The stars were shining bright in the sky on this Georgian night. A warm breeze blew gently, leaving the tall grass and trees to sway along. Most of Earth was covered in advanced technology, but this place was an hour out of Atlanta, and it was just how God left it way back when. An occasional airplane or spacecraft would fly by or up, but other than that, it was quiet. A house stood alone in this large field of trees and tall grass. From the roof, a man and young girl climbed on top. The man wore a gray t-shirt, some comfortable jeans, and a watch on his wrist. His dark brown hair was messy, but fit him perfectly, and with the combo of his five o'clock shadow made him quite handsome. He helped the young girl up, who was wearing a pink jacket, some jeans, and sneakers. Her dirty blonde hair was in a pony tail, and her striking blue eyes stared up at the sky with amazement. "Whoah, watch your step..." The man said gently, holding her hand until they got to the perfect sitting spot and then sat down.
"Whoah! Look how many stars!" The little girl exclaimed, a large smile on her face. "Yeah, there's a ton..." The man replied with a nod. "How many have you been to?" She asked innocently. Raymond Chase laughed a bit, glancing up again. "Too many to count Kid. Way too many." There was a short pause. "Like, more than ten?" Ray laughed, putting an arm around her. "that sounds about right." The two sat in silence for a moment, taking in the view.
"Uncle Ray... Did you ever bring Mommy up here?" Ray was silent for a couple seconds, then he looked over at Rebecca Chase, and nodded with a weak smile. "yeah... Your Uncle Benny, your mom and I would go up here and see if we could see our dad flying around with the stars." Raymond said softly. "Were the places you went cool?"
"Yep. Some were."
"Is that why you're going back to see the stars again?" She asked quietly. Raymond turned to face her again. "That's not why i'm leaving Kid... Not even Heaven could tempt me from staying away from you... I'm going back out there so I can protect people from the bad guys. To protect especially you, and your uncle, and your grandma."
"you're like a super hero...!" she said, coming to a realization, her gaze looking at her godfather with a smile. Raymond laughed, and then put his hands on his waist in a heroic stance. "Super Ray! Savior of the galaxy, protector or earth, and still able to tuck you in bed precisely at your bed time!" Ray said in a deep voice, Rebecca started to giggle. "you're silly!"
"yeah, well your stuck with me and my silliness... Look, no matter what you here, or what people tell you: I Will come back. I promise you." Ray looked at her with sincerity. This was one thing he wasn't going to break. "If I miss you... I can just come up here and try to find you." Ray gave a weak smile yet again. This girl was so innocent. "yeah, and i'll do the exact same thing. Come on, lets get you to bed... after a midnight snack. How does ice cream sound?"
"yes!!" Rebecca squealed, jumping up and walking to the way off the roof. Captain Raymond Chase got up and followed after her, a smile on his face.
ONI Alpha Site
New Mombosa, Africa
Earth, Sol
"I would like to welcome you back, Captain Chase. I heard stories about Tidal Wave during the War. Wish I could see your team in action."
"yeah, back then I was meaner, more in shape, but still as good looking as ever."
Captain Raymond Chase sat in front of an ONI officer in an office overlooking the rebuilding city. The woman at the desk gave a laugh at his comment, handing him a small computer chip. "Here are the rosters of your new ODST's. Although you might see some surprising ranks, you will be in full control of the team." Raymond nodded, taking the chip. "Yes ma'am. I'm sure I can find my commander voice again. When will the Achilles be taking off?"
"the UNSC Achilles will depart when all of the members of the crew make it. There isn't much of a rush today."
"Understood." Raymond said, standing up, and giving a salute. "Good Luck, Captain."
Not comforting words... Raymond thought to himself as he walked out of the door, and down the hall.
--
Raymond made it to the bunker where the large ship was stationed. He stared up at it in awe, his dufflebag on his shoulder carrying personal items, and some food his mom (and niece) made him. He was nervous, excited, afraid, and motivated all at once. It will be good to see some old friends from before, a bit intimidating to stare down a Spartan after he's been gone for so long, and they were also working with some Shangheili.... He just hoped that they would all get along in this closed in space. He was told his armor was waiting for him in the ship when needed. So for now he wore black cargo pants with matching boots, a gray athletic shirt with ODST on his right chest, and his dufflebag.
