The Rise: An Introduction

=i quickly hopped into line, standing at attention like boot camp so many years ago taught me. Chest out, back straight, feet and arms together and at your sides=

I looked around for my position.

Now where do Staff Sergeants go?

I quickly straightened myself to attention the line getting ready for what's next.

=I head to my place in the line, feeling miffed at my rank. I then notice another S-4 shift in and stand near me=

Well...the only way from here is up, Mark...so let's not try to be miserable, shall we?

=I quickly straighten to attention, years of drilling making me keep my mouth shut=

Adam quickly shifted to his spot in line as a CPO, taking a look with his peripheral vision at his surrounding peers while simultaneously popping to attention, fists balled and thumbs where his seams would be on his combat skin. He found a spot on the wall he was currently facing and stared at it, not letting the officer catch him breaking his bearing.

(Before)
I grabbed my bag and followed Jack to where the rest of the Spartans were gathering.

(Now)
I straighten to attention, in line with the other NCOs, chest out and hands to my sides.

I move to my spot, around the lower/middle area of the line, standing to attention, and briefly looking down the line.

(Ensign Risley)

"Gunny, what are you doing? You aren't new here, git back to your station!" (looking at Lyle)

"The rest of you, welcome to the Athena's Province, your new home. You'll find your garrison down the hall, about a kilometer. I think Command is going to send someone to show you where. You'll be with the other Spartan IV companies. You Spartans are going to be split into groups. Fireteams. Fireteam Jericho, Fireteam Roman..." Risley stops for a moment, taking out a datapad, and looking at Adam.

"Weren't you supposed to be here a day ago?"

I looked down the line of Spartan wondering who he was talking to. Wonder what Fire team I'll be on.

Adam didn't move a muscle, knowing better than to dare look him in the eye at attention, "Sir, this SPARTAN has been on-deck for a few days, Sir!" The man sounded off at the top of his lungs, enough to echo through the hangar bay.

(ensign Risley)

"Well you're to report to the Armory! So get moving, son!"

He turns and shouts to the rest of the Spartans.


"you've been split into Fireteams. You'll have time to get acquainted with each other later. Now for the boring part. I'm going to read out your teams! Aren't you all excited for that! You get to sit here and listen to me! for the next hour or so! Or should I say stand? You're all spartans now after all, you should have the endurance for it! Ready?! Detail! Atten-HUH!" (this is a call for attention, which you should all be in already)

I couldn't get anymore attent than I already was. This guy was taking his sweet time. I guess he like at least a little bit of power.

I still stand there. Sorta... bored. If only someone had adressed us or given us something to do. But alas, it's not like anyones controlling this scenario at all. No. Of course not.
Thankfully, it seemed the CO was starting to address us.

=I stand stock still, Listening but keeping my mouth shut=

Now...He's off to spook business, I assume...but I wouldn't know such things...

=I keep my eyes forward, keeping my thoughts focused on the task at hand=

I stand, staying at attention, awaiting our CO to announce who we're going to be stuck with awhile.

Adam assumed a right face and stepped back once, "Aye, Sir!", before about-facing and jogging to the armory. He had no further orders since he had gotten aboard the Athena's Province, and was excited to finally have something to do on this damned vessel.

(Ensign Risley)


"At ease!"

Risley watched as the spartans fell back into the at ease position.

"This is how things are going to go: I'm going to dismiss you squad by squad. When you are dismissed, You will go to the mess hall and sit with your new team. you will go to that mess hall in single file. You will not run to the mess-hall, you will not walk to the mess-hall, you will jog to the mess-hall. Understood?" (the spartans all shout, "Understood, Sir.")

"Now Kyle Hilgen, James Pale, Lane Finnigan...." He names off people and dismisses them.

After 30 minutes,

"Spartan B-161, Mark Novak, and Joshua Strapp! You are dismissed! Tyrese Keystone! Koda Brezin! Jack Sato, You are dismissed!"

-Risley keeps shouting out names.-

I gave a nod, even if nobody saw, then started jogging down the hall, single file behind my new squad mates.

=I blink twice, my mind coming to terms with who I was put with=

I get the heavy and the psych job...greaaaaaat...

=I file out with my team, feeling a little miffed at who I had been put with=

As soon as my name was called I started jogging to the mess-hall. Tyrese Keystone and Jack Sato. Hmm, wonder what they are like.

=i had headed off back to the mechanic's bay. I had no clue what was going on, but I didn't say anything what I was told to go back to my station. A gunnery Sargeant doesn't always know what's going on. I reached the mechanics bay not long after I left, looking around and seeing the various vehicles being worked on, upgraded and repaired and overhauled. I looked around for my toolkit, located right where I left it on the workbench, and hopped up on the back of a Warthog. The gun was missing and the mount was bent and out of shape, with scorch marks going from the top of the hinge down to the hinged base. Apparently, this thing was hit with a flamethrower, or some other equivalent. I set the toolkit down, and went to work, scrubbing and welding, working on cleaning and taking apart the stand. This fine machine would need a new one before it could do any more fighting, and I wasn't going to keep this beast from it's duty any longer than was necessary=

I broke into a job to the mess hall as soon as my name was called out. I'd figure out who I was with later, I think Tyrese was the guy I met before, coz...
I stopped halfway through my thought, and pushed it aside for now.

