Location: UNSC Reach, Epsilon Eridanus System
Date: April 2, 2531
Time: 1100 Hours
The Never Forget settled into dock at Reach, the soft hum of the ship's systems winding down as we finally touched down on one of the many repair platforms orbiting the planet. Outside the narrow viewport, I could see the sprawling orbital shipyard—hundreds of vessels in various states of repair, each one a reminder of the scale of the war we were fighting. From frigates like ours to massive carriers, all were lined up, undergoing maintenance to prepare for the next engagement.
As the docking clamps locked in place and the ship's engines powered down, there was a tangible shift in the atmosphere. We were back. Safe, for now. But it didn't feel like it would last long.
"Looks like we made it in one piece," Ramirez muttered, leaning back against the bulkhead with a sigh of relief. "Can't say I'll miss Arcadia."
Slink shot him a glance, one eyebrow raised. "Miss it? Hell, I'm just glad we're not still getting shot at. Reach looks like paradise compared to that mess."
The ship's crew was already moving about, preparing for the next phase of their duties—repairing, rearming, and resupplying. The sounds of docking operations filled the bay as Beta Four gathered their gear, preparing to disembark.
"We've got a briefing with 2nd Platoon," Allen said, pulling on his helmet as we grabbed our kits. "Linking back up with command while they get the ship back in order."
Doc nodded, standing and slinging her medkit over her shoulder. "Good. Maybe they'll give us some actual downtime this time."
"Doubt it," Slink muttered, checking her MA5C as we stepped into formation. "You know how they are. We're back on Reach, but that doesn't mean we're off the hook."
Location: UNSC Reach, Planet Surface, Beta Company HQ
Date: April 2, 2531
Time: 1200 Hours
The surface of Reach was a welcome sight after the tight confines of the ship and the chaos of Arcadia. The sprawling military base at New Alexandria was as busy as ever, troops coming and going, vehicles rolling in for repairs, and the steady hum of Pelicans flying overhead. The war never really stopped, even here.
Beta Company's HQ was a low, hardened building near the center of the base. It wasn't fancy, but it got the job done. As we approached, I could feel the tension in the air. We were back with 2nd Platoon now, and it was time to face our leadership.
The Commander of 2nd Platoon, Lieutenant Evan Cole, was already waiting for us. He stood at the edge of the briefing room, arms crossed, a sharp smile on his face. Cole was known throughout Beta Company for his charisma—a natural leader with a fanatical devotion to the UNSC and its mission. He was the kind of officer who could rally troops with a speech, the kind of leader who made you believe in the cause, no matter how dire things looked.
"Beta Four," he said as we entered, his voice booming with energy. "Good to see you all back in one piece."
Allen saluted, and the rest of us followed suit. "Sir."
Cole smiled, stepping forward and giving each of us a firm handshake. "Hell of a job on Arcadia. I read the reports. You did exactly what was expected of you. The Governor and his family are safe because of your actions."
There was something magnetic about the way Cole spoke—like he believed every word with absolute conviction. And when he looked at you, it was like you were the most important soldier in the UNSC at that moment.
"Thank you, sir," Allen replied, his voice steady but respectful. "The team worked well together."
Cole gave a nod, his sharp gaze sweeping over all of us. "I knew you would. Beta Four's one of my best squads. Don't think for a second that goes unnoticed." He paused, his eyes settling on me for a moment. "Casper, isn't it?"
I blinked, a little surprised that he knew my name. "Yes, sir."
He smiled again, a knowing look in his eyes. "First combat op. From what I've heard, you handled yourself well. Keep it up. The UNSC needs more soldiers like you."
The praise felt… strange. Not because I didn't appreciate it, but because it was coming from someone like Cole. He had that rare ability to make you feel like you were part of something bigger, something important. It was both empowering and a little overwhelming.
"Thank you, sir," I managed, feeling a slight warmth in my chest.
The moment was quickly interrupted by the arrival of another figure—Sergeant Major Kyle Rawlins, the Platoon Sergeant. If Cole was all charisma and leadership, Rawlins was the opposite. He had a reputation for being hard, critical, and always looking for the smallest flaw to exploit. His face was a permanent scowl, and he wasn't the kind of guy who gave praise lightly.
He strode into the room, his eyes already narrowing at us, as if we'd done something wrong just by being there.
"Well, well, if it isn't Beta Four," Rawlins said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I've read the after-action reports. Seems like you did your jobs, but let's not get too comfortable."
