Chapter 10

1:00 HOURS MARCH 18TH, 2525 (MILITARY CALENDAR) REACH WILDERNESS TRAINING PRESERVE)

Chief Mendez sighed and rubbed his temples as he entered his office and lit a Sweet William Cigar. Ever since Halsey's "disappearance". She recently had a new "addition" between herself and the Lieutenant Jacob Keyes.

Her Maternity leave would surely be short, for someone as seemingly cold as herself, or eager to finish what she had started 8 years ago.

He flicked through a report on his desk of the "incident" between RED and BLACK Teams.

Trainee Margaret 053, BLACK Team's leader; he looked over the one-of-many candidates he had torn from their homes and families, an innocent girl he had made into a calcuated machine made to fight the insurrection, which had ravaged like a wildfire throughout the colonies.

3 days ago, trainee 101, Victor. Had come up to him, he had claimed that there was a romantic affair between Margaret herself and another trainee, Otto 31.

all three were of the same team, he never divised Victor's intentions, but that wasn't the matter anymore. Margaret 53 lost her eye to a bloody brawl in the brig by RED Team. In response, he commited RED Team to a day of Fasting.

ever since Otto had been sent to the brig, a day later, he and Victor "made up" from their brawl at the mess.

Then, during recreational hours, Black Team ambushed and beat up Red Team.

His trainees had to put Black Team down with Tactical Training Rounds. He threw their asses back to the brig.

And there were no "altercations" between them, ever again. Mendez closed the file on his display, he brought up another

TO: CPO FRANKLIN MENDEZ

FROM: DOCTOR CATHERINE ELIZABETH HALSEY, PHD

Franklin

"You'll find the specifics of Project: ASTER below, I believe it's time you had a right to know. The trainees, the SPARTANs. Will be shipping to UNSC Hopeful to undergo the procedures. Before you reply and ask, It was a girl, we named her "Miranda".

Halsey never called him "Franklin", it made him confident that it was more frightening than he had anticipated.

Project: ASTER project specification:

>>WARNING: HIGHLY CLASSIFIED MATERIAL: PROPERTY OF ONI SECTION III. POSESSION OF FILES TO ANY UNAUTHORISED PERSONNEL IS SUBJECT TO COURT MARTIAL<<

>>PROCEED?<<

Mendez frowned and cursed in his head, "Damned Spooks" he quietly grunted.

>>INPUT: ENTER<<

>>CONFIRMED<<

Project: ASTER:

Mendez began to read the notes and text of Doctor Halsey, and after this long, he finally began to understand what she believed, and what she wanted.

>>Human Biochemical enchancement procedures have dated back as far as the 20th Century. The desired gain in improving human edurance and physical prowess<<

>>Project ASTER is an entirely seperate phase from training, it will make them into something neither myself or Chief Mendez can. It will make them faster and stronger than any human has ever lived. A modern day Olympian, if you will<<

>>PROCEDURES<<

OCCIPITAL CAPILLARY REVERSAL:

Surgical procedures inducted on the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain. Intended to boost the blood flow between the brain and the subjects retinas, the result is a bolstered visual perception.<<

RISK: 11% of Subjects may suffer from retinal rejection, resulting in permenant blindness

OSSIFICATION OF THE SKELETAL STRUCTURE WITH CARBIDE CERAMICS:

The subjects bone structure is exposed and an advanced carbide ceramic material is grafted into their bones. The result is the bones being virtually unbreakable.

RISK: 3.8% Failure rate due to possible mutations and compromised bone marrow matrix, skeletal growth spurts par puberty may result in irrepairable bone pulverisation.

CALACYLTIC THYROID IMPLANT:

A Platinum Pellet is implanted in the left thyroid gland. Contains a human growth horomone that boosts growth of skeletal and muscle tissues. Pellet is absorbed as the horomone is consumed. Stimulates the growth of muscle and bone tissue, effectively further strengthens the subject's bone structure.

RISK: 2% of subjects recieve Elephantitis. Supressed Sexual Drive

MUSCULAR ENCHANEMENTS:

A Muscular protein complex is injected into the muscular tissue that targets the muscular intercellular machinery to increase muscular strength. Targets muscle molecules.

RISK: 5% of subjects may experience a fatal cardiac increase in volume.

SUPERCONDUCTION OF FIBRICAL NEURAL DENDRITES:

bioelectrical nerve transduction into electric based transduction, shielded. 300% increase in speed of reflexes. Increase in anecdotal memory, speed and creativity.

RISK: 12% of subjects may contract Parkinsons disease or Fletchers syndrome

>>END OF FILE<<

CLOSING NOTE: DOCTOR ELIZABETH CATHERINE HALSEY.

"Chief, like I said, Project: ASTER will make them into something you or I couldn't. I've tried convincing myself that this was for what was right, I sleep better for that. But I don't blame you if you don't agree with my logic, rarely anyone does.

"Ever since SPARTAN II began, I've tried finding ways to reduce the augmentation risks. I've had Admiral Ysionris Jeromi perform experiments on bonobo chimpanzees I told you before about.

The reports in the file are based off his own findings."

"I told you at the beginning of all this. That these children are the only thing standing between civilisation in the stars, or the further extreme prediction of the Carver Findings."

Best Regards.

Catherine.