Just a Preview of my Story.

The light reflected off his visor through the dimly lit forest brush. Vegetation was thick and holes in the canopy were sparse, but at the end of it all he could see a light. It looked like a holy glow from beyond filtering through the dark browns of the towering trees and green mossy grounds with plant-life almost as tall as he. It's no wonder this part of space had been rebel-controlled, he thought, they could hide anywhere on this planet. A burst of static came through his radio, catching him in his tracks for a moment, he paused and listened to the frequency vying to come through his radio in his helmet comm.

"Damn," he whispered. It was no use. Signal out here was impossible. That's why they'd sent him. They knew he could do the job, and alone. Still, it was unknown danger, he wished he had been a little better fitted for this crap. He crouched for a moment listening intensely before the static faded. His sage green armor glowing from the dim light; he looked like a mossy giant god of the woods with his golden visor glowing from just beneath the black helmet guard. He was a SPARTAN II, a super-soldier of the UNSC and a determined one at that. Though still young, he was strong in mind and body. He could run through the woods silent as a breeze, even in his heavy MARK IV, but every time that radio crackled through his comm he tensed and paused. His ship was still five clicks back East. He hoped to make it back before nightfall in this place. Not that he was afraid, SPARTANS knew no fear, but because this place had been abandoned for years. Time was being wasted. There was nothing here thus far and, more-than-likely, he would find nothing. Nothing of use anyways. It was reconnaissance. He was use to this sort of stuff but that didn't change his favor against it.

Rebels had taken this planet years ago. That is until ONI had sent five other spartans out to derail General Howard Graves and take him out. He was head of the United Rebel Front and ONI had had enough. Graves had set up a camp, but that SPARTAN group included both Kurt and John. They could have taken out the whole operation by themselves probably. The soldier in the woods chuckled, he missed them. He wondered what they were doing this very moment while he was out here running ONI's errands. Standing back up, he began his walk once more. Plant-life rustled alongside his armored legs. His DMR attached to his backside; he carried his pistol in hand. No danger had been present but you'd be crazy to go into unknown territory without any protection on-hand.

The trees began to part as he grew closer to the edge, light pouring on him now, he stepped past the trees and could make out just a mile away what appeared to be buildings...no a camp. It was the camp. Orpheus had been right, he thought, he knew exactly where they had been placed but then again what else is surprising about a Smart AI.  The ground was solid dirt and open grassland beneath him. Anywhere past these trees and his cover was gone. He took a deep breath and began to walk noticing  the growth in the grass. It had been some time since any life had been here. Still the encampment was there; clear as day. It looked battle-damaged from where he stood. Strange, he thought, a group of Spartans would cause a fight but that kind of damage looks more complicated for even a handful of super-soldiers. They would have been as proficient and quick as possible. Maybe something had happened. Maybe there was more to this than either ONI or the UNSC had realized. He held his pistol firm in hand and began his march.

After walking over the open land he came to the camp. Arriving, his first realization were the holes burned into the watch towers, walls and the craters in the ground. These weren't just military bombardments. These were plasma burns, scarred into the grounds and walls. Covenant had been here! Son of a bitch, he thought, was there anywhere the Covenant hadn't been? But this planet hadn't been glassed. Usually the Covenant glass everything in sight. Something weird had happened here. He would find out.

"Orpheus," he called in his radio, "I found something." He moved his hand along the burn marks in the walls feeling the damage it made as he spoke. "Report" Orpheus ordered. "Scorch marks...plasma burns..Covenant were here Orpheus." There was a pause from the other end, "...But the planet is still in tact? Irregular. See what else you can find." "Roger."

He wasn't entirely fond of Orpheus. He was one of the most advanced AI he'd ever seen. His image was shadowy though in figure. Each AI composed an image of their own being. It was almost like a human being born and their looks inherited. All AI come from some human existence. That's how they're constructed. Through a complex process involving brain tissue of the host an AI is scientifically constructed by the most complicated technology and the most advanced scientists. Some take on the image of a farmer, some look as if they are from some part of famous history in dress as an Indian chief or European ruler. Some merely show as glowing spectacles of illuminating light trickling with whatever sparks follow behind them. Orpheus was different. He was dark in form. Whatever he was he remained a shadowy hooded figure. The only illuminating shape besides the lines of his dark robe and hood was the blue lights of his eyes that glowed from beneath the hood. Not even a mouth could be seen moving when he spoke. He was eerie. The spartan did not like it one bit. Then again, that was ONI for you. They were always in the shadows and sneaking about disguised within the military employing whatever tactics necessary for the cause of humanity. All that aside, he could count on Orpheus even if he wasn't the most trusting of him.   

He found a boulder that had been blasted and sat. Then set his gun on the ground, closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he slowly unclasped and removed his helmet setting it in his lap. The wind blew through his blond hair as he took a fresh, deep breath.

…So many years, he thought, so many years of this. When will it end? When will humanity be safe and the Covenant threat ended? How many more millions will die before peace is found? Will it take our extinction to find it? He opened his eyes, intensely green with almost a glow, looking about left and right before taking another deep breath and putting his helmet back on once again. His sensors came to life and his HUD registered once again his vitals. Everything was green. Time to go, he thought, no reason to stay. Everything was dead.