Spartan Operations Division (Spartan Program).
Inside, it was utterly quiet. Apart from the footsteps of technical staff and the hum of electronic equipment, there was no other sound.
The room was airtight and spotless, faintly permeated by the lingering scent of disinfectant. Dim ultraviolet lamps and a silver-gray palette defined the tone of this operations chamber.
By the faint glow of the screens, scattered folders could be seen on the desks. Glass display cases were embedded into the walls, within which were neatly arranged the series of Mjolnir powered exoskeleton systems developed and equipped for the Spartans.
From Mjolnir MK-I to Mjolnir MK-II, and then to the latest model currently issued to the Spartans—reverse-engineered from captured Covenant weapons and equipment (since much of Covenant technology was inherited from the Forerunners, the process had gone more smoothly than expected)—the Mjolnir MK-V equipped with a passive energy shield system.
Each had a finished prototype on display.
Among them, the United Nations Space Command Naval Intelligence Office (O.N.I.) had already developed three generations of exoskeleton systems—Mjolnir MK-I through MK-III—before Dr. Halsey took over. However, each had significant technical flaws and limited battlefield value.
It was not until 2525, when the war between humanity and the Covenant erupted, that Dr. Halsey assumed control and carried out revolutionary improvements to the Mjolnir armor. She not only resolved the power issues but also further enhanced the wearer's physical capabilities.
Thus, starting from the MK-IV, it was considered the first true generation of the Mjolnir exoskeleton system (GEN1).
Beside the main control platform of the operations room stood a figure leaning against it. From the faint outline cast beneath the light, it was only possible to tell that she was a woman. Her age and other features remained indistinct.
Her hands were braced against the console behind her, head lowered, seemingly deep in thought.
Several technicians in white lab coats surrounded the central control platform, closely monitoring even the slightest fluctuation in the holographic data displays.
Suddenly, red warning lights began flashing across the central screen. One of the technicians stepped forward to the woman lost in thought.
"Dr. Halsey, I believe the Master Chief and Silver Team have encountered trouble."
"The Master Chief?" Dr. Halsey raised her head.
A Caucasian woman, blonde hair, blue eyes, large eyes, a straight nose, and full lips—distinctly Germanic features.
"John. What happened to him and Silver Team?"
"The Master Chief and Silver Team's mission report has already been uploaded to the United Nations Space Command. You should see the details yourself, Doctor."
Beep, beep—
With both hands resting on the holographic control platform, Halsey swiped her fingers across it.
"Open Spartan mission log. Madrigal. Master Chief 117. Establish communications link. Connect combat recorder."
"Access granted, Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey."
Soon, the central screen flickered and shifted. The Master Chief's deep, resonant voice came through the communications device.
"Command, this is Silver Team reporting: Covenant forces on Madrigal have been eliminated. No Unggoy or Kig-Yar detected. One hundred forty-six Elite warriors neutralized, six captured. One hundred forty-two civilian resistance members killed. Nine survivors."
"A small Covenant detachment composed purely of one hundred fifty Elite warriors? And prisoners... John, are you alright? Did Silver Team sustain any—" Halsey asked anxiously.
In the past, the Master Chief had never left Covenant forces alive. Why the sudden change?
It was clear that Dr. Halsey cared deeply about the Spartans—especially the Spartan-IIs, and above all, John-117.
"Wait. No Unggoy. No Kig-Yar..." Halsey abruptly sensed something wrong.
On the front lines of the war between humanity and the Covenant, a single Elite warrior typically required ten—or even more—UNSC Marines to take down. And Elites were almost always accompanied by large numbers of Unggoy, Kig-Yar, and other Covenant forces.
"The Covenant must be searching for something," she murmured with certainty.
For an entire detachment of over a hundred Elite warriors to appear on a barren resource planet like Madrigal—there was definitely something suspicious.
"Silver Team sustained no casualties. The victory was not achieved by Silver Team."
"What?" For a moment, Halsey failed to process the report.
What did he mean, the victory was not achieved by Silver Team? Could it have been the resistance on Madrigal? That made no sense. If they were that powerful, why had they been suppressed so thoroughly?
"John. Provide a detailed report."
"Report: Silver Team encountered unidentified human allied forces. Biochemically enhanced soldiers. Extremely proficient in tactical maneuvers. Specialized in close-quarters combat. Well-equipped. Clearly possess formal military training. Request UNSC verification. End report."
On Madrigal, the Master Chief looked toward the Astartes warrior returning while holding a hollow triangular crystal. He added:
"The unknown object the Covenant was searching for... has now been retrieved by them."
"Allied forces? Biochemically enhanced soldiers?"
With a puzzled look, Dr. Halsey exchanged glances with her assistant. According to the Spartan Operations Division's deployment orders, aside from Silver Team, no other Spartan units had been assigned to Madrigal.
And Spartans were supposed to be comrades.
"Could it be a special detachment from the Unified Earth Government headquarters..."
The next moment, the data feed connected. Through the split perspectives of the four Spartans of Silver Team, the desert landscape of Madrigal appeared before Dr. Halsey.
Including Halsey herself, everyone suddenly widened their eyes.
"They..."
Though the scene was chaotic and noisy—the wind howling, explosions roaring, sand and blood obscuring parts of the view—details blurred by smoke and dust—
Through the tall human man in dark blue power armor, pale-faced and removing his helmet while speaking amicably with the Spartans, they saw clearly enough.
"The double-headed eagle banner of the Eastern and Western Roman Empires... Vienna? Moscow? Or Constantinople?"
At that, Halsey relaxed slightly. With high probability, these giants were not the product of alien fabrication. As long as they were human, that was enough.
