Shield World-0001 aka "Requiem"

Epoloch System

Afternoon

October 21st

The UNSC Saratoga entered atmosphere, the ship had seen a lot of action during the war, having been one of the few Epsilon Eridani Fleet vessels to have survived the Fall of Reach, and then made it through the Battle of Earth intact. It's a Paris-class heavy frigate, sturdy defense plating, and point defense turrets online, a living monument of the past and an inspiration to the crew of the newer Strident-class and Anlace-class frigates. The ship landed on the Sussex shipyard in an island north of Kyoshi Island. The UNSC had constructed the shipyard over the once empty island, replacing the lands with iron and steel. "Bay 23, Saratoga." Tower control instructed.

"Copy, Tower-2." One of the ship pilots replied as the Saratoga parked within Bay 23. The shipyard was enormous, easily the third biggest human construct on top of the Shield World, behind the city of Ba Sing Se in the Earth Kingdom and the space elevator near Republic City. Frigates were designed to operate in atmosphere, the Saratoga had small thrusters beneath its hangar bay, the lowest area of the entire ship, and it used them to slowly descend towards the bay's apron. There automated robotic arms would extend from each side of the bay's walls and then connect to the frigate to park it parallelly to the connector catwalk.

"Alright everyone, we're here. You're all in a two-week shore leave, have fun and remember to always brush your teeth every morning, you won't have me out there to help you out." Commander Ulysses Wilson said, his voice sounding across the ship's speaker system.

Korra stripped off her armor, and decided to go back home in her dress uniform. As a ONI agent, she was still part of the UNSC Navy, so her uniform was like that of a naval officer, but instead of the pearl white that most officers wore, the dress uniform was colored all black with her belt and the details of the uniform being colored white. Her officer's hat was white with the logo of the UNSC eagle detailing the front of it. She sighed, finally home, after such a long time. She stepped out of her quarters and made her way out. Korra caught a transport ship heading to camp Preston Cole in Republic City, there she would take a cab to Yue Bay and then finally catch the afternoon ferry to Air Temple Island. She would drop unannounced, give everyone a big surprise, she smiled.

Republic City, United Republic of Nations

Afternoon

After the transport ship landed on the 12th Hangar Bay of Camp Preston Cole, Korra rode the monorail out of the hangar towards the terminal, there was a window on the roof of the monorail, she looked up and saw the blue sky still above.

There it was, like a lingering omen…Halo.

The Halo ring still orbited the Shield World, it had been deactivated after the Ur-Didact's defeat, but the UNSC has been careful in not disturbing the innards of the ring. Previous contact records of Alpha and Delta Halo suggest that the Halo rings contain Sentinel-controlled facilities that are Forerunner containment facilities that are purposely hidden in the deepest areas of the ring. The most that the science teams have been able to recover were the Activation Index, several glyphs, some of the smaller frozen Prometheans, several artifacts and data within the ring's cartographer and control room.

The sight of the ring sent shivers down Korra's spine, but she shook them off as the monorail stopped. Carrying a small duffle bag containing personal belongings like a change of clothes, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a medal, Korra stepped out of the entrance of the camp. The looming sight of the space elevator was awe inspiring, even from kilometers away, it connected to the Super MAC station in geo-synched orbit, Republic Station. Walking towards midtown, she looked at the changed city, it was obvious now that the UEG and by extension the UNSC had formally colonized Requiem and have made it part of the colonies worlds of Earth. New advanced buildings decorated the skyline of the city alongside the native buildings that the city has had before the UNSC appeared into the scene. Misriah Armory, Weapon System Technologies, Traxus, and the BXR Mining Corporation had opened businesses here, their buildings illuminating the skyline with their neon-light signs at nightfall.

Korra called for a cab and asked the driver to take her to Yue Bay, the nearest dock to Air Temple Island. She rode shotgun inside the new line Satomobile taxi, on their way towards the docks, the driver had been taking looks at her. "Is there an issue?" Korra asked.

"Oh nothing, just that you remind me of someone." The taxi driver replied.

"I get that a lot."

