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Alexis had ten seconds to prepare herself.

For the drop into hell. "TROOPERS, SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE" Carlos said on the coms before he he beeps came then the sudden feeling of falling washed over her after she saw each pod detach from the defiance. First was Carlos, then was Fernando, David then herself, as she fell she saw a fight between the low orbit covie ships and the Defiance's support ships, long swords and banshees dog fighting each other, to her left she saw the Paris class "Armstrong" take a blow to its port side and explode, then everything was a murky grey, flashes of blue thunder struck by her pod before she felt the tug of her chute opening, it only lasted a few seconds before it broke off but as it did she broke the clouds seeing the hellscape the once grate city has become. UNSC AA fire rang across the sky and it was now clear the city was a free fire zone. As she finished this thought her pod hit the ground, sending a jolt over her spine. After a second her pod automatically popped open and she hopped out grabbing her silenced M7S and her M90 shotgun before she started to head to the Rendezvous carefully. Once there she saw her team waiting, as she slid down the slope David said "about time you showed up" before Alexis said "up yours david."

"Both of you cut the chatter and form" Carlos said as he made his hand into a fist. The group reorganization themselves before they started heading to the stairs, the daylight dying behind them. When they reached the bottom of the stairs they were greeted by a large room, inside was dead marines and on the far plasma scorched wall was a dead red Spartan with EVA armor. "Holy fuck..." Fernando said as him and Carlos walked over, David then said "I thought those guys are supposed to be immortal" Alexis shook her head before saying "that's what ONI wants you to think, truth be told they are human as well" the squad fell into silence before Carlos said "Nobody say a word about this to anyone, that's an order" the squad simply just nodded before continuing on their way. They exited outside on ground level to see bodies and carnage all around them before Alexis said "objective that way, our maps and compass might be messed up down here" as she pointed down a road. They continued for a little while until they came across a collapsed building blocking their way. "Alexis" Carlos said as he looked toward her, she thought for a moment before saying "we should be able to get though from the building to our right" the group nodded before entering the apartment building. Alexis took point as she switched to her shotgun and started to walk though the hall. Each room she checked, at the last room on the left before a corner she found a family, littered with spikes from a spiked, including two children . Alexis gripped her shotgun hard before Carlos placed a hand on her shoulder and said "there is nothing we can do to help them now..." Alexis took a deep breath and started down the hall again, she hated this war, it's taken so much from her, as it has others....

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-17 years ago, UNSC "new hope"

"What do you mean?" A confused Alexis said, anger filling her voice as well as a great sadness. Other ODSTs sat with her, all dazed with fury, sadness And confusion. "You're home, Jericho VII, has been glassed.... we are still getting reports but it doesn't look good...I'm sorry" an navy officer said, his hands clasped behind his back. Only then the sudden realization hit her. The reason why her husband didn't pick up was because he's most likely dead. "This is your fault!" A man next to Alexis yelled out before springing at the officer to only get the butt end of a MA5B (assault rifle) to the side of the head, knocking him on his side as a marine aimed his rifle at the ODST. "I understand your angry, anyone in your shoes would be" the officer said before he continued "but the fact of the matter is we were too far out for a clear jump, the only ones who are actually responsible are-" "the covenant" Alexis finished his sentence as she thought out loud, her hands turning into fists, her knuckles whitening. "Indeed, the covenant are responsible" the officer said as he looked at Alexis

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-2552, reach, new Alexandria

Alexis walks out of the building, rain finally hitting her black armor once again making in shine in the dem dead light of the city. "How much farther till the objective?" Carlos said as he walked up behind Alexis, which glanced at a map which was on a nearby wall "about a good ten minutes, maybe 15.." she said with a shrug quietly. "What's wrong?" Carlos asked seeing Alexis now starring at the debris of the collapsed building "we're being followed..." she said as she turned to him "is it gonna be a problem?" Carlos asked before she stared at it and said "later, less than what it would've been now we know of it" as she began to walk, "always later" he said in a joking manner as he followed.

"Look, about what happened before" Carlos said to Alexis which just looked at him and said "is now the best time sir?" With a little bit of fight in her voice, he then added "I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about what happened to you. If you tell these guys they might go a little bit easier on you, to them right now you're a mystery, a dangerous one at that." "I'm not telling them. I can't afford to get attached or for someone to get attached to me" Alexis said coldly before Carlos said "seriously? They are terrified of ya and you won't let them understand why your such a cold bad bi-" before Alexis looked at him, he then said "woman" Alexis smirked under her helmet before saying "seriously, and don't think that you can pull on your charm to get me to. What we had was a one time thing five years ago" making Carlos sigh in frustration, he then said "then at least tell me what happened to get you shipped to my squad" Alexis looked at him then back forward before saying "I punched my old CO, he ordered us to leave civilians behind but I wasn't gonna let that happen so I knocked him out cold, after we all got back the military marshals decided to just demote me and put me in a different squad instead of discharging me." "Sounds like you got off lucky" Carlos said as he walked with her before he said "I probably would've done the same" "you aren't getting into my pants again handsome, one time thing" Alexis said with a small chuckle, Carlos chuckled as well.

Ten minutes passed before they saw the compound as promised, "there she is" David said as he continued to walk before Fernando looked around and said "this has been too easy" as he began to take a step, suddenly two shots from a needle rifle rang out, one hitting Fernando in the shoulder breaking what shields he had and the other piercing his chest. David ran up to him and caught him before hoisting Fernando onto his shoulder. "EVERYONE INSIDE THE BUNKER NOW" carlo yelled as he spun around and fired randomly with his SMG at the buildings before spinning again and running to the bunker which was in the middle of the compound, David and Alexis following. Once inside the airlock alexis slid to her knees and pressed the emergency close button, the doors then slid shut and locked themselves. David placed the man who was a brother in arms with him down and checked his pulse. "He's dead.....GOD DAM IT" David yelled as he punched the steel paneling next to him. Carlos placed a hand on David's shoulder who pulled away, Carlos sighed and said "get his tags...we have to move.."