Allen stiffened slightly, his face neutral. "Sir."
Rawlins stepped forward, eyeing each of us with thinly veiled disdain. "You may have pulled the Governor and his family out, but I saw plenty of room for improvement in that op. Ramirez, you were slow on the second breach. Slink, your timing on the explosives wasn't as tight as it should've been. And Casper," he said, turning to me with a glare, "you hesitated too much. I expect better."
I felt a knot tighten in my stomach, my jaw clenching slightly. Hesitated? I'd saved Slink's life back there. But I kept my mouth shut, knowing better than to argue with the Platoon Sergeant.
Cole stepped in, his voice smooth and calming. "Sergeant Major, let's not tear them down too much. They completed the mission. Governor Vargus and his family are alive because of this team."
Rawlins grunted, not looking convinced. "Sure. But they can do better. Next time, I want to see tighter execution. No room for hesitation, no room for mistakes. We're ODSTs. We're the best, and I expect nothing less."
He turned and walked out, leaving a cloud of tension in his wake. The room was quiet for a moment, everyone processing the mixed messages—Cole's praise and Rawlins' harsh criticism.
Allen let out a breath, his eyes shifting to us. "Don't let him get to you. He's always been like that."
Ramirez rolled his eyes. "Yeah, no kidding. That guy could find a flaw in a perfect op."
Doc shrugged. "He's just looking for an excuse to remind us that we're not invincible."
Slink smirked, crossing her arms. "Doesn't mean he's wrong. We could tighten up a few things."
I stayed quiet, still feeling the sting of Rawlins' comment. Hesitated. I replayed the mission in my mind, wondering if there was something I could've done differently. But before I could dwell on it too much, Cole spoke up again.
"Don't let Rawlins drag you down. You all did well, and you're going to get better. Every mission is a chance to improve. And trust me," he said, looking each of us in the eye, "you're part of something bigger here. The UNSC needs soldiers like you—soldiers who can handle anything."
His words had a way of cutting through the tension, and I could see the rest of the team relax a little. Cole had that effect. No matter how critical Rawlins was, Cole could always remind us why we did this in the first place.
"You're dismissed," Allen said, nodding to us. "Take the rest of the day. We've got more training tomorrow, so don't get too comfortable."
Location: UNSC Reach, Beta Four Barracks
Date: April 2, 2531
Time: 1300 Hours
Back in our barracks, the mood was lighter. We all knew Rawlins' style, and while his words stung a bit, we didn't let them weigh us down too much.
Ramirez flopped onto his bunk, stretching out with a groan. "Man, Rawlins always knows how to suck the fun out of a mission debrief. Dude's got a gift."
Slink was leaning against the doorframe, a slight grin on her face. "Can't say I'm surprised. He's been riding our asses since Harvest."
Location: UNSC Reach, Beta Four Barracks
Date: April 2, 2531
Time: 1305 Hours
I sat on my bunk, thinking about everything that had been said—by both Cole and Rawlins. The contrast between them was stark, and I could feel the weight of Rawlins' criticism hanging over me, even though Cole's words had been meant to lift us up.
Ramirez sighed, staring up at the ceiling from his bunk. "Rawlins' been like that ever since I joined Beta. The guy's got a permanent chip on his shoulder. But damn if he doesn't know how to make you feel like crap."
Slink shrugged, leaning against the doorframe with a knowing smirk. "You know the drill. He's hard on us because he knows what's out there. Doesn't want us getting too comfortable." She glanced at me, catching my eye for a moment. "Still, sometimes I think he just enjoys it a little too much."
Doc was polishing her medkit, looking thoughtful. "It's not like his criticism doesn't have merit. He's not wrong about us tightening things up. But damn, could he deliver it without the attitude?"
I nodded, though I was still chewing on the word hesitation that Rawlins had thrown at me. It stung more than I wanted to admit. I had reacted fast enough to save Slink, hadn't I? But now that seed of doubt was there, making me second-guess every move I'd made on Arcadia.
Allen walked into the barracks, pulling off his helmet as he sat down at the small desk at the end of the room. "I know what you're all thinking. Rawlins' method isn't for everyone, but he's been in the game a long time. Knows the cost of mistakes. We've all lost people because of hesitation or sloppy execution." His eyes met mine briefly, and I could feel the weight of his words. "But we're still here. We're still getting the job done."
