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Inside the modified Long Sword fighter Destiny's Blade, Alpha Squad and company fly back to the safety of base camp. Not all of Alpha Squad will make it back however. Noc the grunt science officer is busily trying to revive another grunt that lays lifeless on a blanket.

After a few more minutes, Noc places a blanket over the grunt and says, "Ront of Alpha squad, I pronounce you dead on arrival, may you rest in peace."

Not at all a good night for our heroes, in total three dead from what was supposed to be just a fun night on the town.



Back at base camp, all gather around, standing at attention, some holding back the tears, their faces sad, their gazes burning. Commander Thom addresses the group in an angry mood, "Sub-commander Zax there are no excuses. What do you think, grunts grow on trees? Everyone works extra duty tomorrow to make up for our loss of grunt power. Last rites for our fallen comrades will be at 08:00. Get some rest before then. That is all. Now get out of my sight. Dismissed!" Thom kicks over a few stacked crates on his way back to his room. He doesn't once look back at his crew, some of whom are still standing at attention.

Sub-commander Zax says, "You heard the commander, dismissed." Zax holds back his emotions, but his heart is heavy. Yes Zax has seen death before, many times, in battle, by plague, old age, you name it. It never really gets any easier, though. Sure you can make adjustments, close up and never feel again, but a loss is still a loss. As the acting commander of these men, he must bear the responsibility and take blame for the losses. Whether they bleed to death from stubbing their toe in the shower or die honorably in battle, it is still his responsibility for the loss. He screwed up tonight, no excuses; that's the bottom line.

Zax looks to the stars. Tomorrow is another day.

[Fade to black.]



------------------------------------------------



The Journey Begins



The next day the crew says goodbye to their fallen comrades. It is a short goodbye; everyone must get busy making the preparations for their journey.

John, Cortana, and Cat have just returned from a short reconnaissance mission to the Reach system. Cortana gives her report:

"We arrived at the Reach system and were almost immediately spotted by a Covenant fighter patrol. We managed to evade them and continue the recon; however next time I recommend that we stargate to a point further out from the system."

"We observed one Covenant cruiser and more than thirty support ships in the system. Communications revealed the cruiser to be the Divine Might, one of the new Proteus II class prototypes. The complete list of identified ships and specifications are in the full report. It appears as though the Covenant are making regular troop drops on Reach, based on this observation and communications also in the full report we have concluded the following."

1) The Covenant are taking Reach back from the flood.

2) The Covenant are securing the portal for more research.

3) The Covenant are using Reach as a training facility for troops.

4) The Covenant are stationed at Reach for an extended period of time.

Cortana finishes her report and asks if there are any questions.

Commander Thom says, "It doesn't look like we'll ever be able to get to the portal on Reach. Cortana, what recommendations have been made for a course of action?"

"Science Officer Noc has an idea, I'll let him explain it," she says as her holographic image turns towards Noc.

Noc replies, "Sirs, if you please direct your attention to the viewer, you will see that I've designed a suit that will fit over John's MJOLNIR armor." The suit looks like a strange looking Elite. Noc continues, "With this suit, the Spartan will be transformed into an Elite, well a short Elite. It has a built in translator and is resistant to scans. Only a close scan will reveal what is underneath the suit."

Command Thom looks intrigued, he asks, "Noc, what is this suit for?"

Noc says with a proud voice, "For infiltration sir. I have good reason to believe we can sneak to the portal. We have an old sensor probe, which really is a fancy transport pod with a bunch of scanning equipment. If we take out the equipment it will seat six. One of the support ships is the Ninner, an old transport. I think I can hack its security codes so that our transport pod appears to be from that ship."

Noc looks around; everyone still seems interested in his plan. Noc continues, "Covenstein the great scientist, a sort of idol of mine - well, sir, I believe I can impersonate him. He should be no where around here because his research is on the other side of the galaxy. However, the scientists at Reach can't do anything with the portal without a Flux key. We have a Flux key. I can pretend to be Covenstein on a secret mission from Covenant High Command. When we show them the Flux key, they will lead us right to the portal."

Thom interjects, "Noc, what makes you think anyone is going to believe you are this Covenstein?"

Noc replies, "Sir, Covenstein always travels with his research companion, a Nomdian. With the Lady with me, no one will question who I am and as a bonus, no one will really want to get close to us because they will be scared to death of the Lady. No offense my lady."

The Lady speaks, "None taken, after all I am a Nomdian of the highest class."

Noc continues, "Convenstein also travels with his body guard, a hunter. The Lady vouches for Gunter. So we have five."

Thom, "Five?"

Noc, "Yes five sir. Six won't fit in the transport pod with Gunter in there. So we have me, the Lady, Gunter, John, and one other. I was thinking that High Command would send two Elites as extra protection. The other one would be you sir."

Thom is silent. "Sub-commander, John, anyone have any thoughts about this plan?" he says a moment later.

Some discussion happens in the background. Sub-commander Zax looks around at the other officers. "Very risky, if you ask me sir. If it was any other group, I'd say no way, but considering the present company, I say we got a good shot at it succeeding." Zax says with a sly grin on is face as he looks at John almost as if daring him to do it. Not at all the kind of look that John likes; but then again, him and Zax never really seemed to get along.

