I watched as the field of asteroids zoomed into sight as we exited warp speed. I had been awoken about an hour ago, in warp time, which is thousands of times quicker, so in real time, it would be a mere second ago. To keep the team young, we put them in cryo-stasis, which freezes them, A very special way to travel. As the attacks at Harvest had the UNSC at their fingertips, they sent my ship to take command of a planet that is unknown, but swarming with what the alien menace calls themselves ‘covenant’. I stopped the ship about one thousand miles away from the closest moon, which was another one thousand miles from the planet, I turned to the holoboard and said “Kaylor, awake the crew.” Immediately a robotic woman’s voice said “Aye, Captain.” I held my cup of tea close as officers of the bridge piled into their seats. Two guards walked in too. Ever since we had started peace between Earth and other Human civilizations on planets, insurrection had started, and the insurrection was even in the ranks of the UNSC. I turned to one of the guards and said “How is the crew fairing?” He nodded and said “Very well, we had to take a minute to get them all readied for anything, but we are in the game.” I nodded then said “This isn’t a game son, this is real life.” He smiled. I turned to the engine's manager, Rick, “Rick give us a burn, kill the two thousand miles to one thousand two hundred miles.” Rick nodded and said “Starting twenty second burn.” The ship started to moan as it moved forwards at the pace it was going. I nodded and said “Hailey, check the radars, I need eyes open, Covenant ships have been sighted going through this location.” Hailey shrugged and said “Everything here is clear, I am raising the radar’s sensitivity to maximum Not even a cloaked ship can make it past without us knowing.” I smiled and said “Good thinking.” I turned to Maxwell and said “If anything happens, call me back to the bridge, I am going to tell Brown team that they will be the first team on the ground, with a couple of Marines.” Maxwell nodded and said “We will keep the radios ready.” I walked towards the armory, Spartans and ODST always hung by the armory, I really had no clue why. I use to be a Spartan, before I was recruited to be a naval officer, Still I had my own A.I. and a Shipboard A.I. They really didn’t get along well. So I left my A.I. in my room. I made it to the armory. The door was open, signaling the Spartans were not getting dressed or something, it was far different in the Mark III programs than the Mark II, All the Mark II got was basic marine armor, and super strength and speed. You were nearly a meta-human, or a super human. I was a mere Mark II, the odds of me surviving were low, but I am still one of the smartest among the group. I walked into the room, Three of the four spartans were in the room. I looked at each of their service tags, then said “Where is 101?” Bailey, the sniper said “Doing her quick run.” Jenna was a Mark II like me, I use to be under the service tag of 100, I turned and said “I guess we will wait.” There was Bailey of course, who was a brilliant sniper, but I still had seen better snipers in my time. Jenna was the leader of Brown Team, she of course was the most experienced, saying there were few Spartan II’s left in the universe, lots died during augmentation, or during combat. Jenna was absolutely the best at using a pistol, she always carried two excess pistols, since those were what she could dominate in, I was a Battle Rifle kind of guy, Joel, the team medic was always doing some tech stuff. He carried around a battle rifle, yet he wasn’t too great with the weapon, He really didn’t shoot unless he was surrounded, then the stress improved his skill with the weapon. Merci was the person who carried a shotgun, She was good with knives and other close combat weapons, she bore a Hayabusa armor model, first of it’s kind, with a katana on the back, Made for her specially. I watched Jenna walk into the armory, already in her armor. She had mark II armor on or regular MJOLNIR armor. Joel had a security armor on. I stood from the chair I sat down at and said “Alright, We are about one thousand two hundred miles from the planet, and you are being sent down to view the sight, I have deployed two skilled marines to assist you, they are their to cover your escape if this goes bad, I will pull you out and prepare Sargeant Bernarde for the operation, she will be leading the whole ground expedition. Everyone nodded, Jenna then said “What about you? Your armor is still on the ship, Why not join us on the ground?” I smiled and said “Unfortunately I cannot leave the ship until we have a ground base, and I elect a second in command, and currently I don’t have one.” Protocol really didn’t allow me to get off the ship. An alert came in. My earpiece buzzed, I raised a finger and said “What is happening?” This was a little too quick to have actual contact with aliens.