The cab stopped at the docks, Korra paid the man 5 credits in coins, which would equal to 20 yuan when converted to the local currency used in the United Republic of Nations, and the cab rode off. Korra turned around to look at the bay, the sun was setting, and the fading light of the day reflected off the bronze statue of Avatar Aang. She sighed again. Everything went in such a radical path…such a different path that her seventeen-year-old self would've never imagined. She was now twenty-three years old, and had seen so many things. So many things. Korra saw one of the ferrymen still inside his wooden boat, probably finishing for the day, that is until Korra approached him. "Excuse me, sir, could you take me to Air Temple Island? I have an important meeting with Master Tenzin." Korra asked the man.

The older man looked at her, he caught his breath, he recognized her. The old ferryman always took her and her friends back and forth from the island so many years ago. Her eyes were still the same aqua color, and were still as vibrant. "Yes of course, young lady. Come on in, I'll take you there." He said, the ferryman didn't say a word about him recognizing Korra.

Stepping off the boat and walking down the dock, Korra looked at the temple, the lights inside were still on…a part of her feared stepping up those steps and knocking on the door. She swallowed some saliva and walked towards the door holding tightly to the strap of her duffle bag. She extended her right arm and closed fist towards the wooden door, ready to knock. She held back, instead re-adjusting her hat. "Okay…all right, I can do this." Korra said to herself. She knocked on the door and waited. Even as an augmented super soldier, she could feel a sense of fear creeping in her, what if they never accepted her again? Did they believe her to be dead? Have they moved on? Korra thought that this is what many returning veterans felt after returning home from war. She heard steps approaching the door from the other side. The door opened.

A gasp came out of Korra's lips, she hadn't expected it. "Korra...?" Mako said from the other side of the opened door. His eyes met hers, it had been a long time.

"…Mako." She said, they didn't say a word, they just looked at each other. The silence was broken when Tenzin came to the door.

"Korra!" He ran to hug his former apprentice.

"Hey Tenzin…" She hugged him back, her officer hat fallen off. "Gotta say that the ride here was really long."

"Yes, come inside!" Tenzin walked her inside with Mako shutting the door.

UNSC Infinity

Orbiting Planet Earth

Sol System

Captain Lasky walked back to the bridge after having supper at the mess hall with some of his officers and the marines. Commander Palmer joined him on his way back, "So, got anything planned for tonight?" She asked him.

"Just more paperwork from FLEETCOM, nothing major, just a lot of status reports and colonial reports incoming from Requiem." He said, "The battle over at Kamchatka was such a success that they have graced me with enough of papers to sign to last me a week."

"Ah come on, Tom, you were the one who planned the operation from head to toe. And because of you we have Halsey back aboard. Speaking of her, when does ONI want her for questioning?" Palmer asked.

"They said they would let me know. Has she said anything since?"

"Nothing more than 'she's coming' and the occasional 'we must go to Meridian', non-sense really." Palmer replied.

"I wouldn't be so quick in saying that, Sarah." They entered the bridge, "I'll speak with her later about it though."

"Roger that, but Captain, you haven't told me yet if you'll be busy tonight."

"Oh."

"Sir, incoming signal from…uh…ONI." A bridge officer said.

"Sigh…patch them through." Lasky said, the comms system came only showing the face of Admiral Serin Osman, the commander-in-chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence herself. "Admiral." Lasky saluted along with Palmer and the rest of the bridge crew.

"At ease, Infinity. I wanted to congratulate on your most recent accomplishment personally, Captain. You've done a fine job in securing Dr. Halsey." Osman said.

"Thanks, ma'am."

"We will give you further details on that later, right now though, I have a mission for you and your crew."

"What do you need of us, ma'am?" Lasky asked.

On top of the hologram table a holographic image appeared, "Captain, this is Argent Moon, one of ONI's top research installations. Here we studied Forerunner technology and top-secret research, but a few months ago it drifted away from the orbit of its anchor planet. We suspected the worst for it and the crew of scientists inside." Osman informed him. "Interestingly just two weeks ago we intercepted a message sent from Kig-Yar pirates to Mdama's Covenant. They sold the installation to the Covenant to be used for their war against the Swords of Sanghelios."