John says, "Thom I don't know how good an Elite I'll make, but I'm willing to give it a try. The plan does seem well thought out and Cortana thinks it will work. Count me in."

Thom, "Anyone else?" No one speaks up. Thom continues, "Noc how long to build this Elite suit for John?"

Noc replies, "It's built and tested already sir. I thought we might need something like it so Cortana and I have been working on it all week."

Thom says with a smile, "So that's why you two have been spending so much time together." Behind Thom many of the officers snicker.

Noc looks a little embarrassed but manages to blurt out, "Sir, it was all in the line of duty."

Thom, "Alright, let's do it."



One day later the preparations are complete. Destiny's Blade and Seeker 157 travel to the outskirts of the Reach system. A journey by normal jump space would take hours, but it takes only a few minutes via stargate.

The transport pod is launched and the plan gets on the way. Hacking the security codes was an easy thing, so was reaching Reach in the mist of all the commotion. Not all goes well though; things start to heat up.

Noc in a panicked voice, "Sir, this transport pod design is not the best design for entry into an atmosphere. The heat shielding is sub-standard. Outer hull temperature is rising to red levels."

Gunter speaks, "Forget about the outer hull, we're burning up in here."

Thom, "What's wrong with the thrusters" Why aren't we slowing down?"

Cortana, "Commander, thrusters at 100% power, we are at acceptable entry speeds, there appears to be an outside influence causing the heat build up. I'm now picking up an incoming transmission from Reach."

The transmission is heard over the comm, "Pod 334-9873-339 cut your engines. I repeat this is Landing Base Omega, Pod 334-9873-339 cut your engines, you have 5 seconds to comply or you will be terminated."

Thom, "Cut the engines."

As soon as the engines are cut, the transport pod starts to cool down. Over the comm, "Everyday I get one of you dumb heads. Read your damn flight instructions, stupid. No supply pods enter on their own power. We bring you in under grappling beam. We scan you, identify you, and then we bring you the rest of the way in. If you breach protocol, we blow you to bits. Is it clear as mud now IDIOT?"

Noc turns off out going transmission then says, "Sir I don't know if John's Elite suit can pass through a detailed scan. I have a plan B sir. I have some other security codes, just might work."

Thom, "Do it Noc."

Noc say, "Cortana bring up the plan B security codes." Noc then turns on the out going transmission, "You're the idiot, check your identification readout, we're not a supply pod."

Over the comm, "But, sir, ah, just a moment." The comm goes silent for several seconds then, "This is shift commander Toa, sir your security codes check as valid but they are not in sync with our authorization codes. Please turn around and return when you have proper codes. I cannot allow you to land without proper authorization. I hope you understand I have no choice in the matter, I'm only following orders."

Noc says, "Check again shift commander." Noc smiles as Cortana gives him the thumbs up signal.

Over the comm, "Yes, proper authorization sir, we will bring you in."

Noc, "Counter that thought shift commander, I will fly in under my own power. My mission requires I have freedom of movement."

The comm, "Yes sir." The grappling beam is released and Cortana starts the pod's thrusters again.

Noc, "Oh, shift commander, look at my security codes again, now listen carefully. I was never here, you never talked to me, understand."

The comm, "Yes sir, I mean, yes nobody."

Noc, "And one more thing, I suggest you do a full diagnostic of your security systems, judging from the troubles I've seen, you've got faulty equipment."

Noc cuts the comm off and signals the all clear. Noc holds his stomach and says, "I'm feeling kind of queasy, I think I'm going to be sick."

"Good job Noc," says Thom as he hands Noc a bag just in case.

John, "Nice work Noc." John pats Noc on the back carefully so not to make him sicker.

Gunter, "Me don't understand why Noc not do plan B first?"

The Lady speaks, "Gunter, you can be like a child sometimes. If Noc did plan B first it would be plan A, it wouldn't be plan B anymore, thus he could not ever do plan B first, could he?"

Everyone else, "Huh?"

The Lady speaks, "That's Nomdian humor. It does surprise me how you can laugh for minutes about bodily functions, but anything remotely clever flies right over your heads. It's no wonder that most Nomdians consider you all nothing more than food. Which reminds me I'm getting hungry." The Lady then looks at Thom's head.

Everyone has nervous looks on their faces. Thom says, "Hey now my Lady, ha, ha, more Nomdian humor... I hope."

The Lady, "Yes it is Nomdian humor. You are learning."

Gunter, "Huh, Gunter still don't understand why plan B not first."

John, "Look Gunter, we have a saying back on Earth - Don't put all your eggs in one basket. If we did plan B first and if for some reason it failed. We would have no backup plan. Does that help?"

Cortana interjects, "Chief we are on approach to land near the portal chamber."

Everyone does a final check of the equipment. By the time they are done, their transport pod is landing.

Reach is still the desolated planet, just how they left it. The group gets out of the pod and heads over to the tunnel that connects the surface to the chamber where the Portal of the Old Ones resides.

A squad of grunts is guarding the tunnel; they have strange looks on their faces as they look at the party. Behind them further down the tunnel is a large hunter unloading some scanning equipment from a fancy vehicle. The grunt squad leader cautiously approaches the Lady and says, "My Grace, how did you get out here and who are these companions of yours?"

Noc speaks sub-vocally over the comm, "I've got a really bad feeling about this."



-- Next, Identity Crisis --

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