I carefully placed the dog tags of my fallen team in the pocket of my duffel bag. Today's the day I leave Infinity for the mission. Besides Commander Lasky, everyone on the ship believes that I am being transferred with a few other ODSTs from different companies.

Zack is still devastated, and I could understand why: I'm his second in command and his long-time partner. Losing someone that you can count on watching your back is heartbreaking.

I shake my head. But what good is a partner is they are always distancing themselves from everyone and only speaking when needed.

I slung the duffel over my left shoulder after checking that my sniper, silenced pistol, helmet, and spare armor are in my bag. He'll be fine.. he doesn't need me to help him run his company. Actually.. with me out of the picture, it's just a squad missing from his company.

I take a deep breath before walking out of my room. I take a glance at the sliding door, closing behind me. I'm not sure if I'll see this room again, but who knows?

I made my way through the hallway, towards the hanger bay. As I pass, privates and officers wished me well and "God speed." I don't remember how the phrase "God speed" came to be, but all I know is that it is another version of saying good luck. And I'm pretty sure I'm going to need all the luck I can get-

Someone bumps into my right shoulder, causing me to go into combat-mode instinctively. My right foot uses the moment from the bump to swing my body around and face the person responsible.

It was a female, about two to three years younger than me, I presume. I blinked a few times. She wore the exact same uniform as I did when I was just assigned to lead my squad. Four people stood behind her, and all of them had wide eyes.

"Oh, uh... I-I am so sorry, Lieutenant Mc-McKenna." The girl stutters.

I slightly laugh at her stutter. "It's alright, Sergeant..?"

"Sergeant Rose of Alpha Company, ma'am." She answered.

I raised my eyebrow. "I wasn't aware of a new squad joining the company."

The Sergeant's squad shifted nervously behind her. She lowers her gaze for a moment before raising it back up to answer.

"Well, ma'am... Major Steele didn't want you to know." She said in a small voice.

"Know what?" I asked. Why didn't he want me to know about a new squad in the company?

Rose takes a deep breath. "My squad.. is going to take your squad's place as the new top snipers in the company." She answers with a hint of fear in her voice

"What?" I say in disbelief. Zack wouldn't be that quick to replace me.. but then again, my squad was essential for scouting and stealth missions. "Why didn't he tell me this?" I ask. "If I would have known, I could have helped get you all to get settled into the company before I leave."

"Well.. he said that you wouldn't be able to help us since.. well, you know, THAT day."

"Lieutenant McKenna, we need you at the hanger bay in 15 minutes." Ronald says, appearing in a nearby console.

"Thanks, Ronald," I say, and he disappears. I focus my attention back on the new squad. Rose looks at me and changes the subject. "You're not being transferred. It's a secret mission, isn't it?"

How did she... "What makes you think that?"

"Well.. a transfer wouldn't leave in two days of notice. It takes weeks to finalize and then be shipped off." She reasons, and her squad behind her nods their head in agreement.

"Very observant of you all." I smiled. "But, this was a quick transfer. The other ODSTs knew a few weeks ahead of time, while I was a very late addition to the transfer. Commander Lasky wanted an experience ODST to command the transfers." I lied.

"But that doesn't make sense," Rose says. "They would have chosen a leader the same time as the-"

"Are you questioning my orders, Sergeant?"

Rose and her squad snap to attention as Commander Lasky walks by them and stops beside me.

"No sir, I was just-"

The Commander cuts her off. "You are very observant, Sergeant Rose, as the Lieutenant said. But that doesn't mean to go around and question those above you when something you see is wrong. Lieutenant McKenna was chosen as a late edition due to recent transfers' evaluations, none of them to which would make a good commanding officer. Since she is a solo ODST and has experience leading a squad, she was the best choice."

He scans through the squad. "Do you understand what I am saying?"

"Yes, sir." They all answer.

"Good." He looks at me. "Let's get you to the hanger bay."

He signals me to follow him and walks away from the squad. I look back at the squad and say. "One piece of advice on the battlefield, when the intel is wrong, be prepared for every worst-case scenario and always watch each other's back."

"We will, Lieutenant." Rose answers.

I give them a final nod before catching up to Lasky. I matched his strides and said. "Thank you for the save, sir."

"Just call me Lasky." He says. "And I'd figure that you might get some backlash about being a "late transfer," so it would be easier for me to escort you to the bay."

"Cause no one questions their commanding officer." I say half-jokingly, which makes him chuckle a bit.

We turned down a hall, passing more soldiers that wished me well and nothing more, and stopped by an elevator. We stood in silence as it arrived and stepped in. It was empty, which was a good thing because there are a few things I want to ask the Captain about. He pushed the button for the hanger bay and put his hands behind his back.

"Ronald?" He says.

"Yes, Cap?" The A.I. answers.

"Make sure no one can hear our conversation in this elevator." He orders.

"You got it!"

"I'm assuming that you have read the files?" He says.

I nod my head. "The prisoner used to be a UNSC Corporal. But after saving his platoon at an abandoned Outpost by disobeying orders, his commanding officer got mad at him, and the prisoner punched him. And apparently, those two never got along."

