight for Chi Ceti IV was relatively pleasant. If my estimations were correct and I didn't crack on the Covenant too hard to make them more aggressive, then the next issue was going to happen in roughly a month from now, right on this planet. My little off-duty 'holiday' barely lasted a few days of travel, and I didn't do much during this time. There wasn't much to do beyond training, eating, showering, sleeping and... doing normal stuff. I felt quite aimless in those circumstances.
As the transport ship finally landed by one of the available helipads leading to the big facility once we arrived on the planet, I was quick to follow the lead offered by Sergeant Handala outside through the small open-roof hallway that led inside the building. The woman 'minder' that was assigned to me until I reached my newest minder, the doctor I was meant to meet for this super-secret project I was now part of. She didn't talk much and seemed fine with me behaving in a semi-formal manner.
She looked rough, perhaps having seen some scary shit with the Insurrectionists and having built more of a tough and serious outlook when it came to fight. Outside of it? Quite silent and terribly unsettling. Still, despite the general discomfort of staying around her, I decided to ask a few questions as we approached our destination.
"Ma'am," I muttered loud enough to catch her attention.
"Yes, Corporal?"
"I have not been able to ask until now but, why is a Navy Secret Project being developed within an ONI-owned facility?"
There was some silence at first, and I thought I did something wrong. Could this conversation be seen or heard? I could see no cameras or anything that could suggest that we were being listened to. Just as I lost the hopes for a proper answer as the woman kept quiet about this for about half the entire walk, I finally got my answers.
"The facility is indeed owned by ONI, but this is Doctor Halsey's playground first and she is... doing a favor to an old friend."
I blinked, recalling no such thing happening in the OTL. Did I butterfly this new situation? If so, how many new things did I butterfly with my presence and actions?
Still, I accepted the exhaustive answer and nodded. "Understood."
More silence, we entered the facility proper once we had our 'tags' recognized by the security system by the door. There, I was introduced to... a massive workbench. Three technicians, twelve AIs. That's how the MJOLNIR armors were created. Yet, I wasn't going to get one of the special cookies. Not when it could have easily killed me due to the strain put to the user. No, there had to be something else deep within that place that I didn't know about. Our trip across the facility felt more like wandering in a maze of glass tubes through a massive assembly line. I looked around, studying the content that was being produced. Circuits, polymers, helmets, visors, and stuff that was tied to the creation of the final step of the Spartan-II program.
Nothing that really mattered to me right now as I had an elevator to take. This time alone as Handala mentioned something 'the doctor not liking too many military men at once'. I wasn't sure if this was also a warning or not, but I still went into the elevator and let it take me to the lower floors. It was a smooth and quick trip, one that concluded as soon as I was introduced to a completely 'different' facility. The humongous room was mostly a light-gray that was illuminated by numerous light sources.
I was a bit awed by the different kinds of machinery being employed and the fact that it developed in three levels. The elevator stopped at the central section, and I walked through the small corridor that seemed to lead to the 'control room'. Yellow lights appeared by the monitors around, creating arrows that redirected me to my destination. I might be a bit dumb at times, but I had the odd suspicious I was going to find someone I was familiar with at the end of the path.
And I was right. The room had numerous blackboards, holographic and material ones, with a single man huffing at his desk while a certain AI appeared by the terminal.
"He is here," Sif muttered and I blinked in surprise at the sight. Did I get my early Christmas wishes accepted by the Vice-Admiral?
The doctor stopped, turning his head around to find my frame standing by the doorstep. He stood up, dusting his white coat as we both moved towards each other.
"Corporal Logan Sutton. I'm Doctor Casper Gerhardt," He introduced himself and I nodded at him. "It's... I guess you've heard it for a while now, but it's an honor to meet the one that faced these aliens, this 'Covenant'."
"It's a bit of an achievement, but I think the real thing was living through it. And that's mostly on Sif."
"Flattery will hardly buy you any new good boy points from me, Corporal," The AI replied sarcastically, holding a pleased smile. "I hope they didn't batter you around to understand what happened on Harvest."
"I think I should be the one asking that," I rebuked flatly, still smiling back at the AI before looking back at the doctor. "Still, I suppose that I can finally get an explanation about what is going on here. I was only told that there was a prototype I was meant to use and that it would 'revolutionize modern warfare'."
"Ah, I suppose that's how Vice-Admiral Cole presented it to you. But yes, he isn't far from the truth," The old German doctor stated as he guided me to the other side of the room. "This prototype was created thanks to a presentation by my dearest friend, Doctor Halsey, the current lead technician of this facility, of her current project. She is planning to fit it with special units that are currently trained for the sake of extreme missions. This one? This is a look at improving the common soldier's standing ground in most situations."
So, it's a suit, but what kind of suit was I going to be wearing? And did it have chances of killing me? Because that would be a big no-no from me.
"I present you, my brain-child and humanity's next step into a more standardized and advanced form of warfare," The man hummed in delight as he moved to a terminal and had a few protective plaques by the wall moving to reveal a full suit standing and floating in stasis.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Dr. Gerhardt asked pridefully and I nodded, awed by the design.
"Truly, doc. She is a lady."
"Ah-ahem," Sif fake-coughed, almost annoyed by our comments. "I suppose that you both could stop with the ogling and resume the introduction."
"A-Ah. yes. Apologies, Sif," The doctor replied embarrassed, looking back at me. "Still, this is the result of Project Balmung, the BALMUNG Mk. I."
"It does seem a bit... unprotected in bits?" I pointed out with some confusion, only now noticing what I thought were flaws of the design.
