Mike Spenser

Mike Spenser, callsign Kilo-39, is an agent of the Department of Colonial Security working closely in concert with the Office of Naval Intelligence as an interpreter and spy. By 2553, he was in his late fifties. His knowledge of Sangheili dialects surpassed that of Professor Evan Phillips.

Biography
Mike Spenser is an experienced veteran spook who spent most of his career listening to enemy voice traffic, starting with colonial insurgents and later Covenant. Earlier in his career, he worked with Captain Serin Osman, whom he nicknamed "Oz". She was only 16 at the time working undercover as a cadet on a study attachment, the name stuck from then on.

By early 2553, he was operating a temporary listening station on Reynes, a glassed mining colony. For two years, he lived in the station, which was based inside one of the mines on the barren planet. He was entirely alone there, with the exception of an Unggoy that cleaned his base, and several Kig-Yar that he traded with.

In January 2553, he was relieved of his duties on the planet, and was to be picked up by the Kilo-Five's corvette. Malcolm Geffen and Vasily Beloi extracted Spenser from the planet but not before they were involved in a brief firefight with several Kig-Yar, who were attempting to claim the team's dropship for themselves. Soon after, he was transferred to the UNSC destroyer Monte Cassino over Venezia's orbit and taken back to HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6 for debriefing. Shortly afterward, he was assigned to monitor resurgent rebel and black market activity brewing on Venezia, with a cover identity as an electrician named Mike Amberley.

Later in March, Mal Geffen and Vaz Beloi were assigned to meet up with Spenser. Once in Spenser's hideout in the city of New Tyne, Spenser showed them pictures of all the insurrectionist leaders based on the planet. They looked through the pictures and found one of them to be Naomi-010's father, Staffan Sentzke. Kilo-Five's investigation was put on hold when they had to commence a rescue mission on Sanghelios.

In April, Kilo-Five returned to Venezia to resume its investigation. With Spenser's help, Vaz and Naomi went undercover as UNSC deserters and investigated Venezia's black markets. During their investigation of insurrectionist activity on the planet, they spotted Staffan Sentzke in company with the possessor of Pious Inquisitor, Skirmisher Sav Fel. Spenser confirmed their identities and later suggested that they should tail Fel to find the ship. He told Naomi her father's address and reminded Vaz that the Kig-Yar had a bounty on them for their actions on Reynes. