Location: Midnight Veil, Approaching Earth
Date: October 3, 2552
Time: 06:45
The Midnight Veil slid silently through space, heading toward Earth. It was a quiet ride compared to the last few days—quiet enough for my mind to drift. The cold vacuum outside felt distant, yet the weight of everything that had happened pressed against me. Every fight, every moment of survival, and the faces I'd seen twisted by the Flood flashed through my thoughts.
It still felt surreal, this world I had been thrust into. Before, I was Daniel Smith—just another guy trying to get by. And now, I was the Master Chief. It wasn't a dream, though. This was real. Too real. I had learned to live with it, but I still found myself questioning—was I here to rewrite this world's fate? Or was I just another cog in its war machine?
"Chief, we're nearing the drop point. The Security Council's waiting for your debrief," Cortana's voice cut through the silence, snapping me back to the present.
I nodded slightly, though she couldn't see it. I knew the UNSC needed answers, and I was ready to give them. Halo, the Covenant, the Flood—all of it was a nightmare that the Council had to understand. This wasn't just about survival anymore; it was about saving as many lives as possible. Earth and humanity were hanging by a thread.
Beside me, Sergeant Major Johnson chuckled grimly, leaning back in his seat. "You ready for this, big guy? You know those brass in Bravo-6 are gonna want answers—and a lot of 'em."
I glanced at him, my helmet masking the tightness in my chest. "They'll get them," I replied, my voice even.
Johnson gave a nod of approval, grinning. "Good. It's about time someone got the truth straight."
Location: HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6, Sydney, Australia
Date: October 3, 2552
Time: 08:00
The heart of the UNSC was buried deep beneath the ruins of Sydney. Three kilometers of reinforced rock and steel protected the most critical military minds of humanity. Bravo-6, the nerve center of UNSC High Command, was a fortress. As Johnson and I stepped into the underground complex, I couldn't help but notice how distant it felt from the chaos of the battlefield. No plasma fire, no infected marines. Just cold metal walls and silence.
The MPs standing by the Security Council chamber doors eyed us as we approached. They had no idea what had happened out there. How could they? Even with all the reports, none of them had seen the horrors firsthand. But they would know soon enough. This meeting was about more than just protocol—it was a reckoning.
The doors slid open with a hiss, revealing a large crescent-shaped table where the most powerful figures of the UNSC were seated. At the center was Fleet Admiral Lord Hood. His eyes, sharp and weathered from decades of war, locked onto mine. To his sides were high-ranking officers—Major General Nicolas Strauss, Colonel James Ackerson of ONI, and others. Their faces were a mix of anticipation and concern.
"Master Chief. Sergeant Major Johnson." Hood's voice was firm, but not unkind. "Please, take your seats. We have much to discuss."
I sat down, feeling the weight of what I was about to say settle over me. I wasn't just reporting; I was pulling back the curtain on the true scope of the threat. I had faced it—lived it—and now, I had to make them understand.
"We've reviewed the initial reports from your mission on Installation 04," Hood continued, his eyes narrowing. "But we need a full account of what happened—specifically, what Halo is, and the threats you encountered."
I straightened slightly, my mind replaying the events. I had lived through every step of it, but even now, thinking about what Halo truly was made the situation feel heavier.
"Halo is not what the Covenant believed it to be," I began. The words came slowly at first, but then they flowed as naturally as if I were reliving the nightmare. "They saw it as a sacred ring, a weapon of divine power that would lead them to their Great Journey. But they didn't understand its true purpose."
Hood remained silent, his gaze unwavering. I continued.
"Halo is designed to wipe out all sentient life in the galaxy. The Forerunners built it to starve the Flood, not just to destroy them. If the Covenant had activated it, humanity, the Covenant, everything—it all would have been wiped out."
A wave of unease swept through the room. I could see it in the faces of the officers—this wasn't the war they thought they were fighting.
Lord Hood leaned forward, his voice lowering. "You're telling us Halo's purpose is galactic extinction?"
"Yes, sir," I said, my voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "And it wasn't just the Covenant we fought. The Flood, an ancient parasite, was released. They overwhelm and infect any life form they encounter. The Covenant released them, and they nearly took the ring. The Flood is… worse than the Covenant."
Colonel Ackerson scoffed, trying to keep his composure. "You're saying this parasite overwhelmed both human and Covenant forces? What proof do we have?"
Before I could respond, Johnson stepped in. "Proof?" he barked, leaning forward. "We fought 'em up close, Colonel. These things don't play by the rules. You see a friend, and five minutes later, they're trying to tear your face off. Covenant, Marines, it doesn't matter. The Flood takes everything."
Ackerson's face paled slightly, but he stayed silent. I could sense Cortana listening closely from within my helmet, waiting for her moment to speak.
"I can corroborate their accounts," she finally said, her voice echoing through the briefing room's speakers. "The Flood is unlike anything we've encountered. Their potential to spread is incalculable. If Halo had been activated, it wouldn't have just destroyed them—it would've destroyed everything. The Forerunners built it as a failsafe to stop the Flood, at the cost of all life."
The silence that followed was suffocating. These officers, some of the most powerful people in the galaxy, sat in stunned silence, realizing just how close humanity had come to total extinction.
Finally, Hood spoke, his voice grave but controlled. "We've underestimated the Covenant's goals. And the threat of the Flood… it's worse than we thought."
He exhaled heavily, the weight of leadership clear on his shoulders. "But you stopped Halo from firing?"
I nodded. "Yes, sir. We destroyed the ring by overloading the fusion reactors of the Pillar of Autumn. Halo is gone, but there are more rings. The Covenant are still searching for them."
"More rings?" General Strauss interjected, clearly alarmed.
Cortana's voice cut in. "The Forerunners built multiple installations. There are other Halos scattered across the galaxy, all capable of the same destruction."
Hood exchanged a grim look with the council members. "If the Covenant finds another Halo…"
"They'll try again," I said firmly. "That's why we need to find them first. And we need to contain the Flood."
The council seemed to absorb the gravity of the situation, their faces set in grim determination. Finally, Hood nodded. "Your actions saved the galaxy from certain destruction. But the war isn't over, and now we have a new enemy to contend with. Thank you, Master Chief. Sergeant Major."
He paused before adding, "Get some rest. You've earned it."
I stood, along with Johnson. As we left the chamber, the weight of everything hung over me like a shadow. My mission was far from over. I had been given a second chance in this world, and I knew one thing with absolute certainty: I would do everything in my power to stop the Flood, save Earth, and ensure that no more lives were lost.
I wasn't Daniel Smith anymore. I was the Master Chief, and I would not fail.