(Kurt Pov)
'Victory requires sacrifice'
Kurt thought while sitting down and attempting to read a book of old English literature. Not being able to focus on the story, with the turmoil his mind had been in because of the simple statement.
It has been a day since that kid said those words to me, but I just can't seem to stop thinking about them. I am no stranger to necessary sacrifices, however, hearing that from him and thinking about the cadets in Alpha company. It just puts a sinking feeling in my stomach.
Back during my training, the program started with 150 candidates and only half of that made it to augmentations. Just over half actually made it through those augmentations, and those were my friends and my family. Yet on I marched, I performed as one of the highest of the class and was viewed to be one of the leading class officers.
I was then recommended by Instructor Mendez to train the next generation of Spartans. Once selected the head of the project Colonel James Ackerson got me to work organizing the framework around the Spartan-III initiative. I got to work mapping it out, planning for perfect preparation for the Spartans of the future that were no longer meant to fight Insurrectionists, but instead an Alien force. An alliance of Aliens so great that humans as a race seemed doomed by just their decision to annihilate us. I was going to make the greatest fighting force the UNSC would ever have in the fight, surpassing even my training.
But then the budget came in. It was far less than what I had researched had been given to the Spartan-II program, but I thought so be it they may not have the armor but they will have the best training and augmentations. Then the training began and all was going well, and then I got the files for their augmentations. Turns out the Spartan-III's will have lesser augmentations. At this revelation, I was angry because I felt as though he was not equipping my men properly
So I confronted him about it and asked him to do something about the lack of needed tools/additions. The absence of Mjolnir itself was a big setback; Halsey herself called it "A Spartan's greatest weapon". Then there are the augmentations…they aren't bad, but they aren't as good as mine. When I talked to Ackerson he shrugged my concerns off nonchalantly saying "Just work with what you are given." As if none of what I said was of any concern, and the fact he didn't look surprised by what I said…meant that he had expected as much.
When I joined the program I was told that I would be molding the super soldiers of the future, but as these years have gone by I realize that is not the case. I kept telling myself to just do my best, and that somehow everything will all work out. That one day after this war is over and these kids that I have trained will bump into me on the street in the future, and greet me, maybe thanking me for the hell I put them through talking about how many times that training saved their lives. After that, we may sit down, have a drink, swap some stories about the war and smile looking back on what we had accomplished.
With that…dream in mind I continued about my business preparing them for the future as best I could. And yet all this time I can't help but have this sinking feeling of fearing for their future. Reading reports of the horrors of the Covenant, they may be tough but they can't withstand plasma even in the SPI armor. The unending hoards of foot soldiers, even some of my classmates have fallen not many but a couple. Even with all the evidence proclaiming the future of my kids I kept going ignoring the red flags around me.
Looking back I am reminded of something Mendez said to me after I brushed off my concerns about the training.
'It takes a strong man to deny what's right in front of him...And if the truth is undeniable. He creates his own.'
Today hearing Sam ask me about purpose and what Alpha Company's is made all of those alarms much more apparent. I couldn't keep lying to myself about the truth of the matter, and that truth being that these men and women I am training are nothing more than sacrifices. They were never meant to be able to take the place of Spartan-II's…at least not in the way I thought they would.
But the words that he said were not what hurt the most. No, what shook me the most was the look on his face when he said them. He held a simple, sad, but accepting smile on his face knowing what would be required of him and his teammates, but not complaining about it or asking for someone else to take his place. Then he just walked away as though what had been said didn't affect him.
That smile I keep thinking about. He had the same smile of an innocent man awaiting his execution knowing he did nothing to deserve as such. But I guess that's fitting for what his role will be in this war. Even if he is special by everyone's standards. I am willing to bet that because he is special he will have it worse out of everyone participating.
With those thoughts in my head, I decide to go out and do some training of my own. Hopefully exercising will clear my head and allow me to forget these thoughts for the time being. I am not running away from the truth, or maybe I am but that doesn't matter. Right now my only goal is to do my best to prepare these cadets for the future and that is exactly what I intend to do.
Little did Kurt know that the smile that was trapped in his thoughts along with the smiles of every Spartan-III he will ever train. Will be memories that haunt him for the rest of his days.
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(Time-skip of about 8-9 months)
(3rd Pov)
October 21, 2536
'Today is the day' he thought, slowly dragging myself out of bed.
Once out of bed, he did a couple of stretches and made his way to his bathroom near his bedroom. He walked in, used the bathroom, put on deodorant, and brushed his teeth. While brushing his teeth he began to examine his looks in the mirror behind the sink.
In the mirror, there was what appeared to be a Caucasian boy between 8-10 with brown hair and steel grey eyes. Parts of his body were tanned due to being exposed to the sun for extended periods. While other portions were noticeably whiter due to lack of exposure. One of the most striking features of the boy was the physical fitness exuded from his body along with a small number of scars, likely from mistakes in training. His eyes still held the same sharp gaze he developed in his past life. Though it had dulled a bit after his reincarnation, it now was slowly being restored.
"Man, I kinda look like a young Bruce Wayne. I also look a couple of years older than I am," he mumbled commenting on his physical aspects.
He then snorted "Guess whatever they have been putting in my Kool-Aid has been working."
With those words said Samson Reese made his way back to his room to get dressed. Not in the usual training uniform, but instead a dress uniform that is usually worn during important ceremonies. He sat out a white undershirt, along with both dark grey pants and an overshirt as well as long dress socks and black dress shoes.