After all, this was already the twenty-sixth century. Even if the Covenant attempted infiltration through disguise, it was unlikely they would possess such detailed knowledge of human history from centuries past.
On the four split screens, inside the drilling station, the corpses of the Elites were a gruesome sight.
And even more astonishing—these giants were figures whom even Spartans had to look up to.
Take Master Chief 117 as an example. His height measured 2.083 meters barefoot, and 2.18 meters in his exoskeleton armor. His total weight, including the Mjolnir armor, was 576.5 kilograms.
Yet the so-called allied forces he spoke of were all massive in build, clad in heavy armor, fully armed. Each of them was five or six times broader in frame than the Spartan-IIs she took such pride in.
"Are those Jiralhanae?"
"No. They're even more robust than Jiralhanae. My God... they're like the offspring of Titans from legend."
To have been selected by the genius Dr. Halsey as her experimental assistants and technical staff, everyone present was a research fanatic.
The flames in their eyes—named desire—burned like starved degenerates finally released after years of abstinence.
A delighted smile spread across Dr. Halsey's face. Her hand gripped the edge of the console tightly, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
"A biochemically enhanced human specimen stronger, faster, and more efficient than a Spartan. And for now, there are no signs of instability."
"Doctor, the officer claiming to be from the Night Lords Legion wishes to meet with our commanding authority. Should we—"
"John, I agree to open communications with them..."
At that moment, an electronic female voice announced at the security gate:
"Admiral Parangosky. Access granted."
"John, stand by." Exchanging a subtle glance with the other assistants, Halsey swiped her hand across the interface and cut the communication link with the Master Chief.
The assistants immediately suppressed their excitement, dispersing as though nothing had happened, each returning to their tasks.
"Catherine, I've just received word. Nearly one hundred fifty civilians died on Madrigal. For your Spartans, that's hardly something to be proud of."
"Even if they were outer colony insurgents."
Dressed in a dark United Nations Space Command admiral's uniform, solidly built, the middle-aged female officer named Parangosky stepped before Halsey, fixing her with a stern gaze.
"Catherine, I must remind you—the Security Council is looking for excuses to cut your funding."
A flash of cold displeasure flickered through Halsey's eyes, but she curved her lips into a faint smile and corrected her calmly.
"No, General. To be precise, the death toll was 142."
"Before Silver Team intervened, the Covenant had already caused those casualties. It was Silver Team—and them—that allowed the remaining insurgents to survive."
"And what use is a handful of survivors?" Parangosky narrowed her eyes as she surveyed Halsey's laboratory. "As for damage control, the Security Council intends to send a conciliatory envoy to speak with the survivors."
"Miranda Keyes knows Madrigal well. She will handle this matter. I intend to have her make contact with the Madrigal survivors." After a pause, Parangosky asked, "Any objections?"
It was framed as a question, but Halsey knew she had no real authority to object.
"None." Shaking her head, Halsey replied expressionlessly, "I will comply."
"And this 'them'—who are they?"
A cold smile touched Dr. Halsey's lips.
"Admiral... so you don't know either."
...
Madrigal.
Whoosh—!
Fierce winds poured through the massive breach in the circular wall of the drilling station, sweeping over the Astartes' power armor and whipping their cloaks and sashes into loud flutters.
"Oh? Your commander has encountered a problem? We're to wait a moment?"
Holding his helmet in one hand, the Night Lords officer gazed steadily down at the four Spartans before him.
"Tch. Quite the airs you put on."
With the hiss of decompressing seals, the World Eater stepping forward removed his helmet as well, revealing a human face that surprised the Master Chief and the others.
There was nothing monstrous about it. Beneath the blue-and-white power armor was the face of a man unexpectedly clean-cut—aside from being broader and larger than that of an ordinary human, he looked like a bright, easy-smiling young man.
Strikingly heroic and masculine... if one ignored the blood splattered across him, the chainaxe slung over his shoulder, and the Sangheili head hanging at his waist.
"We're just standing here waiting? Old bat, I'm hungry."
"The battle is over, and my warriors are hungry. Gentlemen, if you would, I would invite you aboard our warship for a proper discussion. We are hosting a welcoming banquet."
Raising his hand, he commanded, "Prepare to withdraw!"
"Hah!" The Astartes—whether patrolling or clearing the battlefield—pounded their chests in response and began assembling into formation for retrieval by the warship's teleportation platform.
"It's coming."
Following their line of sight, the Master Chief looked into the distance. Though too far to see clearly, its rigid, angular silhouette made it unmistakably artificial—no natural hill bore such straight, uncompromising lines.
Soon, descending from near orbit, the mountain-like warship drew closer and closer. The massive black gun barrels lining its flanks left no doubt—it was a battleship.
"The United Nations Space Command doesn't field anything in this configuration," said the female Spartan-028, equipped with an interstellar communications pack.
"Then let's meet them. Let's see what kind of commander they answer to."
Estimating its length at roughly five kilometers, the Master Chief judged that, by UNSC naval standards, this vessel would qualify as a fleet flagship.
Model unknown.
Just as everyone prepared themselves, a communication signal from the reconnaissance ship's supreme commander echoed through the helmets of all Astartes present.
A voice both majestic and disciplined sounded through the internal channel.
"Everyone, I have good news."
"Her Majesty, together with Great General Budo, Legion Commander Konrad Curze, and Legion Commander Angron, has already set the main Imperial forces in motion."
"Which means our reconnaissance mission is concluded. From this point forward, our designation shifts from advance reconnaissance to vanguard assault."
"Reach is our next objective. We will proceed there and deploy the Honkai Cube star marker, providing the most valuable coordinates for the main force's star gate exit."
At that very moment, an unexpected voice cut into everyone's ears.
"Wait! You can't just leave like that!"