Ramirez raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well, he sure as hell doesn't make it easy to feel like we did a good job."
Allen let out a low chuckle. "Rawlins doesn't do 'good job.' He does 'you should have done better.' But don't let it sink in too deep. You all pulled through when it mattered. That's what counts."
Slink glanced at me again, this time more directly. "Casper, don't let Rawlins' words get in your head. You did fine. Hell, you saved me from that sniper, remember?"
I nodded, appreciating the validation, but I still couldn't quite shake the feeling that maybe Rawlins had a point. Maybe I could have acted faster.
Location: UNSC Reach, Mess Hall
Date: April 2, 2531
Time: 1345 Hours
A little while later, we found ourselves in the mess hall, grabbing what passed for food on a military base. The mood was lighter here, the tension from the debrief fading as we focused more on the downtime and less on the criticism we'd received.
Ramirez was still cracking jokes, trying to get a rise out of Slink, who was doing her best to ignore him. Doc was flipping through a datapad, probably reading up on the latest medical reports. Meanwhile, I was just glad for the break. The hustle of the base was steady, but after the intensity of the past few weeks, even the chaos of Reach felt like a breather.
"I'll say one thing," Ramirez muttered between bites of his food, "I'm glad to be eating real food again. MREs get old fast."
Slink rolled her eyes. "You always think with your stomach."
He grinned. "Damn right I do. You think I carry around this SPNKR for fun? That thing burns calories."
Allen wasn't with us—he was off meeting with some of the other officers—but I could feel his presence still lingering in the back of my mind. He had a way of making things seem simpler, like all the criticism and stress of the job could be worked through with the right mindset. That's why the squad respected him so much—he didn't just lead us, he kept us grounded.
Location: UNSC Reach, Beta Four Barracks
Date: April 2, 2531
Time: 1700 Hours
Back in the barracks, we spent the rest of the day doing maintenance on our gear. There wasn't much else to do while the Never Forget was being rearmed and resupplied. The quiet was welcome, and I found myself lost in the repetitive motions of cleaning my M392, disassembling and reassembling it with mechanical precision.
I kept thinking back to that word—hesitation. It stuck with me like a thorn, even though I knew I'd done my job. But maybe that was just part of this whole ODST thing—learning to live with the doubt, learning to get better with every mission, every engagement.
After a while, Allen walked back in. He didn't say anything at first, just moved to his bunk and started cleaning his own gear, the quiet routine familiar and calming. Eventually, though, he spoke up, his voice low but directed at me.
"You've been quiet today, Casper."
I looked up from my rifle, unsure how to answer. "Just… thinking."
Allen nodded, not pressing further. He could always tell when something was eating at one of us, but he was good at letting us come to our own conclusions. He finished cleaning his MA5C before speaking again. "Rawlins got under your skin, didn't he?"
I shrugged, trying to act casual. "Maybe a little. I just keep thinking about what he said. The hesitation thing."
He set his rifle down and leaned back on his bunk, his eyes watching me carefully. "Rawlins is a hard man, but he's not wrong about one thing—we're not perfect. There's always something we can improve on. But you did good out there. You didn't freeze, and you saved Slink. That's not hesitation, that's doing your job."
I nodded, but I wasn't convinced. "Still… maybe I could've been faster."
Allen sighed, sitting up and fixing me with a steady gaze. "Look, every soldier has doubts after their first real combat. Hell, I had them. You think you'll be ready for anything, and then the real thing happens, and it never goes how you expect. But you know what? The only thing that matters is that you did your job. And you did it well."
He stood up, crossing the room to stand by my bunk. "You'll get faster, you'll get better. We all will. But don't let Rawlins' words make you second-guess everything you did right."
I looked up at him, his words sinking in. "Thanks, Staff Sergeant."
He gave a small nod. "We're all still learning, Casper. Doesn't matter how many missions you've been on, you never stop learning."
As the day wound down and the barracks lights dimmed, I found myself feeling lighter. The doubts weren't gone completely, but Allen's words had helped. I wasn't perfect, but I was getting better. And that's what mattered.
In the quiet of the barracks, I could hear Ramirez snoring softly, Slink tapping away on a datapad, and Doc murmuring quietly to herself as she organized her gear. It was the sound of normalcy, the sound of a team that had been through hell and come out stronger on the other side.
We had a long road ahead of us, and the war wasn't anywhere near over. But for now, we were together. And that was enough.