Fireteam Omega

Chapter 4-Arrival

**Unknown System
Planet Onyx**

The next day by the time they awoke the blood was cleaned from the floor and everything was just as organized as the previous day. The five kids groggily got up from their beds, with Reed jumping upon discovering Liz was in the same bed as him but not saying anything about it. While they got themselves cleaned up Lieutenant Everly walked into the room, with five uniforms in his hand,

He placed them onto the table and looked to the five, who had stopped from their various activities to watch him. Addressing them he said "Put these on and meet me out in the hallway." He turned and exited the room, not mentioning anything about the events of last night. The five looked at each other, Dem being the first one to speak "Anyone else find it odd he didn't even mention what happened last night?" Grant just shrugged and grabbed a set of the fatigues, dressing down and then pulling them on before he walked out of the room.

Next was Liz, though the moment she started to undress the three boys turned around. She said to them loudly, "Grow up pussies." It took only a second for her to get dressed and the four year old filed outside with Grant. All at once the next three grabbed the sets of clothing and pulled them on before they too walked out into the hall.

Ryan was there with Liz and Grant lined up against the wall already. At his side was the Sergeant that seemed to always accompany him. "Follow me." He turned and walked down the way they had come up a few days earlier. Each kid looked at each other before Reed made the first step and followed him.

The Sergeant went behind the kids to watch them from the rear and make sure none decided to make a run for it. After five minutes of walking the group made it to the Hangar that held the freighter that they had originally taken up to the ship. Instead they were guided onto one of the three pelicans.

Everly pointed to the seats that lined the side of the ship "The five of you sit down in these seats. Once seated you'll lower the harnesses over your body, like so." He demonstrated the motion, raising both hands above his head and then pulling them down. The boy's had no problem with this, each one sitting down to the next and lowering the harness.

Due to Liz being the smallest of the group she had trouble reaching the Harness. Everly didn't offer assistance, and even if he had she wouldn't have taken it and probably swore at him for it. After a couple seconds she stood up, jumped to grab the harness and lowered it down as she sat on the seat.

The ONI Officer took a seat next to her at the very end of the pelican. The Sergeant walked on board and opened the door to the cockpit, closing it behind him. Soon the roar of the ships engines filled the bay while they warmed up. The ramp lifted up from its position and snapped into position, matching with another sheet of metal that lowered from the ceiling to form an airtight barrier with a small window of bulletproof glass.

The dull roar outside the ship increased, with the troop landing craft lifting off the hard metal ground, slowly working it's way out into the darkness of space. Beyond the view of the occupants in the back the ship positioned it's descent toward a planet that was covered in a turquoise color, several other pelicans were in the space around them, all heading for the same position on the planet.

The view out the back window changed from the black of space into the slightly lighter gray of night time, with clouds floating across the sky and covering some of the stars.
Everly stood up from his seat and waved the kids forward. The five emerged to a scene of chaos. Their pelican was parked in a line of other birds, each one holding children that exited from their bay doors onto a large grass field that was lit by flood lights positioned on tall poles. At the end of the field stood a raised platform with four figures on it. Three were dressed in some strange combat armor, with one having his helmet off though the other two one his left side had helmets on.

The fourth man was dressed similar to how Lieutenant Everly had dressed when he first landed on Reach. Green combat fatigues, although this man looked far older with scars covering his face and sporting a green military cap with standard Marine chest armor.

The man at the center began speaking, capturing the attention of every child in the square as his voice boomed over speakers. They all looked at the man at the center, and that's when the more attentive of the bunch realized that he stood far taller than the others on the stage, appearing as a giant before them

"Attention Recruits. I am Lieutenant Ambrose, you have all endured great hardships to be here, I know each of you have lost your loved ones in both the Inner and Outer colonies of the UNSC. The covenant has made orphans out of you all." There were a couple sobs in the large group of kids.

The five that had arrived with Everly though, Grant showed no emotion on his face. Reed had a burning fire in his eyes but otherwise his face was monotone. The other three each had their faces contorted in rage, fists clenched at their sides and Liz looked like she might explode with how red her face was turning.

"I'm going to give you a chance to learn how to fight, a chance to be the best soldiers the UNSC has ever produced, a chance to destroy the covenant. I am giving you the chance to be like me, and my two commanders here Tom B293 and Lucy B-091. The chance to be Spartans. We cannot accept everyone though, there are 330 of you. Senior Chief Petty Officer Mendez has devised a strategy to weed out the ones who want to be here and the ones who don't." Ambrose stepped back and let the old man take his place