Halo Legacy

Chapter 1: NOBLE Team II

The pelican entered the atmosphere now. Reach already was in the process of growing, breaking through the glassy layer. There were entire fields of grass and weeds. Saplings sprouted. It was a miracle to xenobiologists and ONI reports. Reach shouldn't be habitable in such a short time, sixty years was early, one year was a miracle.

"I can't believe there's actually vegetation. The planet seems as if it's already starting over," Noble Four mentioned.

"Nikki," Noble Three inquired, "what's the thermals look like?"

"Thermals?" Nikki activated a scanner, paused for a moment while the scanner gathered data. "Reach appears to be very active."

"Glass planets have been rehabilitating themselves without human intervention. The activity isn't unusual," Noble Two, the most science literate of NOBLE Team, mentioned.

"I'm not sure...the scanner is really giving off erratic patterns," Noble Four countered, handing the scanner to Two. A quick glance from Two and the scanner was back in Nikki's hands.

"Yeah, it's like that. Before I was assigned to NOBLE I was stationed at Harvest. The planet tectonics were similar to the scanner readings."

"That seems very violent for a planet," Four replied.

"Are you a science officer or a communications expert?" Two inquired, annoyed by Four's intrusion in his domain.

"Lock it down," Jun said, pointing at Four and Two. The pelican passed a few mountains and flew over a valley were Alpha Base was established.

"Yeah, cool it," Five said. "The war's over."

"Yeah, the war may be over Cheese, but that doesn't mean that they're going to let us just sit around and do nothing," Three countered to Five.

Jun was silent as the pelican began to circle and descend around Alpha Base. It had been about a year since he'd last been at Reach, but then New Alexandria was in ruins, the covenant were at the backdoor hiding in the bushes, and his teammates were being killed. He sighed, knowing that it was going to be a difficult trip, but a necessary one.

The pelican occupants were quiet for one short moment, then Four reinstated conversation, as was a common habit of hers.

"Is Six asleep or something?" she inquired.

Five nudged the silent and still Six seated next to him. Six shoved Five back immediately.

"Yup, Six is awake. Just quiet, as usual."

The pelican landed and NOBLE Team exited out the back of the pelican.

"Sir!" a low-ranking soldier shouted.

"Who are you," One inquired.

"Private Jonnes, sir. Colonel Grant wants to see you right away."

"Lead the way, Private," One said, turning to his team. "This way NOBLE."

The arrival of NOBLE Team turned many heads. Many of the camp were scientists, military escorts, and managers. However, since the recent resolution of the Great War, ONI and the UNSC were still in charge of the scientific observations at the renewed planets due to the previously sensitive information that was stored in highly classified top-secret bases around Planet Reach.

One had a rare time to think. He took this precious time to consider his teammates.

Noble Two: Major Grade Two Nolan, SPARTAN, his intelligence officer, similar to Kat, previously Noble Two. However there were differences, despite obvious, discrepancies. Nolan specialized in scientific knowledge,  mainly foerunner science but basic planetary science such as the effects of glassing on UNSC planets. He also didn't cover radiowaves or communications of any type.

Noble Three: Warrant Officer Mark, SPARTAN, the quick-witted and quick-tempered member of the group. He was the assault and vehicle specialist, the best with anything that had a motor of any type, ranging from motorcycles to UNSC battlecruisers.

Noble Four: Captain "Nikki", SPARTAN, the talkative and one of two female members of NOBLE. She had a knack for communication and linguistics, from smoke signals to slipspace message launchers, anything related to communication was her domain.

Noble Five: Major Grade Three Greggory, SPARTAN, the team's cheese connoiseur that led to his current nickname "Cheese", the heavy weaponry and explosives specialist, similar to Jorge in many ways. Jun sometimes swore they were at least cousins. Cheese denies every knowing the man personally.

Noble Six: Lieutenent Addison, SPARTAN, the team's sniper and infiltrator. Six was the youngest, smallest, and newest member of NOBLE Team. Her infiltration skills haven't yet been put to use, hopefully that'll chnage soon.

Jun shook his head, halting all personal thoughts and followed the Private. It was time to get this over with.