Marines and Spartans were walking to and from, all having their missions. Either loading up the spacecraft, boarding another one, or landing from one. Raymond was too busy looking at the ship that he accidentally bumped in to a group of soldiers. "Sorry, its... big ship." he said with a shrug and smile, and finally reaching the entrance to the Achilles.
"Whoah! Look how many stars!" The little girl exclaimed, a large smile on her face. "Yeah, there's a ton..." The man replied with a nod. "How many have you been to?" She asked innocently. Raymond Chase laughed a bit, glancing up again. "Too many to count Kid. Way too many." There was a short pause. "Like, more than ten?" Ray laughed, putting an arm around her. "that sounds about right." The two sat in silence for a moment, taking in the view.
"Uncle Ray... Did you ever bring Mommy up here?" Ray was silent for a couple seconds, then he looked over at Rebecca Chase, and nodded with a weak smile. "yeah... Your Uncle Benny, your mom and I would go up here and see if we could see our dad flying around with the stars." Raymond said softly. "Were the places you went cool?"
"Yep. Some were."
"Is that why you're going back to see the stars again?" She asked quietly. Raymond turned to face her again. "That's not why i'm leaving Kid... Not even Heaven could tempt me from staying away from you... I'm going back out there so I can protect people from the bad guys. To protect especially you, and your uncle, and your grandma."
"you're like a super hero...!" she said, coming to a realization, her gaze looking at her godfather with a smile. Raymond laughed, and then put his hands on his waist in a heroic stance. "Super Ray! Savior of the galaxy, protector or earth, and still able to tuck you in bed precisely at your bed time!" Ray said in a deep voice, Rebecca started to giggle. "you're silly!"
"yeah, well your stuck with me and my silliness... Look, no matter what you here, or what people tell you: I Will come back. I promise you." Ray looked at her with sincerity. This was one thing he wasn't going to break. "If I miss you... I can just come up here and try to find you." Ray gave a weak smile yet again. This girl was so innocent. "yeah, and i'll do the exact same thing. Come on, lets get you to bed... after a midnight snack. How does ice cream sound?"
"yes!!" Rebecca squealed, jumping up and walking to the way off the roof. Captain Raymond Chase got up and followed after her, a smile on his face.
ONI Alpha Site
New Mombosa, Africa
Earth, Sol
"I would like to welcome you back, Captain Chase. I heard stories about Tidal Wave during the War. Wish I could see your team in action."
"yeah, back then I was meaner, more in shape, but still as good looking as ever."
Captain Raymond Chase sat in front of an ONI officer in an office overlooking the rebuilding city. The woman at the desk gave a laugh at his comment, handing him a small computer chip. "Here are the rosters of your new ODST's. Although you might see some surprising ranks, you will be in full control of the team." Raymond nodded, taking the chip. "Yes ma'am. I'm sure I can find my commander voice again. When will the Achilles be taking off?"
"the UNSC Achilles will depart when all of the members of the crew make it. There isn't much of a rush today."
"Understood." Raymond said, standing up, and giving a salute. "Good Luck, Captain."
Not comforting words... Raymond thought to himself as he walked out of the door, and down the hall.
--
Raymond made it to the bunker where the large ship was stationed. He stared up at it in awe, his dufflebag on his shoulder carrying personal items, and some food his mom (and niece) made him. He was nervous, excited, afraid, and motivated all at once. It will be good to see some old friends from before, a bit intimidating to stare down a Spartan after he's been gone for so long, and they were also working with some Shangheili.... He just hoped that they would all get along in this closed in space. He was told his armor was waiting for him in the ship when needed. So for now he wore black cargo pants with matching boots, a gray athletic shirt with ODST on his right chest, and his dufflebag.
Marines and Spartans were walking to and from, all having their missions. Either loading up the spacecraft, boarding another one, or landing from one. Raymond was too busy looking at the ship that he accidentally bumped in to a group of soldiers. "Sorry, its... big ship." he said with a shrug and smile, and finally reaching the entrance to the Achilles.