"That would give Jul a considerable advantage over the Arbiter." Lasky commented.

"Indeed, Captain. I need you and your ship to travel towards Argent Moon's original location and then tap into its signature, and once you find it to send a team of your finest SPARTAN team aboard to secure the station. I am conscious that Blue Team is currently aboard your vessel, is that correct?" Osman said.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then better get to it, Captain. ONI out." The conversation ended.

"That woman always gives me a nauseous feeling." Palmer said, "So, should I get Blue Team informed?"

"Yeah, tell them what their mission is, we'll be making a slipspace jump to the Tanuab system in 30 minutes." Lasky ordered her. Palmer left for Blue Team, he looked at the holographic still of Argent Moon.

Air Temple Island

Republic City

Evening

Korra sat on the main couch in the living room, she held onto her white gloved hands and looked at them, she hoped that they wouldn't notice her…physical additions, the dress pants and black boots were good at covering the cybernetics, but still she feared the possibility. Mako was sitting next to her as Tenzin was speaking through the phone with Lin Beifong. Pema approached her and gave her a cup of warm tea, "Oh Korra it's been so long, how've you been?" Pema asked.

"Yeah, there's been no letters back, no word in your condition, nothing. Not even Captain Lasky or Marine brass knew where you were." Mako added sounding worried.

"I've been…fine. Just recovering, that's all." Korra lied not telling them what had been happening, but she forgot one important detail. There was an insignia sewed into the left arm of her dress uniform, it had the Spartan Eagle with the words 'Semper Vigilans' written below it. Mako noticed it, his eyes narrowed, he knew what it was and to what organization it belonged.

He was thinking of confronting Korra about it, his Orbital Drop Shock Trooper training told him to always go forward with what he thought should be the right course of action, and right now he needed to know how and why Korra, the Avatar, was involved with the ONI spooks and why the hell she was wearing the Spartan insignia…but they were interrupted by Tenzin who got off the phone. "Great news, Lin is coming tomorrow morning to see you Korra. She is currently busy in preparations for Kuvira's speech tomorrow at noon along with President Raiko." Tenzin informed them. He took a seat to the right side of where Korra sat, practically she was in the middle of Tenzin and Mako, she tensed up imagining the questions he would ask her. Pema stood up from her chair and went to check up on Rohan who was running around with crayons out to the backyard.

'Perfect timing.' Mako thought, he would now ask what he needed to know. "Korra, I wanted to ask…I mean, I know you look different, that's clear. But why are you wearing the Spartan Eagle? Why the ONI motto? Why the uniform?" He asked directly.

"Now Mako, Korra's back and we should…" Tenzin was interrupted by Korra's sighed.

She knew that someone as sharp as Mako would ask up front, "After the Master Chief took me to be…revived by medics. My dying body was taken to some UNSC facility in deep space, I don't know what happened between the time I collapsed on the Halo and when I woke up on the hospital bed. When I woke up, my legs had been amputated…" She pulled up part of her right leg's pant revealing to them the smooth metallic bionic leg. The mouths of the two men were wide open in both amazement and surprise. "…doctors said they couldn't be saved, bones shattered into pieces and sliced through veins and arteries. My body had been poisoned by mercury, and the trauma broke my connection to Raava…and bending. I don't know why, but after being semi-recovered, I was told that I had been signed up to be next in line in becoming a Spartan."

"A Spartan!?" Tenzin couldn't believe it.

"I was augmented a week after being given the all clear from the hospital. My strength, speed, reflexes, senses, everything…was improved. I could break steel bars with my bare hands without needed to metalbend, I could jump several feet in the air without the need of airbending, and I could run faster than a speeding warthog going at 40 miles per hour. But I never recovered my connection to Raava…or my bending completely. I tried, I meditated for days…but nothing. And it's been difficult not being able to talk to you guys…sometimes I didn't know what to do…until I met them." Korra said trying to steel herself and not showing any sign of possible weakness.

"Them?" Tenzin asked.

"ONI." Mako answered, "They turned you into a super soldier, why?"

