Noble 7

Major Burke replaced his spent shotgun shell and stepped on a dead Elite's chest as he walked over it on his way to the others.

"Everybody make it?"

Warren did a quick head count, then reported to Burke, "All present and accounted for sir."

"Not everyone," Seven corrected with dismay.

He was looking off to where Schultz lay unmoving. Burke thought the guy seemed to be taking the loss unusually hard, which was especially strange for a Spartan II. They had grown from a childhood of rigorous training steered toward maximum killing efficiency. Having lived such a lifestyle for so long, surely they understood loss better than most. Right? Burke pondered this a moment and decided to level with him.

"You can't save them all Spartan. That's war. We don't decide who lives and who gets taken."

Seven nodded, but said nothing.

Burke shrugged his shoulders and added, "There was nothing we could do."

A radio transmission came in just then. It was Carter.

"Burke, Seven, what's your status?"

Burke answered for them. Seven was still looking over at the dead trooper and didn't seem to in the best state for communications right now.

"Green sir, all clear out here."

"Good to hear, now get up to the tower atrium. Jun, Jorge and I are pinned down with a handful of troopers and could use some assistance. I sent Emile ahead to deal with the enemy aircraft dropping troops, but his fire team got hit hard. He's on his own. One of you needs to get up there to help him out."

Burke swirled a finger around and Whiskey-One started towards the bunker.

"Sit tight, Commander. We're en route."

Seven had walked over and started collecting the weapons the Elites had brought. He turned and caught Burke's gaze and assured him, "I'm right behind you. Go on ahead, I'll meet you there."

"Rog'."

"Is he alright?" Melissa, the ODST lieutenant, asked Burke when he caught up to them a moment later inside the bunker.

Burke honestly wasn't sure, but still replied, "Yeah, he's fine. Just needs a moment to clear his head is all."

They were all standing in a group yet talking separately, waiting for the elevator car to come down. The ODSTs all seemed amped and revved for the next battle. Even Daniel, who held one hand up the gash in his chest plate as he conversed.

Ding.

The doors slid open and the five ODSTs piled inside. It looked somewhat cramped and the Major was by no means a small man. Even before the growth spurt the super soldier serum had given him, he'd had a strong, stocky build. After sampling both worlds, Burke decided that tall was the way to go in his line of work. It didn't pay to be small when fighting against giant alien alligators or alien gorillas with hides as thick as rhino skin.

"Comin' with?" Melissa asked.

"Nah go ahead, I'll take the next one."

"See you up there."