It had been a month since the destruction of Halo. Chief, Cortana, and Y/n had made it back to Earth and told the brass everything that happened. Now they were prepping for an award reception.

Y/n had been given new armor and he was on his way to see the Chief. As he boarded the tram, another person rushed in as the doors shut.

Johnson: Couldn't even hold the door for me?

Y/n: (sarcastically) Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am. Want me to take your hat and coat too?

Johnson: You've been spending too much time with them new ODSTs, haven't you?

Y/n: Tell you what? When you finally give me a straight answer on how the hell you got off Halo, I'll submit to any and all other questions you got.

Johnson: Never gonna happen.

The cart stopped and they got on an elevator, going downward. Johnson glances at Y/n, noticing he's on edge.

Johnson: Take a breath, will ya?

Y/n: Just... nervous. Not every day you meet Lord Hood.

Johnson: (chuckles) Won't argue there. Besides, Chief'll probably give you your binky when you start freaking out.

Y/n: Up. Yours.

The elevator door opens, and Y/n and Johnson step out.

Master Gunnery Sergeant: If your shields go down, find some cover, wait for the meter to read fully charged.

Johnson: That, or he can hide behind me. You done with our boy here, Master Gunns? I don't see any training wheels.

Master Gunnery Sergeant: His armor's working fine, Johnson, so shut your chili-hole.

Y/n then sees Chief exit the shield-testing station in his new Mark VI armor.

Y/n: Chief!

Y/n moves forward as they grasp forearms and pat each other's backs.

Chief: Good to see you too, Y/n.

Y/n: New armor, huh? Green always was your color.

Chief: Your armor makes you look like a rainbow.

Y/n: Don't start. I've already gotten enough sass from this guy. (thumbs at Johnson)

Mastery Gunnery Sergeant: You're free to go, son, just remember, take things slow.

Johnson: Don't worry, I'll hold his hand.

Johnson, Y/n, and Chief enter the elevator.

Master Gunnery Sergeant: So, Johnson, when you gonna tell me how you made it back home in one piece?

Y/n: Don't bother, Sarge. Tried numerous times and he still won't say it.

Johnson: Sorry, Gunns. It's classified.

Y/n: (smirks) Ya see?

Master Gunnery Sergeant: Huh! My ass! Well, you can forget about those adjustments to your A2 scope...

His voice drowns out as the elevator goes up.

Johnson: (sarcastically) Well, he's in a particularly fine mood. Maybe Lord Hood didn't give him an invitation.

Y/n: Probably 'cause he'd bitch too much.

The elevator stops, the doors open and the three board the tram. It starts to move, with a view of the crew of the Cairo Station going about their business and a backdrop of windows displaying the station and the stars. They also see Earth as well.

Johnson: Earth... haven't seen it in years. When I shipped out for basic, the Orbital Defense Grid was all theory and politics. Now look! The Cairo is just one of three hundred geosync platforms. That MAC gun can put a round clean through a Covenant capital ship. With coordinated fire from the Athens and the Malta, nothing's getting past this battle cluster in one piece.

Several UNSC ships drift past the station.

Y/n: That's a lot of frigates.

Johnson: Ships have been arriving all morning. Nobody's saying much, but I think something big's about to happen.

The tram stops, and they walk out to join a crowd of cheering Marines. Robot cameras hover around them.

Chief: You told me there wouldn't be any cameras.

Johnson: And you told me you boys were gonna wear something nice! Folks need heroes, Chief. To give 'em hope. (fixes his hair) So smile, would ya? While we still got something to smile about!

Y/n: You say that now, but just till you see what the photos and recordings will look like.

The three walk to the end of the room, as the bridge's blast doors open up.

On the Cairo's bridge, dozens of Naval officers cheer as Chief, Y/n, and Johnson approach Lord Hood at the end.

The three salute him.

Lord Hood: Gentlemen, we're lucky to have you back.

An officer whispers in Lord Hood's ear.

Lord Hood: Go ahead, Cortana.

Cortana's avatar appears on a nearby holotank.

Cortana: Another whisper, sir, near Io. We have probes en route.

Hood looks back to the three soldiers.

Lord Hood: I apologize, but we're going to have to make this quick.

Lord Hood turns away.

Cortana looks up at the Chief and Johnson.

Cortana: You look nice.

Chief/Johnson: Thanks./Thank you.

Chief and Johnson look at each other as Y/n quietly snickers.

Lord Hood picks up a Colonial Cross medal from a red-clothed case containing two other Colonial Cross medals.

