18 Chapter 18

Upon returning to Algolis, Axel's focus shifted back to the Spartan program and the young Spartans he was responsible for. During their training, he balanced compassion and understanding with strict discipline and demanded absolute obedience from them.

They were the future of Humanity and as such they were not normal soldiers nor should they act like normal soldiers. But they are still human, which is something that Axel constantly stressed to them.

Regardless of their future paths, they will always be human and nothing can change that, no matter the situation or others' perceptions.

In the early morning hours, he would gather the young Spartans in the training hall. The air was cold and filled with anticipation. Axel, standing tall and imposing, would begin his lessons.

"Remember," he'd say, his voice echoing in the room, "you are not just soldiers. You are defenders of humanity. Each one of you has a purpose that extends beyond the battlefield. Your strength lies not only in your ability to fight but also in your capacity to comprehend and empathize with those you strive to defend."

These were not easy concepts for the young trainees who had been rigorously drilled into believing they were merely weapons forged for war. But Axel persisted, unraveling their preconceived notions, urging them to think critically about their role as Spartans.

During the days, they trained hard – learning new combat techniques, studying military strategy, honing their physique to peak perfection. But in the evenings, Axel made them sit around a burning fireplace while he weaved stories of great heroes who balanced valor with kindness; warriors who epitomized bravery yet understood the pain of loss. These legendary figures hailed from a time long gone, when battles were fought with swords and bows instead of guns and bombs. However, their stories still hold significance and can influence our thoughts and actions even in modern times.

This dichotomy – this contrast between being a weapon and being human – was something many took time to understand. There were moments of pushback and confusion, but Axel remained confident that he could shape these young minds into something more than mere machines of war.

Every day for the next few months Axel trained with the Spartans along side Chief Mendez until his promotion to Rear Admiral had came through.

Axel had travelled back to Earth where he stood in front of a few higher ranking Admirals including Admiral Cole and Admiral Ross and received his new rank as a two star Admiral.

It was a little surprising that he jumped directly up to a two star Admiral instead of being a one star Admiral first. But he didn't complain since there was no point at complaining over a higher rank.

Though he had the idea that Admiral Ross probably had to step over a few toes to get him that rank. While he wasn't trustworthy yet he was still an asset in which Axel used to get a much higher rank within the UNSC.

Upon receiving his promotion to two-star Admiral, the youngest at the age of 25, his popularity spread across multiple planets within the UNSC. His name was plastered on various media platforms, solidifying his status as a rising star within the UNSC.

But amidst the flashing lights and deafening roars of applause, Axel remained unmoved. His rise within the ranks of the UNSC was something planned and so far it was a success.

With his innovations which would greatly enhance the UNSC, he could transform it into a much stronger military power. That alone would warrant promotions and awards from the higher ranking military members.

And while his adversaries would increase within the UNSC, his determination stayed steadfast. He knew that each step taken higher up the ladder meant more enemies waiting in the shadows, waiting for him to fail. But fear did not have a place in Axel's heart.

With his new rank, he was exposed to more resources and strategic intel which he funneled back into the Spartan program, ensuring they were always ahead and evolving.

After the ceremony he was granted 3 additional ships to form a battlegroup. Two of them were the Gorgon-class heavy destroyer which was the first of it's class introduced into the UNSC.

The last ship was the Epoch-class heavy carrier which is currently the most heaviest carrier in service in the UNSC. The Epoch-class carrier contained 12 hangar bays, each of which held three dropships and two fighters. In addition it also carries 800 Marines. They also carry a number of strike fighters and troop transports. It also could hold up to a total of 36 Dropships and 24 fighters.

Adding his current ship, the Halcyon-class light cruiser he now had a total of 4 ships to form a Battlegroup to engage the insurrectionists within the outer colonies.

Admiral Ross had put him in command of the UNSC Battlegroup called Battle Group Tango. Immediately upon receiving his Battlegroup, Axel was given orders to engage all insurrectionists within the outer colonies and maintain stability and order.

Axel accepted the assignment and had returned to Algolis on his Halcyon cruiser. The rest of the the battlegroup was still equipped with the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine and it would take 2 Months before they would arrive at Algolis where Axel would equip them with their own warp drive.

For each ship Axel would have to design a different sized warp drive because of the weight of the ships which were different and the size.

For the Heavy destroyers the warp drive would only need to increase in size and reactor would need to be improved to increase the ship's power output.

To accommodate the Heavy Carrier, Axel would have to enlarge both the warp drive and the reactor, as it was significantly larger than the destroyers and Halcyon Light Cruiser and carried a much heavier weight.

The warp drive would have to be expanded in order to handle the added weight and size of the ship. Fortunately, this wouldn't be a time-consuming task and could easily be finished before they reached Algolis.

And now that he was a two star Admiral Axel needed to start paying attention to Politics. Axel was not ignorant of the political games being played within the walls of the UNSC headquarters. He knew that every move he made was watched with hawk-like scrutiny; his actions analyzed for weaknesses.

As of now his only allies were Admiral Ross and Admiral Cole. But those could change at anytime especially since Admiral Ross had caused a lot of problems within the UNSC by forcing through Axel's promotion.

A few other Admirals and the very small few Fleet Admirals were worried that Admiral Ross was over using his authority to force promote Axel to the rank of two star Admiral. Though the biggest reason was simply because of jealousy, they didn't think that Axel deserved to be a two star Admiral and was highly upset at his quick rise to power.

Even if within the security council Admiral Ross had gotten a majority of votes to promote Axel a lot of people within the UNSC navy was the main ones voicing their opposition to Axel's new rank.

The other branches didn't have much of a negative opinion partly because they weren't directly affected.

His promotion was seen by many as a threat - an unpredictable factor shaking up the old order. But there were also those moved by his vision - officers and soldiers alike who saw hope for a stronger future under his leadership.