(Author's note: Damn I said dress a lot. Just picture the uniform Miranda Keyes wears throughout Halo 2 the Grey one specifically just with obvious differences.)
On his uniform were two patches one on each shoulder. One was the insignia of a hand holding 3 arrows. While the other patch depicted a skull with a grey beret with a black background. There was a banner both above the skull with the letters 'UNSC: ONI' in gold bolded letters. The banner beneath the skull was cut off into 3 portions one to the left and right of the skull with a third at the bottom of the patch. The left depicted the word "Head", the right "Hunter", and the final portion "Freelancer" all of which in similar gold letters.
(Picture of Fistful of Arrows insignia)
(Picture of the other patch)
The first patch showing a fistful of arrows was a sign of a great accomplishment. That accomplishment was known as one of the best marksmen during testing. Though Sam had only been able to shoot for the past 3 months due to needing to gain the required muscle he quickly showed the ability to outshoot most senior marines. However, he still had a bit of trouble lugging around the weapons and equipment the tests mostly focused on accuracy, and though he wasn't nearly as good as the augmented super soldiers. His shooting skill was no joke. Therefore after deliberation Kurt along with the other instructors went ahead and awarded the patch figuring it only to be a matter of time before he outshot everyone in the company. Kurt even felt the style of shooting similar to a colleague Linda S-058 from the few times he had seen her sniping.
The other patch was also something given to Sam ahead of time, but this patch signified more of a…reservation for the Head Hunter program. The Head Hunter initiative proposed by ONI High Command was to be a program that focused on covert operations. The program was to be made up of Spartans specializing in demolition and assassination. For the most part, their operations consisted of destroying and killing anything of importance to the Covenant, except for a couple of times doing the same to Insurrectionist cells. Headhunter operation sizes were usually in 2-man teams with some having up to 6 2-man teams. These 2 man teams were identified as "Gemini" or the more common term "Binary" teams, while there were a few Spartans that worked alone, usually due to personality conflicts, as a "Lonewolf" dubbed by ONI. However, there was a 3rd classification for Spartans that were able to work in both teams and were given the name "Freelancers". Most said Spartans had large portions of their military record blacked out with ink due to classified and sensitive materials.
…
After preparing the ceremony Naomi and Sam headed out the door chatting along the way. Until they finally arrived at their destination and took a seat on an elevated platform.
Looking down from said platform one could see a couple of hundred tall humans wearing heavy metal armor standing up straight as a board, looking straight forward at what seemed to be a stage with a microphone stand.
Eventually, a tall man in the standard UNSC dress uniform made his way onto the stage and began delivering a speech to the soldiers he had trained for almost a decade. He had seen them grow and shaped them into weapons in hopes of both keeping them and humanity alive from the threat in the galaxy.
His speech didn't take up too much of their time. As the speech began coming to an end his words turned from the upright formal military standard style. To a caring and gentle tone of a father worried for his children.
"Before I finish my speech and you all get underway on your voyage. I would like to say a couple of things not as an instructor but as someone who has watched over you since the day you stepped foot on this planet." Kurt said, swallowing back saliva and finding the right words to say.
"...I am proud of all of you. You have all withstood hell and suffering in order to protect humanity. You have all accomplished something that only a fraction of a fraction of people will ever even hope to accomplish. Be well and survive this war, so that I can possibly hear each and every one of your stories." He said before he again paused.
He concluded by saying "May you all be victorious in combat, and may god be with you. That is all." before walking off the stage.
But before he could fully leave the crowd of Spartans responded to their instructor one last time.
With what sounded like the roar of a thousand lions "Thank you Instructor Kurt." the Spartans said while all giving him a fitting salute.
…
Before the Spartans boarded the UNSC cruiser Sam made his way down to bid his temporary teammates goodbye. Looking around the crowd of heavily armored super soldiers, Sam's eyes eventually fell on a familiar light blue set of armor.
Walking up to Carter, the current leader of Fireteam Alpha donning blue SPI armor along with his teammates. Jack wearing a greenish grey set of armor with a blue visor, Jill with a similar shade of coloring ironically but a yellow visor, and Anna wearing a completely black set of armor with a blue visor.
(Carter's SPI armor)
(Jack's SPI armor)
(Anna's SPI armor)
(Jill's SPI armor)
He approached getting the team's attention before saying "Well looks like this is the end of my attachment to fireteam Alpha." he said with a bit of sadness in his voice.
"It would seem so. Good luck Sam, I will miss you." Jill was the first to respond with.
"Ahh don't worry we will miss you," Jack said putting Sam in a bit of a headlock and giving him a small noogie.
"Just take care of yourself, Sam. I hope to one-day swap stories with you just like Kurt said." Anna said with a small smile after taking off her helmet.
"Good luck Sam, I hope to fight with you again in the future," Carter said with firm eyes but a happy smile on his lips.
"Pfft, I would love to as well so make sure you leave a couple for me to handle," Sam said quickly.
The group laughed and chatted a bit longer before it was time to go. Eventually, all of the Spartans boarded the cruiser and were on their way to whatever future god may hold for them.
"Good luck everyone, I hope to see you again," Sam said to no one while waving to the leaving ship.
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Sooooooo that's the chapter.
Surprised I uploaded twice in a row? Well it won't be often but I really wanted to get this one out.
All images were taken from pinterest. So don't sue me I can't draw for shit and I can only slightly write.
By the way doing research into the fall of reach and especially the last battle is MEGA depressing trust me.
The song of the day is "A reason to Fight" by Disturbed
Anyway have a good day drop any questions and I will See You Star Side.