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  • Subject: [Story] ODST: The Rise to Recon
Subject: [Story] ODST: The Rise to Recon

I originally placed this thread in the Halo 3 Forum AND the Bungie.net Community Forum, but I was informed that the Gallery Forum is the best place, since it is created media. Sorry about the first two posts. Please comment ideas and feedback. Thanks.

This is the first part of my story. There will be several parts that range from the beginning of the Human-Covenant war until the end. My story focuses upon an ODST officer named Joe Sanders. This is his rise to glory and fame as a Spartan-II who undergoes his own trials as he dons his own personal suit of Recon armor. Like most of us, Joe wants his own personal achievements to be seen by all, and starts by rising to Strike Commander. He then becomes a candidate for the Spartan-II program on Earth. Although he is kept from his family he makes bonds with others at his military facility and eventually gets his own personal suit of MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/R Variant, otherwise known as Recon Armor. This is a story for the release of ODST and the Mythic Maps. Although this has nothing to do with the game I decided to make a story of an ODST rising into the Spartan-II program before the game comes out.

To all those at Bungie, and the Halo community.
Love, Kurupt Blaze.

Chapter 1: Welcome to RECON

July 4, 2519.
Strike Commander, Joe Sanders.
Seventh Shock Battalion.


On July 4, 2519, years before the beginning of the Human-Covenant War that rocked the foundations of Earth and it's people, the world was at a moment of peace. In the United States, on Independence Day, the fireworks blasted overhead as Strike Commander Joe Sanders sat overlooking the annual celebration his family held.

He had returned home to New England for one week, the longest amount of time he had ever got off in one leave. He looked up at the sky; past the fireworks wondering what amazing things lied beyond the veil of the Galaxy. He looked back down to Echo Lake, which had a calming effect on him, and noticed his young nephew coming to greet him.

"Uncle Joe?" His nephew Kyle said as he approached. "What are you doing all alone on this bench over here? Don't you want to go and eat some of the hamburgers being cooked on the grill?" As Joe turned his eyes from the lake towards his nephew he smiled and replied, "I'll be there in a few minutes kiddo. I was just looking at the sky, wondering what's out there. There must be something out there... bigger than the both of us, don't ya think?"

His nephew came over and sat next to him. "I don't know uncle Joe. I haven't really though about it. I figured you would know after you went with the army out there. If you do happen to go, can you get me something from another planet?" Joe smiled at his nephew's juvenile question. "Sure kiddo, if I go into outer space, I'll be sure to get you something, but I honestly don't know what I'm going to be doing. I just finished my recent training, and I heard I'm supposed to be going for more tests at a new program..."

Kyle looked up thoughtfully at this response, "Well uncle Joe, the family is proud of you, you really have rose through the ranks, but what do you think you're going to be doing?" Joe looked back up to the stars past the blazing fireworks and thought to himself. Then he looked back down, "I don't know buddy, I think its only recon, but I can't wait. I'll be thinking of you all the entire time until I get back."

Kyle looked back towards the house and then to the lake. "Lets go get something to eat, I'm starving! We can talk more about this back up on the deck." Joe immediately got up and lifted his nephew up into his arms. "Alright buddy, lets go get a burger." Joe walked back to the house with his nephew in his arms and decided to put the idea of space to rest for now.

* * *

August 28, 2519.

Joe stared out at the desert landscape outside his window for hours, waiting for the time when the jeep would go back onto a road, but it never did. Joe was in a large military jeep, but there was only his supervisor, a driver, and himself. The empty seats in the back of the jeep gave Joe an ominous feeling about what was to come.

He was now on his way to his special program, which happened to take him all the way out to Western Australia, half a world away from his home in New England. Joe had been used to moving by now, however, because he had been to training camps and military bases all over the world working his way up to the rank of Strike Commander.

He was only twenty-eight years old, but he was in fine physical condition. He had a slender face, muscular, fit body, and was able to outperform all of his peers since he was a boy. He had dark brown hair and eyes, and short cut hair in military style.