Lord Hood: Sergeant Major, the Colonial Cross is awarded for acts of singular daring and devotion, for a soldier of the United Earth Space Corps...

Hood pins the medal on Johnson's uniform. He turns back and grabs another medal and approaches Y/n.

Lord Hood: First Lieutenant, the Distinguished Service Cross is awarded for extraordinary heroism against insurmountable opposing armed forces.

Lord Hood hands the medal to Y/n as he stares at the medal, unsure of deserving this award.

A young woman joins the three of them on the left.

Lord Hood: Commander Miranda Keyes. Your father's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service. His bravery in the face of impossible odds reflects great credit, upon himself, and the UNSC. The Navy has lost one of its best.

Hood hands her the Colonial Cross medal. Miranda holds back tears as she accepts the medal.

Alarms then start blaring.

Cortana: Slipspace ruptures directly off our battle cluster.

Lord Hood: Show me.

Images of Covenant ships appear on the display screen above them.

Cortana: Fifteen Covenant capital ships holding position just outside the kill zone.

The screen shows UNSC ships approaching the Covenant fleet.

Fleet Admiral Harper: (COM) This is Fleet Admiral Harper. We are engaging the enemy.

Lord Hood: Negative, Admiral. Form a defensive perimeter around the cluster. (to Miranda Keyes) Commander, get to your ship, link up with the fleet.

Keyes salutes.

Miranda: Yes, sir. (leaves)

Lord Hood: You have the MAC gun, Cortana. Soon as they come in range, open up.

Cortana: Gladly.

Cortana's avatar disappears. Hood turns back to the tactical screen.

Lord Hood: Something's not right... The fleet that destroyed Reach was fifty times this size.

Officer: Sir, additional contacts. Boarding crafts, and lots of 'em!

Lord Hood: They're going to try to take our MAC guns offline, give their capital ships a straight shot at Earth. (turns around) Master Chief, Lieutenant L/n, defend this station!

Chief/Y/n: Yes, sir./Yes, sir!

Chief turns to Johnson.

Chief: We need weapons.

Johnson: Right this way.

The three leave the bridge, as Lord Hood turns back to his command station. Through the bay windows looking up to the MAC cannon, the fleet turns to engage the Covenant attackers. Longsword fighters hurtle overhead trailed by Marathon-class heavy cruisers.

Cairo Defense Coordinator: (loudspeaker) Alert! Boarders inbound!

Chief grabs a battle rifle and tosses one to Y/n before they join Johnson and a squad of Marines. Miranda Keyes and several Navy officers leave on a tram.

Cairo Defense Coordinator: (loudspeaker) All hands report to battle stations. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill! Seal pressure doors. Open weapons lockers.

The Chief, Y/n, Johnson, and the Marines enter Recreation R-01.

Johnson: How's it going, Malta?

Malta Defense Coordinator: (COM) Stand-by... they're latched! Check your targets and watch the crossfires. They're in standard formation: little bastards up front, big ones in back... Good luck, Cairo.

Outside, a Covenant Boarding Craft latches onto the hull, causing the station to shake. Weapons fire is soon heard from outside the doorway.

Johnson: Field of fire on that bulkhead. Soon as that door opens, let 'em have it!

Y/n takes a deep breath.

Y/n: (aims rifle) Here we go again.

The Marines take up position around a sealed bulkhead as Johnson sets up a stationary gun turret. A bright light and crackling noise, like a welding torch, comes from the center of the door, and is soon followed by an explosion.

The door is blasted open and Grunts rush in, followed by their Elite commanders. Soon after, two more Elites, both dual-wielding plasma pistols, jump down from the balcony above the breach. Chief and Y/n take down the Elites as Johnson and the Marines eliminate the Grunts.

Lord Hood: (COM) Find the boarders' point of entry. Cut them off at the source.

Marine: Sirs, we'll secure the area.

Y/n: Good luck, Marines.

Chief and Y/n heads up a flight of stairs and enter Security R-01. Chief mans a portable machine gun while Y/n pops head shots, assisting the Marines below in Commons R-01. They then head downstairs and engages more Covenant in the Commons.

Cairo Defense Coordinator: (loudspeaker) Brace for impact!

A loud clang is heard as a boarding craft attaches to Cairo station.

After securing the Commons, the duo go up another flight of stairs, and steps out onto a catwalk overlooking Hangar A-01, where one of the Covenant boarding craft is docked. They and the Marines engage the Covenant intruders below.

Cairo Defense Coordinator: (loudspeaker) Quick-response teams to the Communications deck!

