Halo: Front Lines [BOOK ONE]

Chapter Three - Goodbyes

UNSC Military Headquarters Colony: Reach,
Epsilon Eridani System,
2215 Hours, November 1st, 2525 (Military Calendar)

New Alexandria, the capital of Reach, glittered in the distance. Even from Gray's vantage point high upon one of the hundreds of mountains, the sprawling metropolis still dominated the landscape. He stared out his windshield as a light rain tapped rapidly, lost in thought. After recieving such ominous news from Brown about the destruction of Harvest, Gray found himself caught in one hell of a bind.

"Do I tell her...? Does she need to carry the burden I've chosen for myself?" Gray internally debated. He couldn't take his eyes off of Jessica, the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

She glanced up from her data pad and, noticing his stare, jokingly remarked: "You must really like what you see." Then, after a moments pause added: "I'd hope so, because we've been together for seven-" Gray leaned in and gave her a long, loving kiss.

"I love you so much. No matter how many stars I fight over, none will ever shine as bright as the twinkle in your eyes..." Gray said. His warm smile was betrayed by his internal strife.

"How could someone destroy an entire colony?" His consciousness internally demanded. He put his truck in park and continued to stare at the highrises of New Alexandria.

"The Innies don't have that kind of firepower." Gray sighed, running a hand across his newly shaven face.

"Did you say something Joey?" Jessica asked. They'd come to their childhood "spot", which was nothing more than a relatively flat plateau within a nearby mountain range that lay just off the beaten path. The sun always set so beautifully behind the city. It wasn't anything special, but it was theirs. Nobody knew about it except for Jessica, Gray, and their childhood friends.

"I said this city never looks any less beautiful no matter how many times we come up here..." Gray lied. He let his voice trail off before adding: "Just like you." Jessica smiled and leaned in for another kiss. Even though his lips were locked with his lover, Gray felt lightyears away. He wanted so badly to tell Jessica what he'd heard, but how?

"No..." He argued internally. "This is the same as before. Joining the Corps, feeling the call to serve, that's on me. She doesn't deserve to be burdened with what I've seen." Then a darker thought materialized, saying: "She doesn't deserve to be traumatized by what I've done..."

"Joseph..." Jessica said softly as she broke away from their kiss. "The way you looked at me when you were talking to your commander ...you looked horrified, and you haven't been acting right ever since. Are you okay?"

"I'm..." Gray wanted to tell her that he was horrified, that he was scared, but all that came out was: "Honestly, I don't know..."

Deep down something in his gut told him that Insurrectionists couldn't wipe out an entire colony. Why would they even want to? Yes, Harvest had openly sided with the United Earth Government, and yes, the Innies used dirty tactics against the UNSC, but to murder the hundreds of thousands of colonists that lived there? It was unfathomable.

"Hey, it's okay." Jessica said lovingly. "Whatever you're up against in the field, I have your back. I know that you're sacrificing so much so that we can all live freely." Gray smiled, but it wasn't the smile she was used to. It was dawning on Jessica that the more fighting he saw, the more he'd been becoming someone else.

"Is it him maturing? Is it me? In my heart I know he's my forever..." She thought, then said aloud: "I love you because you're you, no matter what you've done."

"You're the colonie's most beautiful girl, and I don't think I'll ever understand why you picked me, but you make me so happy." Gray said. He tried to keep his eyes from getting watery, but she noticed.