=I sat with the person that would be my squad leader, my arms resting on the table=

Let's just hope she isn't the resentful type...or the lone wolf type either

=I just sit there, waiting for the big man to come join our happy little group=

Wonder if Sato is the same Jack from earlier?
We got to the mess hall and I took one of the tables closest to the entrance, waiting to meet the other two.

I sat down at the table across from Tyrese. I didn't say a word, just sat and waited for the other to join us.

=I look at the Spartan with the one good eye I had, the question settling on my mind being a very good one for the situation=

You okay with leading the team, ma'am? Or are you not a team player.

=I let my statement hang in the air=

"So..."

I looked at the man who sat across from me.

"Sato or Brezin?"

=I wait for a few heartbeats, not getting a response=

I'll take that silence as a 'NO' then...

=I just sit there as the other member of our team sits down with us=

Do I look Asian...heh sorry. I'm Koda Brezin.

I lent out my hand.

Nice to meet you.

I smiled a bit. The silence at first made me a little uneasy, but he seemed alright, so far.

"Heh, suppose you don't."

I shook his hand.

I turn my eyes slightly to the one who had spoke. Mark, I think.

Listen. You MAY have a problem with me, and believe me I really couldn't care less if you do, but when we're out there in the field. You make damn sure you listen to me, because I don't feel like dying because you didn't have your ears on.

I turn my eyes back forward.

Got it?

We lets go of each others hand.

So what's your story? What did you do before this?

I looked around for a while, wondering who my team was. I recognized one of the men who'd left around the time our names were called out and made my way over.
"Do I look Asian?"
I smirked happily. I didn't even look asian myself.

I sat down with the other two, smiling.
"Tyrese and Koda?"

=I blinked once, briefly surprised at the intensity of the answer I got back=

Got it, ma'am.

=I nod in understanding=

That's all I needed to hear...

I was about to answer Brezin's question, when Jack sat next to them.

"You're at the right table, Jack."

Good.

I click my tongue once from habit.

WE.

I gesture at the other two then at myself.

Don't talk unless it pertains to a mission.

I turn to the man who was talking to us.

Jack I presume.

I lent my hand out.

Welcome.

=I nod, feeling a bit puzzled at the statement=

So, she's one of THOSE types...well...I'm used to those mission focused types...

=I look to the other teams, almost envious of them having a leader who was the social type=

I reach out and take the mans hand, smiling and shaking it.
"Jack Sato, at your service. I'll assume your... Koda?"

You have assumed right. I was discussing with out teammate here about what he did before now.

I put my hands under my chin.

The same question applies to you to.

I looked over my two squadmates. We seemed to be a pretty average looking team, but I couldn't judge too much until I've seen both of them in combat. I'd let Jack answer Brezin's question first.

"What I did before this? Well, I used to be a doctor. Worked in Elysium City, on Eradinus II. Saw my fair share of battle scars too, Innie fools, Marines, some Army men, so on, until I was called out to join the war."
I scratched my neck, sighing and turning the scratch into a rub. "What uh, what about you Tyrese?" I said, trying to avert the subject from myself.

"Eradinus two, huh? So you're definitely no stranger to the war."

I scratched the back of my neck when Jack switched the topic to my history.

"Well, I'm pretty green compare to alot of soldiers. But before I joined the war, I worked at a butcher shop in New Mombasa. By the time I chose to fight wasn't until the Covenant attacked the city."

Adam finally arrived in the armory, where he nodded silently to a group of technicians waiting to greet him. They led him over to an armor to assemble his new set of MJOLNIR, fit as per his old suit. He flexed his hands a little, balling them into fists before throwing a few punches at imaginary targets to get a feel for the movement of his new suit.

After assembling his new suit and making his way over to arm himself with a newer model MA5D ICWS as well as Misriah Armory's M6H Handgun, He packed a suppressor for both of these, though they were currently unequipped. He made his way for Hangar B-47, as directed by the crew who assisted him with his MJOLNIR.

Upon arrival, he heard a ping in his ear -- comms activated, "This is Commander Stone, Spartan. You're gonna accompany Raven Squad of the Marine Corps to Kurjar. There you are to rendezvous with Spartan-149. Do you acknowledge, Spartan?" Adam pinged an acknowledgement, "Good. See you upon your return." And the comms went dead.

=I chatted with the nearby mechanics, all of us looking for something to do while we did our work=

So how in the hell did only the gun stand get wrecked, do you think?
=i said in between welding cuts=

"My guess, one of those flyboys took it for a spin."

"No way man, it was totally Marine."

"How can you tell?"

"Look who's cleaning up the mess."

=a round of laughter went around, even from me. Marines have this tendency to clean up their own messes. We do things our way, and if we mess up we take it upon ourselves to fix it=

Nah, nah. Had to be army. A marine wouldn't have wrecked it in the first place.

=another round of laughter, as well as a long 'ooooooo.' The guy didn't return the jab, but he still laughed along with us=

"That may be true, but that's only because we don't need any fancy gear to keep us rolling. Two feet and some dirt, that's all we need. I doubt anyone in the army can even drive."

Haha. Well, I'll agree with you on one thing. Walking is the best form of movement. Solid ground beneath my feet is all I need.

While I was listening to them a smell caught my attention. It was a bland smell but it didn't matter. I looked around for the café line.

Can you just hold that for a sec. I haven't eaten in 2 days and I am starving.

I got out of my seat and turned towards the food line.