As the jeep turned and started down a hill, a large grassland fell before it. Joe stared out towards the scenery with awe, and in the distance, he made out the familiar image of a city. "Sir," he said to his supervisor in the front seat, "Where exactly is this place that we're going to?"

The supervisor turned around looking at Joe with a smile, "Joe, relax man, this is going to be fine, we're just going to a test facility in Swanbourne, Perth. You know, the city in Australia?" Joe looked back from the window, "Yeah, I know, I was there once for scout training. They were working on some experimental armor the last time I checked."

The supervisor looked surprised at Joe's answer. "Yes, you're right, well that's where this new program is. Look Joe, the government wants to know what's out there. You know, past the veil of the galaxy. They want to know what's in other galaxies, the entire Sol system. There could be life, and we need someone to go out there. We need people to get the colonies together and start a expedition to other systems."

Joe looked surprised, "Sir traveling those distances... that might be a little impossible, don't you think?" "Not at all Joe... not at all, well we're getting closer, get some rest before we get to the facility. They're expecting a lot out of you."

Joe woke up as the jeep pulled past a large metal gate topped with barbed wire. The jeep pulled into a building that resembled a hangar. The floor was open, however, and the jeep went down underground into a large metal tunnel and continued down. Joe stared out into the dimly lit tunnel and noticed that there were guards every so often at checkpoints.

As the car came to an abrupt stop, the supervisor looked back and stared at Joe. "Alright buddy, this is time where I say bye. The time has come for you to get transferred over to a new supervisor."

Joe looked at his supervisor and became vehement. "What the hell? Are you kidding me Frank, I mean sir? I didn't sign up for this, all you told me was that I had to come here for training and physical tests for a while... And now I get a new supervisor... You kept me from that one truth... what else have you been keeping from me?"

The supervisor looked down, dismayed by what he had to tell Joe now. "Joe, as you know troops are dying from rebels, we need a unifying force. You're going to be here for a few years, no leaving. You don't get to go back home, and these tests could go on for a number of years..." Joe became bewildered by the fact that he couldn't see anyone on the outside world, and then came back to reality.

"So you're kidnapping me... what the hell is this man? I didn't ask for this... so what is this for... So I can get some extra leadership training for my squad... Really, come on now Frank. Be honest with me here!" Frank stared back with a blank expression. "Joe, this is a Spartan-II training facility. You were the only candidate with the willingness, ambition, physical capabilities, and leadership potential."

"Willingness?" Joe blurted out, "There was no damn willingness on my part! You know how I feel about Spartans! After one of those... things left three soldiers dead and another one severely injured... They're not even human."

Frank looked away, "I'm sorry Joe, and this is what has to be done... Prove those other guys wrong; show there is human in a Spartan. This is your new home for now... your squad will be put into the hands of a capable Commander... I'm sorry."

Joe immediately opened the jeep door and stepped out, "Thanks a lot Frank... honestly... you've done a lot for me, but tell those guys upstairs to get some common sense." Without another word, Joe got up and the door closed behind him.

The jeep began to drive off as Joe picked up his belongings and met a doctor at the door the underground facility. "Welcome to Project RECON. I'm sorry this had to happen without your knowing." The doctor turned out to be a young woman in her early thirties. "I'm Dr. Blais. It's good to meet you Joe... I'll show you to your room and we can begin to get to know one another."


[Edited on 03.04.2009 6:28 PM PST]

  • 03.02.2009 3:13 PM PDT

Nice, I like how you brought in the ODSTs general resentment against Spartans into the story, keep it up.

  • 03.02.2009 10:28 PM PDT

Great story. Keep the good work.

  • 03.03.2009 2:13 AM PDT

I like.

  • 03.03.2009 9:20 PM PDT

Hey everyone, I haven't posted the next chapter yet because I haven't finished, but for those of you who have read my story and like it, I will be putting a new chapter up every weekend. Thanks for reading, and please leave any feedback that would help out the story in your comments. Thanks again!

  • 03.05.2009 2:08 PM PDT