    I raced to the bridge, The Spartans following me. We entered the bridge, Maxwell got out of my seat and said "we got two incoming Covenant Destroyers." I looked at the ships coming at a massive speed, A phoenix class ship couldn't go up against the two ships, it seemed impossible, when Kaylor said "Sir, I can mark weak spots for our long swords and Magnetic Accelerator Cannons to aim and fire at. I looked at Kaylor's 3D model. I could trust her calculations more than mine. I turned to Hailey and said "If anything gets off that ship, Tell the weapons manager, Jason." Hailey responded with "Will do." Jason turned to Kaylor and said "I need those markings now, They are about to be on us." Kaylor nodded and said "Of Course, Instantly the battle net screen lit to action and waypoints of targets appeared rapidly. I turned to Hailey to see her frantically checking her radar. I then said "Hailey, what is wrong?" Hailey turned and said "We have another cruiser inbound, It isn't covenant. I can't pickup the signal yet." I nodded and said "It is an ally ship signal. More than likely a Jericho class ship. Those ships have to keep the element of surprise." I then said "Just focus on the two ships about to be beside us attacking us." Hailey then shouted out "Boarding Vessels inbound." I looked at Jenna and said "Your team is now reassigned to protecting this vote. Do good." I saw her nod and shuffle off, I sat in my chair and pressed the comms. button, I announced the event "All combatants, This is Commander Zac Wolf, We are under attack by two hostile vessels, Boarding crafts are inbound, Prepare for battle." I powered off the comms and put my gun on the arm rest of my chair, I honestly only did that to know that I had a chance. I watched the area of where the other craft was inbound from. It zapped into view, followed by two small Serrie Vessels. They were at a quick pace, I noted that to Hailey and said "The Calvary has arrived." Right as soon as I made that comment, The ship shook to a hit. I turned to Jason and said "What is happening, Lieutenant?" Jason quickly responded with "We just took a hit towards the bottom deck, nothing important, just the cleaning cuboid," I nodded and said "Get this situation under control." Jason then responded with "I am trying."I felt another hit, it was lighter. Hailey then said "A Boarding craft has breached..." She paused to check where it was "A couple of hallways away from here." I looked to the guards and said "Lock the doors!" The guards turned and hit the panels to the bridge. I went to the comms and said "This is Commander Wolf speaking, We need help at the bridge, a boarding craft has breached close to here." I turned the comms off. The UNSC ships finally reached the battle, I then said "Jason, target only the ship furthest from the Jericho ship and it's allies." Jason nodded and said "Kaylor mark every weak spot." I could hear the roar of the heavy deck cannons, They barraged the destroyer, then I heard two MAC rounds fire, Two hit the same spot on the ship. I could see the damage, The ship was tearing it'self apart just trying to keep up with our slow pace. I then said "Good Shot Lieutenant." The lieutenant then said "It is all Kaylor, really." I smiled and said "Looks like the ship to our left is retreating. I then heard a bang on the door, then three plasma shots fire. the door burst open in a furry of blue plasma. Jason then yelled "Cover me!" He stayed in his seat. Everyone else pulled their sidearms off of their legs, I grabbed my pistol. I heard an energy sword hit one of the guards, the other took a needler shot. I checked my magazine to make sure I had enough. Being trained to know the Elite Shield's weakness, I rolled out of cover and shot two rounds into the head of one of the elites, then four more into the other. I then saw the honor guard. They were a whole different story. They had pure metal armor, made of the same material as the phantoms that they boarded with. He lit his energy sword, mumbling "Puny human." I Shot my clip into his shield, it fell but the metal protected him. I started to walk backwards, I then dodged a swift charge from the elite, I ran to one of the guards and grabbed his shotgun. I fired a shot into the honor guard. He didn't go down. I fired another shot into the beast. He felt that. I emptied two more buckshot's into his armor, killing him. I looked out the door, nothing. Not even the shimmer of a cloaked elite. I walked back into the room, There was an elite holding Jason by the neck, about to stab him with his energy sword. I pointed my shotgun about to fire I saw what was in the payload package Jason was trying to reach for. He finally kicked the launch button. A Nuclear shiv rammed into the hostile ship blowing the damned thing to hell. The Elite noticed this and stabbed his sword into Jason. I lifted my gun and I fired away. The Shells jumped through the smoke, into the metal floor, that elite blood and Human blood had soaked. The beast collapsed with Jason, his sword dying out in his hand. 

        I watched the naval officer from the near destroyed 'Slate' ship talking to the other two captains. They turned to me and said "So a Spartan achieved naval officer?" I nodded, The captains then said "We have to report back to base, We offer you our ammunition." I nodded then said "I thank you for the offer." The video feed cut out. I turned to Maxwell, he had taken a needle to the hand, I asked him "How is the crew?" He shook his head and said "Brown team reported healthy. They fought a whole hangar full of covenant." I looked at him and said "What is the bad news?" He then said "Sergeant Bernarde was killed by an elite in the battle." I sighed and said "Who do we have that can go into the battle knowing what they are doing?" He shrugged and said "You?" I shook my head, then said "Lieutenant Maxwell. I am personally promoting you to Captain." He smiled and said "You are heading down to the surface?" I shook my head and said "Well, We have been moved to Pegasis Delta." He turned and said "That is past the boarder of the empires!" I nodded and said "There will be no assistance in this battle." I turned and said into the comms "We are heading into light speed please get into your cryopod immediately!"