Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Hunter and Soldier. Enjoy the 1500-word chapter. I don't own Halo, Microsoft, and 343 do.

(2526, April 4th Marathon Class Heavy Cruiser Leviathan, 03:50)

Cal looked up at the ceiling as Gram tried to sleep. He knew very well that they'd probably be KIA by this mission. It bugged him a little, they were still trained to be willing to die for the UNSC.

"This could end the war, you know." Gram put in; his eyes still squeezed shut. "We capture him, everyone cheers… We get a parade and go home." Gram added, his fingers gripping the sheet tightly and running his thumb over the fabric.

"You don't expect us to," Cal responded to which Gram hummed. "We were trained for this, Gram. This mission could end the war if we get it done." Cal added as Gram slowly shook his head.

"We were trained to fight rebels, Cal." Gram said and slowly opened his eyes. "4 of us… One who's being pulled from Green Team. 4 of us against thousands of covenant soldiers aboard a carrier in the middle of a space battle. How exactly do you plan on fighting to the bridge and capturing this guy?" Gram asked as he crossed his arms.

He knew for a fact that something was going to go wrong. This mission would be horrible, it only took 1 mistake to screw up this assignment. Still? He would carry out his orders to the best of his abilities.

He turned to look at Cal. She tapped her fingers on her arms, a sign she was deep in thought. Cal pulled her legs to her chest as she turned to him, her deep amber eyes staring into his soul.

"You told me you'd have my back," Cal said, earning Gram's smirk.

"Till the end of the line." Gram stated and leaped from his bed. "I'm just not sure that we're going to win this. Nothing we've tried has slowed the Covenant down. We go in there? There's no way we aren't going to be shooting our way off that ship." Gram said as he sat on the other end of Cal's pod.

Cal was silent, she knew for a fact that Gram wasn't worried about the fight. He'd engage half the covenant himself if he had to.

No, he was worried about the other Spartans. Just like she was worried about the other soldiers who were serving the UNSC. She knew for a fact that the UNSC was taking risks that wouldn't be replaceable. If they got through this mission? The war might end, but she doubted it would simply end here.

Cal looked at Gram, the scrappy spartan was always eager for a fight, always eager to rush in… But she knew it was because he relied on her. Gram was used to having Cal shoot anyone who got the drop on him… While she was used to Gram covering her blind spots while she sniped.

"It's been a long road since Reach." Cal put in to which Gram nodded.

"You know even if I complain about how crappy our orders are?" Gram asked and looked at Cal. "I got your back just like every Spartan does. I know I usually run off and drag you into gunfights… But I'm not losing another Spartan. We're a team, teams don't let each other down." Gram said which got Cal to smile.

"I never asked this," Cal said, shifting her weight till she was sitting next to Gram. "Why did you used to do that shoulder grab thing? You know, the one you do whenever we're on an op and I ask for radio silence?" Cal questioned as Gram hummed.

"Because it's our sign." Gram said and turned to her, resting his head in his hand. "You did it to me when we got lost towards the LZ. It's trust and respect. Anyone else did that during training I'd have thrown them down the cliff. It lets me know you're alive and you got my back." Gram said which got a smile from the sniper.

"We're going to be fine; I got your back your back," Cal added as she leaned back into her pod. "Besides? Thousands of soldiers? A single Spartan is worth an entire battle group on the ground." Cal said as Gram hummed and moved towards his pod.

"What, we're going to crash the Rampage into the moon?" Gram joked and gained a smirk from Cal. "You know you're going to have to do the shooting, scouts aren't exactly the best shots." Gram stated, closing his eyes at the moment while he smiled once more.

Operation: SILENT STORM… Gram knew for a fact that if they got lucky? They'd end the war. The rest of the Covenant fleet would be focused on the rest of the Spartans. He doubted the commander would expect a direct attack on his flagship.

"You know we won't have any support aboard that ship." Gram said and crossed his arms. "We're going to be going solo like always, you have a plan?" Gram asked and raised his eyebrow.

"I'll come up with something when the mission starts," Cal added, closing her eyes. "We don't know troop strength, where we infiltrate, mission perimeters," Cal stated as Gram nodded.

Gram tried to get some sleep; this mission would be hard, not impossible. Gram trusted Cal and his teammates. Stanforth gave them a mission, they'd carry it out on their terms.

"You still bringing your sniper?" Gram questioned as he rubbed at his eyes and started to sleep down. "I have a feeling we're going to be bringing a lot of equipment. Do we get into a firefight? Stealth gear isn't going to help that much." Gram put in and dusted off his hands.

Cal only smirked. Gram had a point if they got into a firefight, something highly probable aboard a covenant carrier? Then they'd be shooting their way to the Prophet. The commander might have even tried to scuttle the ship if he had to. Cal would almost pay to see a covenant carrier scuttled because 4 measly Spartans boarded the vessel.

Gram's breathing slowed; his eyelids fluttered shut as the Spartan slowly drifted off to sleep. Cal slowly pushed her thoughts aside as the Spartan started to sleep as well.

However? There were still several questions gracing her mind. What was Operation: Silent Storm? What was so important that a prophet would be there? Cal guessed the operation was important if almost half the Spartans were needed.

"Gram…" Cal muttered as she hummed.

Gram would be protecting her on the mission. It wasn't a secret that Cal valued any soldiers under her command despite not being one of the 4 commanders among the Spartans. It also wasn't a secret that Gram tried to keep her alive by forcing her to rush ahead.

'You're a soldier, you have to remember one of us isn't the pack.' Cal remembered one of the talks she had with him.

'And you are forgetting that packs need everyone to live. I don't want anyone to die beside the enemy… But I'm not letting a Spartan die. We're the best soldiers in the UNSC, the best chance to win the war.' Gram had said back to her.

Cal finally drifted off to sleep. Her thoughts elsewhere and fading.

(UNSC Leviathan Bridge)

"Sir?" One of the soldiers asked Stanforth. "Transmission from Vice Admiral Cole." The soldier said before putting the transmission through.

"Admiral Stanforth?" Cole questioned as Stanforth walked over towards the bridge window. "I heard you're sending a group of Spartans after the Pious Rampage… When was that part of the plan we agreed on?" Cole asked as the Admiral responded.

"It's a chance to end the war early, Cole." Stanforth put forth as he crossed his arms. "The covenant fleet will be too distracted by the operation to notice a direct strike on their flagship. We'd be sweeping them off the board before they can react." Cole stated to which the other officer sighed.

Silent Storm was supposed to be them buying time to fight the war. Not a chance to end the war early. Still? Cole was never one to do things by the book.

"Just make sure they're ready, we don't want any issues…" Cole said and signed. "And don't act like they're invincible, Stanforth. We both know they're still human under that armor and training." Cole said before the transmission fell silent.

Stanforth said nothing. So much was at stake… But so much could be gained from this.

Author Notes

Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be 2500 words or such soon. The next chapter will be this week or soon hopefully and will show the beginning of the operation. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: I might be making stories soon at the moment and the chapters might be delayed and such currently.