"I can't say." Korra said, "I can't say what my job description with ONI is, all I can say is that I'm part of NavSpecWar, Naval Special Warfare Command, Special Warfare Group Seventeen. That's really all I can tell about what I do. Sorry."

Mako knew that the spooks at ONI would keep her at a tight leash, something still felt wrong despite her being at least partially honest with the secrecy. "And you're on leave?"

"Yeah, for a while anyway." Korra replied, "Listen, I'm sorry for dropping unannounced and that the reasons of me being still alive are…covered in all this secrecy, but I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have a good reason."

"Then what's the reason?" Mako asked.

"I'm still the Avatar, even if I can't contact Raava, I still have a responsibility, and that means doing anything to protect everyone on this planet, even the people on other worlds." Korra responded clearly. Mako smiled.

"Still as headstrong and brave as I remember." Mako relaxed, at least the spooks didn't brainwash her into believing their agenda. Korra blushed.

"Well, it seems that Mako isn't the only one doing their part in the colony protecting job." Tenzin said, "He's been hard at work rising up the ranks in the ODSTs."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeup yup, I would like to introduce you to Gunnery Sergeant Mako, hold your applause." Mako said rising his hands as if calming an audience of adoring fans.

"Wow, that's great news Mako!" Korra congratulated him, "I guess you're on break too."

"Took a two day leave to come here, everyone in the corps is taking a day off I heard, since yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the Battle of Earth" Mako said, "Gotta get back to duty tomorrow. Actually, took a two day leave to see you since I heard from Tenzin that you were coming today in the morning."

"It was miscommunication, I was told that a merchant ship would be trading with the Southern Water Tribe, I assumed that you would be coming along with it." Tenzin said.

"My current post is overseeing security for the ceremony tomorrow, like Tenzin said Captain Kuvira is speaking to world leaders and handling over control of the re-organized Earth Kingdom to Prince Wu at noon, a representative from the UNSC is going to attend so some of my ODSTs and I will be beefing up the United Forces' security detail." Mako said, "I don't know how I went from fighting aliens in the frontier to guard duty, but orders are orders."

"Hey, so, I think I should take some time to rest. It's been a long time since I've been so could one of you show me where my room here was?" Korra asked them while she stood up and grabbed her duffle back. "Er I mean, if that's alright with you Tenzin, I could always find a place to stay in the city."

"No no, by all means stay. Mako could you show her where the room is? I got to contract Tonraq."

"Sure thing, follow me." Mako said.

As the two walked out of the main temple building where Tenzin and his family lived, they walked towards the women living quarters of the island, males and females slept in different areas of the island like the ancient Airbenders did over 100 years ago. The light of the full moon above shone above them, and the night sky was starry, Korra hadn't seen a night like these since she was eighteen years old. She looked around, the training arena, Tenzin's weird airbending contraption she used to be 'a leaf in the wind', the tower area, all of this brought her back memories…long, distant, memories. That's when she spotted the lights coming from the Pro-Bending Arena on the other side of Yue Bay, she stopped and looked at the arena. It shone bright gold from all the lights and the sounds of people laughing and satomobiles honking their horns in the distance. Korra's mouth had a big smile on it, "I haven't seen that silly smile of yours in quite the while." Mako said standing next to her with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, uh, just remembering stuff." Korra said.

"I still remember the first time I met you, when Bolin brought you to our side of the arena's locker rooms. I thought you were one of his fangirls." Mako said.

"Yeah, well, back then I might as well have been one." Korra responded, "I was so mesmerized with the arena, the people, the sport…everything."

"A tribe girl like yourself? I bet." Mako joked.

"Hey now, I'm a compound girl thank you very much." Korra laughed. "Hey…"

"Yeah?"

"What we had…is it gone?"

Mako stood silently looking at the arena, he still thought. He had tried to think about Korra after her vanishing following the battle on the ring and focused on his military life, but the thought always crept back into his mind every now and again. Wondering where she was, what had happened to her. And now, here she was, standing next to him, revived for all he knows and better than ever. "I don't know, years have passed and so many things have happened since then, I just don't know." He said pulling his right hand out of his pocket and rubbing the back of his head. "Would it work out? I don't even know if it could."

