Harvest Files: Arizona

Chapter 2: Getting the Band Back Together

CHAPTER 2: Getting the Band Back Together

One year ago...

Arizona was left in a brief state of shock. He learned his old squadmate Darren Graften was alive, and under attack from an Insurrectionist base on the planet of Harvest, Zona's home planet. Darren asked him to bring reinforcements right before their transmission was abruptly cut off by another Insurrectionist attack. This was worrying for more reasons than one, but Nick/Arizona wanted a reason to leave the ship.

He grabbed his datapad from the desk in his room and typed up a message to the Director that he would be leaving the Mother of Invention for a few days to assist UNSC forces on Harvest. Although it wasn't a total lie, it was still somewhat untrue. Darren was no longer associated with the UNSC and worked as a mercenary for hire. He still worked with UNSC forces, in fact he was assisting them on Harvest as a contract.

Nick opened his door and followed the hallway down all the way, passing rooms identical to his own. He approached the elevator and clicked the key to call it. As the door slid open, there stood the best Freelancer the Director ever recruited: Agent Texas. Arizona just stood completely still, wanting to get in the elevator but too scared to move. Texas finally spoke.

"Hey Zona, you getting in the elevator or not? I haven't got all day to wait on you." He finally snapped out of it and stepped in the elevator and pressed the key for the bridge. He leaned against the wall while Texas stood in the center of the elevator with her arms crossed. It was a quiet ride. The elevator dinged and the door slid open yet again, opening on to the bridge. Texas stepped out first with Arizona following, him splitting off and heading towards the comm console while she approached the Director. Zona breathed a quick sigh of relief.

He stepped up to the console and the ODST manning the station. Zona tapped his shoulder, and the ODST turned.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, you can. I need you to open a comm channel with a UNSC station called Anchor 7. I need to contact some ODSTs stationed there." The ODST nodded and turned back to his station and tapped on the keyboard of his console, then pushing one more key and turning back to Arizona.

"There. Secure line set up. And please hurry up, they aren't patient." Arizona nodded and transferred the call to his helmet comm and muted his exterior speakers.

"UNSC Space Station Anchor 7, this is UNSC Captain Nicholas Sherman of the 506th Orbital Drop Shock Troopers."

"Please wait while we verify identification." The call went silent for a few minutes, and then the officer came back. "Identity verified, Captain Sherman. We apologize for the delay. What is the nature of this call?"

"I'm looking for a 506th Easy Company squad by the callsign Dagger Team. Are they stationed at your facility?"

"Yes they are, Captain. Do you require them?"

"I'm sending coordinates to my position right now. Have them take a Prowler-class vessel to this location with an active stealth system to rendevous on me before heading to Harvest to support UNSC ground teams with Insurrectionist activities."

"Receiving coordinates now. I only have one Prowler on-station by the callsign 'UNSC Apollo,' but the Slipspace drive has yet to be retrofitted to a newer model. Judging by these coordinates, estimated ETA is around 5 hours."

"Then that'll have to do. Get them suited up and underway ASAP."

"Understood."

"Captain Sherman, signing out." Arizona terminated the communication and nodded to the ODST, who went back to work. Arizona turned and walked back to the elevator to get himself geared up in the armory. He tapped the keypad to call the elevator and waited for about ten seconds until the elevator door slid open. He stepped in and pressed the key for the combat deck, which housed the observation deck, locker room, briefing room, firing range, and armory.

Time to get geared up.