"It is a tough case to see who was right and wrong in that case. One can say that he disobeyed orders, but it can easily be counter with him saving his platoon." He shakes his head. "What else?"

"Well, after falling out with the UNSC, he joined Project Freelancer. From there, he gained more training in various skills. He's mainly known for his knife combat and how he can easily adapt to certain situations, like being able to lock pick when the current lock picker was in the infirmary." I continued.

He nods. "You have an interesting mission on your hands, Lindsey. He's dangerous, and we don't know how much Project Freelancer has brainwashed him. For all we know, Project Freelancer is still active, and it's your job to find out where they are operating."

The elevator stops, and the doors open, revealing the hanger bay filled with Pelicans. I stepped out of the elevator and faced the Captain. "I'll get the job done, sir."

"God speed, McKenna." He pushes a button on the elevator. "You're going to need it."

With that, the elevator closes, leaving me to stare at the closed door. He's right about needing all the luck I can get.

I adjusted my duffel to my other shoulder and headed towards the Pelican, taking me and other ODSTs to our new location. Some were in groups talking amongst themselves while others waited inside the Pelican. A private comes over to me and takes my duffel to store with the ship. I scan the area for familiar faces...

And I see one.

Zack, leaning against the Pelican, staring at me with no helmet on. I can see his black, spiky hair with hazel eyes.

I freeze a bit at sight before pulling myself together. He understands having his ODSTs be transferred to another post, right? This is no different.

Not to mention, he looks rather hot without that helmet.

I calmly walked up to him and asked. "Aren't you supposed to be with the boys?"

He doesn't say anything and looks at me with pleading eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask him, even though I probably know what he wants. I'm also not going to bring up the new squad because I'm pretty sure my transfer is more than he can bear at the moment.

He takes a small breath. "Please stay..."

My heart breaks a bit. "Zack, you know I can't-"

"Yes, you can! You're still my second in command, Lin. We can take it up with Lasky and fight for you to stay!"

"But Zack, his decisions are final. There's no fighting anything." I tell him. "I thought we had an agreement when we first started that if one of us gets transfer-"

"I know. I know. That we wouldn't tell them to stay because it is our duty." He finishes. "But I don't know what I would do without you.."

"You'll be fine.. we both will." I assured him.

The pilot came out to the entrance of the Pelican and announced before going back inside. "Alright folks: those leaving for Charon Industries, climb aboard and take a seat!"

"Well, this is it." I take a step back away from Zack, but he grabs my hand and gently squeezed it. "Lindsey, please.."

"Zack-"

"I like you."

My eyes grew wide. "What?"

"I should have told you sooner but," He starts. "But I like you a lot. From the way you look, your skills, to your personality. You're everything I could ask for. And I don't want to lose you... please, stay."

My mind spins at this news. He.. likes me?

"I.." I am so lost for words right now. Never in my wildest dreams would I think that Zack would like me. Ever.

"Please, Lin. For me?"

I'm actually happy at the news of him liking me because I have wanted something more with him for a while. I find myself torn between wanting to stay and start this new chapter of my life with him.. but the mission I was tasked with is vital to the UNSC and ONI. I can't let personal feelings get in the way of my duty of being an ODST.

I have to go on this mission.

"Zack, I want to stay. I really do." He perks up at this. "But you know our deal: duty first."

"But-"

"Last call for Charon Industries!"

"Hey, I'll do my best to come back to Infinity.. and you. Right now, the Captain wants me there to take charge until they can find a suitable commanding officer there. It's not permitted."

"Ok.. ok." He agrees. "Promise me that you'll come back."

"I will." I assured him.

"McKenna!"

Zack gently squeezed my hand before he lets go. I give him a small smile before boarding the Pelican.

"Nice to see you finally decide to come aboard, Lieutenant." The pilot says. "You can take the co-pilot seat."

"Thank you, Corporal." I followed him to the cockpit and climbed into the co-pilot seat.

"Infinity, this is Pelican-053. We are ready for take-off." The pilot says into the radio.

"Copy that, Corporal. Please stand by."

I look out the windshield and see Zack standing by the elevator doors, watching as the Pelican begins its launch preparations. The last time I'll see him in who knows how long...

"Pelican-053, you are clear for takeoff."

"Roger that, Infinity. Lieutenant, lift the landing gears on my mark."

"Copy that, Corporal." I answered, focusing my attention on the controls.

The launchpad lowers down to a long corridor. The ceiling closes above us as the doors in front of us open, revealing the black void covered with bright white dots.

He starts up the engines and says. "Here we go."

He moves the Pelican forward, out of Infinity, and to space. "Lift the gears."

"Copy that. Lifting gears." I pushed a button that lifted the landing gears, allowing the Pelican to have full mobility.

"This is Pelican-053. We are on course to the Staff of Charon." The pilot says.

"Acknowledge, Corporal. Have a safe flight and God speed."

He flies the Pelican into the nothingness and answers. "Roger that. Pelican-053 out."