Last Hope

Epilogue

The crew of the Armageddon stood at attention on the bridge of the ship, five months after the siege of New Mombasa. Sabre, Chy, Noob, Doc, Clementine, Logan, Rose, Pookie, Calvin, and Ashley stood in front of them, at attention. The captain of the Armageddon walked into the room.

"Thank you for coming," he said "ladies and gentlemen. I am here to present medals to Blue Team."

"Permission to speak sir," Sabre said.

"Permission granted," the captain said "what's do you have to say son?"

"We're no longer Blue Team," Sabre said "we are Fifth Echelon."

The captain looked at him confused. "What kind of stupid name is that?" He asked.

"With all due respect sir," Chy said "that's our name now, and I'm speaking for all of us when I say. We take offense to that, that name was given to us by the very person whose sacrifice allowed you, me and all of us to be here. So show a little respect."

"You are very right," the captain said "I'm very sorry."

"Apology accepted," Chy said with a smirk "continue."

"We are all here to show respect," the captain said. "To someone who gave the biggest sacrifice someone can make. They gave their life, so we could all be here. Captain Sabre, please step forward."

Sabre stepped forward and saluted.

"At ease soldier," the captain said.

Sabre lowered his arm.

"Son," he said "I present to you the purple heart medal. You took several plasma bolts to the chest and survived. You have earned this medal."

The captain pinned the medal to Sabres shirt next to his ribbons. "Thank you for your service," he said.

Sabre said nothing.

"Please stand back with your squad son," the captain said.

Sabre stood back in line with the rest of them, he stood next to Chy.

"Now we have someone who is here to acquire a medal for a fallen soldier." The captain said with his hands clasped behind him.

A young man stepped forward, his hair was shaved really short. It looked as if he had been pulled from boot camp to attend this ceremony.

"Are you the son of Ana?" the captain asked.

"Sir yes sir," the boy said.

"I apologize that you have to go through this," the captain said "she was an amazing person. It will never be the same without her around." The captain whispered something to the kid.

Rose looked to her right, Logan stood next to her with his armor on, she nudged him with her elbow.

"How old is he?" she whispered.

"I don't know," Logan said "it's hard to tell, looks like our age. Seventeen, maybe eighteen."

The captain handed him a medal "this is the silver star, son." He said "it's the third-highest military combat decoration that can be awarded. Your mother has earned this. She served almost as long as you've been alive. She was a great soldier and I'm sure a great mother."

"For the time I saw her sir," the boy said "she was."

The captain nodded, and the boy walked away into the crowd. He filled an empty spot in the front row.

"Now," the captain said standing up straight. "In front of me, we have Fifth Echelon. They handled themselves very well while on the front line." He reached down and retrieved a medal from the box next to him. "This is Distinguished Service Cross, it is awarded for extraordinary heroism. All of you standing here have shown you deserve to get this award. Even you Rose, even though you are a civilian. You handled yourself very well while on the battlefield."

"Thank you sir," Rose said.

The Captain stepped forward and pinned a cross to each of their chests, even Logan's armor.

"And last but not least," the captain said in a lower voice "I am presenting a medal to someone that could not be here. Chy and Sabre, please step forward."

They followed his order and stepped forward together.

"I received a message," the captain said quiet enough so just they could hear him. "That you contacted Tucker's family, is that correct?"

They both nodded yes.

"They said that they couldn't make it," Chy said.

"I know," the captain said "but someone from his bloodline could."

A person walked up behind them, his face was covered with a ski mask that had a skull on it.

"There he is now," the captain said. "Are yo-"

"Yes," the boy said cutting the captain off. "I'm representing my father."

Chy bumped Sabre's arm and whispered "I didn't know he had a human son."

"Me neither," Sabre responded.

"Alright," the captain said picking up a medal "this is the medal of honor, it is the highest military military combat decoration that can be awarded. You're father...was a great man, he was brilant mind on and off the battlefield. He gave the greatest sacrifice for us to be here, he gave his life. But most of all he showed no fear in dying, he looked death in the eyes multiple times and still kept moving forward to make sure his squad got out alive. Honestly, he was the greatest soldier ever to be known by the entire human race, he will be missed. I know you didn't know him much son, but I guarantee you he would have been a great father."

"Sir," the boy said with something in his throat. "He was the best father I could've asked for, he talked to me every time he could. He asked me how my day was, he saw me as an equal not as if he ruled over me. And I plan on following in his footsteps, and enlisting the first chance I get."

"Sir," Sabre said stepping forward "permission to speak."

"Permission granted," the captain answered.

"I'm speaking for all of Fifth Echelon," Sabre said. "I believe we'd be glad to take him under our wing, and help him learn the ropes."

"What do you say son?" the captain said. "You wanna join them?"

The boy looked at Chy and Sabre's, then at the rest of them. He stared into Logan's helmet visor, and finally spoke. "If I get to wear Spartan armor, sir. Then hell yeah, I'll be with Fifth Echelon."

"You'd have to go through Spartan training," the captain said.

"I'm sure I can handle it," he said "my father could, and so can I."

"Dismissed," the captain said.

The crew went back to their posts, but all of Fifth Echelon stayed. They stood next to Tucker's son. Sabre stretched out his towards the kid.

"Welcome to Fifth Echelon," Sabre said followed by a pause "I'm sorry I never got your name."

"My name is Sam," he said shaking Sabre's hand "it's a pleasure to join the team."