Chapter 31

Location: UNSC Forward Base - Outer Rim Colony World

Date: April 10, 2533

Time: 0600 Hours

Two months. It had been two months since Sam had been reassigned to a non-deployable unit. The UNSC didn't take risks with pregnant soldiers, and once her condition was confirmed, the decision was made quickly. She was no longer part of Beta Four—no longer out there in the field with us, patching us up and keeping us alive. And once she was cleared for active duty again, she wouldn't be coming back. UNSC regulations were clear—fraternization between soldiers, especially those in the same chain of command, wasn't allowed.

But the war didn't stop for anyone, not even for something as personal as that. Sam and I had made our relationship official after her transfer—no more dancing around what we both knew was inevitable. She was my fiancée now. And yet, she felt so far away. Occasionally, a message from her would light up my datapad, a brief reprieve from the chaos of the war. But no matter how much I wanted to be with her, my duty to the UNSC came first. There was always another battle, another deployment, and that left little room for anything else.

I sat on the edge of my bunk, staring down at my datapad. Another message from Sam had come in during the night.

Hey, love. Just checking in. Things are slow here, just routine supply duties, but the baby's healthy, and so am I. I miss you. Can't wait to see you again. Let's talk soon.

Love, Sam.

I felt a knot in my chest as I read her words. It had been weeks since I'd seen her, and the few messages we exchanged were hardly enough. I missed her too—more than I could put into words. But with the war stretching on, there was no telling when, or if, we'd get the chance to be together again.

"Cass," Alice called from across the room, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You ready? Briefing's in ten."

I nodded, setting the datapad aside and forcing myself to focus. There was no room for distractions, not out here. We had a job to do, and the Covenant wasn't waiting around for anyone.

Location: UNSC Forward Base - Briefing Room

Date: April 10, 2533

Time: 0630 Hours

The briefing room was filled with the usual hum of tension as we gathered for the next mission. The squad had been stretched thin over the past few weeks, running operations across the Outer Colonies as the Covenant continued their relentless assault. The losses were starting to pile up, and the strain was visible on everyone's faces.

Gunnery Sergeant Doss stood at the front of the room, his expression as hard as ever. He'd been pushing us harder lately, but it wasn't out of cruelty. He knew what was at stake. We all did.

"Listen up," Doss began, his voice commanding the attention of everyone in the room. "We've got intel that the Covenant is gearing up for a major assault on one of the Outer Rim colonies—Miranda. They've already hit several smaller settlements in the area, and UNSC forces are being deployed to reinforce the defenses."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the room. "Beta Four will be part of the first wave. Our mission is to drop into the outskirts of the colony, secure the perimeter, and hold until reinforcements arrive. We're expecting heavy resistance, so I hope you're all ready to dig in."

The weight of his words settled over the room like a cloud. Another mission. Another battle. And still, no end in sight.

Alice glanced at me from her seat beside Doss, her face unreadable. We'd both been leading our fireteams for months now, but the weight of command never seemed to get any lighter. The rookies under our command were tough, but I could see the strain in their eyes too. They were starting to understand just how long and brutal this war was going to be.

I forced myself to focus on the mission details, pushing thoughts of Sam and everything else out of my mind. There was no room for it right now. We had to survive this next deployment first.

Location: UNSC Forward Base - Drop Bay

Date: April 10, 2533

Time: 0800 Hours

The familiar rumble of the Pelican's engines filled the drop bay as we prepared for deployment. I checked my gear one last time, going through the motions like I had a hundred times before. The weight of my armor, the cold steel of the rifle in my hands—it was all second nature now. But today, it felt heavier than usual.

As we boarded the Pelican, I caught a glimpse of Alice out of the corner of my eye. She was leading her fireteam with the same calm focus she always had, but there was a tightness in her jaw that I recognized all too well. The last few months had been hard on everyone, but we were still here, still fighting.

The Pelican lifted off with a jolt, the bay doors closing behind us as we ascended into the sky. I leaned back against the cold metal of the bulkhead, staring at the floor as the familiar hum of the engines drowned out everything else.

I pulled out my datapad one more time, opening the last message from Sam and rereading it. It was a small comfort, but it was all I had. She was out there, somewhere, safe for now. That had to be enough.

For a long moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like to be with her—to not be fighting, to not have to worry about the next mission or the next battle. But that was just a fantasy. The reality was that the war wasn't going to end anytime soon, and neither was my duty to the UNSC.

I slipped the datapad back into my pack, closing my eyes as the Pelican rumbled through the atmosphere. I'd see Sam again, eventually. But right now, I had to survive this. We all did.