Once Chief and Y/n finish killing all the Covenant boarders in the first hangar bay, Covenant boarding craft are seen through the windows rapidly leaving Malta Station.

Marine: Hey, check it out! The Malta's already driven off its boarders!

Cortana: (COM) Malta, what is your status, over?

Malta Defense Coordinator: (COM) I don't believe it! They're retreating, we won!

Y/n: Covenant don't retreat without a good reason.

Malta Station suddenly explodes in a huge ball of fire, the barrel of its MAC gun breaking loose and tumbling away.

Y/n: Son of a bitch...

Marine: This is bad! Real bad!

The hangar bay doors explode and another lance of Covenant attack.

Y/n: Behind us!

Chief kills the Elites with his knife as Y/n tosses a grenade, blowing up the Grunts.

Cairo Defense Coordinator: (loudspeaker) All hands, brace for impact!

The station shakes violently as another boarding craft attaches itself to Cairo.

Cairo Defense Coordinator: (loudspeaker) Alert! Hostiles have breached the Port MAC bay!

Chief, Y/n, and the surviving marines head to Hangar A-02 where they find another squad of marines under fire from several Grunt-manned plasma turrets mounted on the catwalk above. Another boarding craft is docked here.

Chief: I got the turrets.

Chief ran up the wall and grabbed the Grunts, before throwing them off the catwalk. He then manned one of the turrets as Y/n and the Marines got into defensive positions, killing the remaining Covenant.

Once they finish killing all the intruders in the second hangar bay Covenant boarding craft are again seen through the windows retreating, only this time, from Athens Station.

Marine: Uh oh! Hey, they're leaving the Athens!

The Athens explodes violently, just like the Malta. The resulting shockwave rocks Cairo Station.

Y/n: (steadies himself) Shit! We're losing serious fortifications!

Lord Hood: (COM) Cortana, assessment!

Cortana: (COM) That explosion came from inside the Athens. Same as the Malta. The Covenant must have brought something with them. A bomb."

Lord Hood: (COM) Then they sure as hell brought one here. Chief, L/n, find it.

Y/n: Count on it, sir!

Chief: Y/n, this way.

Chief motions Y/n to follow him as he takes a route under the hangar bay through MAC Storage, and encounters another lance of Covenant. They near the opposite side of the corridor, where two Stealth Elites emerge. Chief kills the first as the second pins Y/n down, still cloaked.

Y/n sees a discarded plasma pistol and grabs it with all his reach could allow, and charges a blast that makes the Elite's camo disappear before Chief snaps his neck. He extends his hand, which Y/n takes rubbing his throat.

Chief: You all right?

Y/n: Yeah. Man, I hate those Camo Elites.

As they return to the armory, they find the Master Gunnery Sergeant firing a shotgun at a pair of Elites.

Master Gunnery Sergeant: Get the hell out of my armory, split-lip! Oh God—!

The Master Gunnery Sergeant is hit by bolts of plasma and dies.

Y/n: Hey, fuglies!

The Elites turn and see Y/n had grabbed the shotgun from the MGS's dead hands.

Y/n: EAT THIS!

Y/n blows half the face off the Elite on the right before Chief throws the other against the wall and continually bashed the Elite's face until it didn't draw breath anymore.

Chief and Y/n exit the Armory and enters Commons B-01, which has been completely overrun by the Covenant. The alien forces have set up multiple plasma turrets which cover the room and assorted Covenant infantry lurk in the corridors.

They fight their way through the Commons, moving up a flight of stairs, and enters Security B-01, where they dispatch another lance of Covenant.

They exit Security B-01 and enter the tram station where Commander Keyes, Johnson, and a couple Navy officers are engaged in a firefight just outside a docking umbilical leading to the In Amber Clad.

Johnson: Chief, Y/n, this way!

Miranda: I was almost on board when they showed up.

Johnson: Don't worry, ma'am, we're on it.

Y/n takes cover behind a console and pops three Grunts before Chief takes down the Elites.

Once they clear the area of Covenant, Miranda, Johnson and the others head for the boarding umbilical.

Miranda: Thanks, guys. I owe you one.

Chief and Y/n exit the station through an airlock and fight several Elite Rangers in the vacuum of space.

Cortana: (COM) Sir, boarders have breached the fire control center. They have a bomb.

Lord Hood: (COM) Can you defuse it?

Cortana: (COM) Yes, but I'll need the Chief's help to make contact with the detonator.

Lord Hood: (COM) Chief, L/n, get to the bomb, double time! Cortana, prioritize targets and fire at will.