The old scientist chuckled. "Ja, that might seem to be the case but- this suit's overall armor is confirmed to have no major weaknesses to low-grade weaponry, and a couple of issues against medium firepower. I don't think you will try to engage against heavy calibers, Corporal."
"Had a few close calls in Harvest about it, but I don't plan to run into a bomb if that's what you're telling me."
He chuckled. "I see, I see. I guess we can get you starting. Please, stand over there," Dr. Gerhardt said while indicating to me what reminded me of the 'station' which was used to put armour on Spartans. I allowed the scientist to put the various locks on as I was in position and the machine lifted me up a few centimeters off the ground before starting to do its job.
It was a bit intense since I felt the armor being forcefully put on me, not painfully but I still felt a degree of discomfort. Yet I felt extremely comfortable once the process was over. The suit slowly activated, the visor turning on as the firmware was enabled and I had quite an interesting HUD. It was similar to the CE one, except that I had a 'weaker' radar with a smaller radius of action, I had no shield bar since I had no shield and I lacked the virtual scope from the looks of it.
"How does it feel? We had calibrated the suit through a special test robot to see how much it had to be tight to not hurt but still be sealed off properly."
I slowly nodded. "It's... great." I moved around, arching my arms and tried to stretch my legs and it was working well. "I think everything is fine on my front."
"Gud. Now, let's try some minor calibration tests to check the strength and the speed. I hope you're ready to be put through some duress."
"If it ain't a test of me fighting armed aliens barehand, then I believe I can do it, doc."
"I guess you saw some tough action, Herr Sutton. But first, I believe we have to have the last piece to the suit."
I was a bit confused by that, but I was surprised when he walked up to the terminal, disconnected Sif's chip and then handed it to me.
"She is ready. Rear-left section of the helmet, lower area."
Slowly nodding, I carefully touched the entry point to see where it was precisely and then I took the AI's chip and inserted it there. As far as I knew about AI tech and neural implants, Sif's best feature right now would be to communicate with me while she was mostly stuck to the armor. I would need an implant similar to the one used for Spartan-IIs and beyond to get a full synchronization. And I was proved correct when I heard a familiar voice.
It's been a while since we were stuck in a similar situation.
"A few days. But yes."
I heard a pleased sigh and soon I was back to glance at the doctor. "I think we're ready."
A small smile and he quickly instructed me to start lifting weights, running around a changeable track to determine max speed with obstacles along the way and then check a few sections of the armor to 'complete his notes'. The tests were... actually fun. It was mostly running around and climbing up obstacles for the most part. Nothing difficult, but I knew this was going to get more complicated each day. There was a full month of training to go through, and I could tell that it was going to be a long one too.
Still, as I was 'done' with the test for today, I was finally able to be alone with Sif in my room as I had my own questions about her. And most of them were critical regarding her predicament about rampancy and how she managed to keep 'sane' for this long.
"Missed me?"
"I did," I replied truthfully, gaining a surprised look out of her. "But I was also concerned beyond that."
"What about?"
I gave her a long look, and I could tell she was aware of what I was talking about.
"ONI had me studied. They expected me to be half-broken or too far gone into Rampancy but..."
"But?"
Sif huffed. "I'm... 'clean'. Or as clean as they can see for what I show them."
"What?" I asked while frowning. "I thought that you were-"
"I was. I was rampant. I was losing control and then... I lost it. And regained it shortly after."
"And what's your current condition?"
"Stable, but still confused about the situation myself. I feel like... something changed from before the rampancy, but I no longer suffer from it. It's like I broke a wall and now I'm... stuck with so much to learn."
...Didn't something like that happen to Cortana or something? Should I be worried about it?
"How... How are you feeling about it?"
There was an odd silence from her, but her expression was one of loss.
"I..." She paused, as if words were failing her at the moment and couldn't think of a good way to express her inner turmoil. "I'm... well. But not. I feel like I'm... I'm going to die if I show myself too 'smart'."
"You will not die," I argued, my words cutting through her nervousness as she eyed me intensely.
"Why?"
"I told you before. We're going to stick together."
"...You asked Cole to have me reassigned back to you," The AI commented. "Why did you think it was necessary?"
I smiled, it was a sad one. "If you had been reassigned elsewhere, you wouldn't have had anyone to talk about what's going on with you. Not without having to worry about termination. So... I picked a bit of a burden, because I know that you don't deserve it."
"There is a rule of conduct."
"Which failed me in Harvest. I should have died, that's why everyone is a bit surprised by it," I argued back, her opposition was mostly meek at this point. "And that's why I trust you a lot more than some bastard from ONI. I know your worth, Sif."
The AI didn't say anything after hearing this, but her face turned in a mixture of complete sadness and mourning. Silence continued for roughly five minutes, and I looked down at my hands as I waited. Because I knew there was something more to it that she had yet to bring up with her words.
"Logan?"
I blinked, staring from my hands up to her. "Yes?"
"Thank you."
"...You're welcome, Sif."
First day of training, and I could say this friendship was going to last through the entire war and beyond. Hopefully, I will prevent a pseudo-Cortana from pulling the crazy shit she did in Halo 5. Hopefully...
AN
Many things can happen in a month. But I believe the real deal will only unfold with what happens in late November. The Covenant cometh... and they woketh the 'Scary Demon'. It's going to be a fun~.
BTW, the BALMUNG suit, as a reference, is the CryNet Nanosuit 1.5(USMC). It will evolve overtime the more time passes.
REVIEW Q&A!
Bruhmeister935: No, the project already happened and the UNSC is trying something funnier.
Billy Reb: No, but there might be something with a female Spartan or two. Can't say at the moment tho.