Paint it Black Pr1

Projects Fail

Washington's pov...

Shortly after dot explained what she was doing here, the alarms started blaring red lights blinked on and off. North and Carolina left shortly, while York seemed at war with himself  "go"  I said, he knew what I meant.

Nodding at me "thanks buddy" he said as he turned tail and went to assist tex. Dot and Epsilon turned to me, wanting to know our next move. A small blinking red light just below dot shined it was her chip my helmet had a port available since Epsilon was implanted within the back of my skull.

Removing the chip and placing it in my helmet, I got up and hurried to the armory "Epsilon can you give me the quickest waypoint to the armory?" I asked him, "yeah sure" he said as a blue diamond shape appeared with a trail line placed on the ground. "Dot, I need a way out." Dots scanning was quicker than Epsilons, theres only so many things a fragment can do even if Epsilon was brand new.

When I reached the armory, the ship was shaking suddenly. "What hit us?!" I yelled, both A.I. were scanning for the cause," it was us, " Epsilon then said. It must've been York, I guessed

I grabbed a DMR, a pistol, an assault rifle, and plenty of grenades " six theres a pelican in the hanger but theres a lot of enemy targets" dot said, good not all of the air transports were destroyed.

I ran to the hanger, and what I found shocked me a view of the plaint that the MOI was falling towards it was...

It was reach.

Why was this a sick irony for me, I just discovered that I was noble six not too long ago, and now we're going to crash on reach. "Wash! Move!" Epsilon shouted, I shook my head and ran back on course.

When I entered the room I saw tex fighting the soldiers stationed on the frigate I didn't mind it just meant that she was doing the work for me, I found my ride out it was a little banged up but still able to fly good. "Agent washington, stand down!" I heard the director say, stopping in my tracks, I turned to him.

He had his pistol aimed at me "no" I said my voice sounding cold as the ice that we were going to crash into, "I said stand down we need to correct your memory" he again said in a commending tone, "why? What did you do to me?!" I yelled at him the pain I felt, the grief I was now feeling for the team I never had a chance to properly mourn for.

"It was for the better of humanity," he said oddly calmly, humanity!? Is he serious I could be right now in the UNSC helping against this....this war, and what does he do? He brainwashed me... to be his puppet.

It was a little funny... I remembered Dr. Halsey said that once to Carter, "Are you a puppet or a Spartan?" No...I'm not puppet, not anymore. I am a spartan...I am humanity's sword and shield.

"Yeah, right." I threw a grenade at him before entering the pelican and taking off.

Hours later...

"Are you alright?" I hear dot say, the pelican was currently on autopilot. I sat in the cockpit with my head in my hands. "No dot I don't think he's okay" I hear Epsilon say, he was right I wasn't now that I know about myself I now feel the loss of noble team "wash its Alright to grieve for them" I once again hear him say.

I know it was okay to grieve for both of the friends that was part of the project and the team that made the ultimate sacrifice here, "its Alright six let it out" dot gently said, so I did silent tears made the way down my cheeks quiet sobs escaping my lips.

I felt them the A.I's comforting me, dot was humming a song one I didn't know of and Epsilon was sending warm pulses through my body as if he was hugging me, I was glad for them that I know.

After a while, I felt lighter it felt good letting those tears fall. Dot stopped her humming in favor of finding any UNSC signals. Epsilon was still sending pulses. I suppose he knew loss like the director knew loss, I know what I saw, I saw his wife before she left.

That he never let her go, he was always sad or angry and if the alpha was a copy of him then the alpha was still mourning too. I can only guess the reason why Epsilon didn't commit suicide at that moment was because I felt his pain as he felt mine. We both felt the loss of family. But I was also sure dot had a hell of a time stabilizing him, regardless when this war is over is when I can properly mourn the noble team.

"Six! I found a signal!" Dot yelled, "this is the UNSC BLUE DAWN please identify yourself " an authoritative sounding woman said, "this is spartan B-312 of noble team requesting to board" I said, it was quiet for a while "request granted welcome home noble six" I could hear a different female voice say.

Days later...

The days went by on the Blue Dawn. I told them everything where I was about the project and the freelancers, but I made sure to tell them that they were victims of the project everything. Admiral Sarah Greyson informed the rest of the UNSC of the AWOL program and my survival, I stood in an empty room looking down on reach I stood there in my new armor the armor was the same with the only changes being that it was black as the primary and the secondary being white, a familiar shemagh resting around my neck.

Dot was currently acting as the ships main A.I unit. "Got something on your mind?" I hear Epsilon ask, "just wondering what to do next" I say, it was mosty true but part of me wanted to find any of the freelancers make sure tha their okay, mosty being York, north, and Carolina.

I hoped that they're okay, "well apparently from what dots been telling me admiral greyson was putting noble team back together " Epsilon said happily,  "he's not wrong " I quickly turned around to find a spartan in green scout armor "jun!" I said, he chuckled and hugged me tightly "it's good to see that you made it, that's quite the story the admiral told though " he said, I mearly shrugged "what can I say I aim to please " I said.

He once again chuckled before handing me emiles' beloved kukri, I took the large blade in hand and stared at it, then looked at him. "Go ahead, keep it," he said, I nodded, we walked the halls catching up, and what happened