Chief and Y/n re-enter Cairo Station through Portside Shipping, where they are met by Marines near a cargo container. There is a loud buzzing sound and a swarm of Drones appear.

They then take down the swarm and Chief and Y/n slide down the ramp that connects to a loading platform, with a squad of Covenant.

Fleet Admiral Harper: (COM) First Echelon, you're with me, blanket those cruisers, take 'em out one by one. Second Echelon, keep those carriers busy.

Cortana: (COM) Registering all hostile vessels inside the kill zone. Thirteen cruisers, two assault carriers. I'm going loud!

The station's MAC gun begins firing at the Covenant fleet.

Fleet Admiral Harper: (COM) The carriers are breaking through, sir! They're heading straight for the Cairo!

Lord Hood: (COM) Cortana! Concentrate your fire on the first carrier. Admiral, do what you can against the second.

Fleet Admiral Harper: (COM) Everyone, form up. Follow my lead!

Chief and Y/n watch through the open airlock as a massive Covenant Assault Carrier accelerates right past the Cairo and towards Earth, making the entire station shake.

Y/n: What the hell? It missed us!

Cortana: (COM) The first carrier completely ignored us, sir! Blew through the Malta's debris field and headed straight for Earth!

After crossing the MAC's recoil arm in vacuum and killing several more Elite Rangers, Chief and Y/n re-enter the station through another airlock.

They then take an elevator down to the fire control center.

Cortana: (COM) Just so you know, there are quite a few Elites guarding the bomb. You guys may need to get creative.

Y/n: Creativity's our speciality, Cortana.

Chief and Y/n arrive at fire control, where a sizable group of Elites and Grunts are guarding the bomb. The station shakes again.

Outside the window, Chief and Y/n see the second carrier bypassing the Cairo, following the first carrier down to Earth.

Y/n: (quietly) What the hell are they bypassing us for?!

Chief: Later. First we deal with the bomb.

Y/n reloads his rifle and shoots down two before tossing a frag, killing the rest and leaving the Elites. Chief kills the first two with dual SMGs before kicking the last in the face. The Elite stumbles back towards Y/n who blasted the Elite in the gut with his shotgun.

Cortana's holographic avatar appears on a pedestal near the bomb.

Cortana: (to Chief) Me. Inside your head. Now.

Chief touches the pedestal, and Cortana downloads directly into his armor. He steps over to the bomb, and touches the flashing red activation pad at its center. It blinks and turns blue. The threat is neutralized.

Chief: How much time was left?

Cortana: You don't want to know.

Miranda: (COM) Cairo, this is In Amber Clad.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

On bridge of In Amber Clad, where Miranda and Johnson are present and changed into their battle attires.

Miranda: The carrier's shield is down. I'm in position and ready for immediate assault.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

On the Cairo's bridge, Lord Hood is alone.

Lord Hood: Negative, Commander. Not against a ship that size. Not on your own.

Chief: (COM) Sir...

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Back at the bay, Chief is waiting with one hand on the bomb and Y/n at his side.

Chief: ...Permission to leave the station.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Lord Hood: For what purpose, Master Chief?

Chief: (COM) To give the Covenant back their bomb.

Hood pauses to think, and then nods.

Lord Hood: Permission granted. L/n, haul your ass back here, ASAP. I have a mission for you.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Chief starts to drags the bomb, but Y/n gives him a hand.

Chief: You heard Hood. Move.

Y/n: The least I can do is help you get the bomb out of here.

Chief exhales and smiles as he and Y/n yanked the bomb into the elevator and it ascends.

Cortana: I know what you're thinking, and it's crazy.

Chief: So, stay here.

Cortana: Unfortunately for us both... I like crazy.

The elevator reaches an empty Longsword launch bay, and Chief steps out, watching through the huge bay door. The UNSC fleet streams down toward Earth, chasing the Covenant ships.

Y/n stays in the elevator as Chief then steps up to the door's release handle, which drops down above him.

Y/n was about to head back down, but then calls out to the Spartan.

Y/n: Chief! What happens if you miss?

Chief: (calmly) I won't.

Y/n hits the button and heads back down in the elevator to the fire control center. He rushes to the window and watches Chief fly off into space holding onto the bomb.

Y/n could hardly see him anymore, starting to worry until a few minutes he saw a Covenant Assault Carrier explode.

Y/n: (scoffs) Show off.

Y/n then heads back into the elevator to meet up with Lord Hood.

(AND THAT'S THE ONLY CHAPTER OF HALO 2 DONE! ONTO ODST!)