"Yeah…you're probably right." Korra said, Mako could feel the disappointment in Korra's voice. He sighed.

"Come on, room's this way."

They entered a long wooden hallway that had the women's dormitories in it, Mako led Korra to the last one. "Here it is. No one has been it for a long time, so I think your stuff's still in here."

"Yeah, I hope so, only brought one change of clothes." Korra said.

"Looking at you I don't know if your old tribe garb will fit you…now that you are a bit taller." Mako stated.

"Eh." Korra brushed it off and entered the room, Mako followed her in. She turned on the candle with some firebending.

"I thought you said that your bending was gone." Mako said.

"Some of it has been coming back to me, nothing too big, just the basics." Korra placed her bag on the bed, it had light blue sheets. She walked to the closet on the opposite side where her bed was and opened it up. Inside there were two of her old shirts, a pair of blue pants, three pair of tribe boots, and her parka. It all had been kept clean…she will need to thank Pema later. "Nothing like home sweet home."

"Anyway, I should probably be heading back to base and tell my squad what their orders are for tomorrow. It's been…good to see you again, Korra." Mako said turning to leave. Korra stopped him by grabbing his arm, Mako felt as if an industrial crane had taken a hold of his arm and squeezed it a bit. He turned around and ignored the want to rub his right forearm. "Yeah?"

She hugged him, Mako again felt like being squeezed by an Elite, but he hugged her back. "It's good to see you again." Korra said as her head rested on his left shoulder and tears began to form in her eyes.

"I've missed you too."

About 1 mile from Argent Moon

October 22nd [Earth Calendar]

A Pelican approached the believed to be lost ONI Argent Moon base, an asteroid field surrounded the immense station, so most UNSC recovering ships would be useless in navigating in a place like this. Piloting the pelican was Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John-117 (Blue One), and in the pelican hangar, was the rest of Blue Team: Lieutenant Junior Grade Frederic-104 (Blue Three), Petty Officer First Class Kelly-087 (Blue Two), and Petty Officer First Class Linda-058 (Blue Four).

John looked at the back of his helmet, running his thumb over the empty data chip slot, he got a signal from Infinity approving the mission parameters, and placed his helmet back on. While in the hangar bay, Blue Team prepared for insertion. "Got your stuff ready, Linda? A sniper rifle won't be too good in those tight corridors." Fred asked.

"Tight corridors are just half the station, Fred. Lots of open areas inside, and someone will need to cover your ugly mug." Linda replied loading her specialized sniper rifle, the Nornfang. Fred smirked.

"Hey if anyone needs close quarters protection, I got you covered." Kelly said putting her specialized shotgun, the Oathsworn, on her back.

"You think that John's okay? He's been rather quiet as of late." Fred asked, adjusting the smart-link of his DMR.

"Do you know John?" Linda asked.

"Yeah, I know, just he hasn't really been himself since what happened on the Halo." Fred added.

"He hasn't been the same since he and the girl blew up Didact's ship over Earth you mean." Kelly corrected him, "Cortana was killed there."

"He hasn't spoken much of her." Fred said. "All I know is that she was an AI made from Halsey's flash cloned brain."

"Same." Linda said.

"We can ask him after the mission's over." Kelly said as the Master Chief exited the cockpit and joined them. "John, we're ready."

"We'll be making vacuum insertion by this window." Master Chief showed them a holographic view of the area they are entering Argent Moon from. "Hangar bays are occupied with abandoned ships and full of heavy Covenant Storm troops."

"So, we're flying through a window?" Linda asked.

"Creative." Fred said.

"Once inside we'll be heading to the data center and find out what happened aboard. After that, we will go to the main reactor and set the station on a self-destruct countdown and evacuate within a Longsword fighter stationed here." Chief pointed to hangar 77, "The station's weapon systems will be enough to get the job done."

"Understood." Kelly acknowledged. Chief approached the pelican's hangar door and pressed the red button which turned green. Blue Team stood next to the Master Chief, prepared to follow him.

"Mission start." Chief said.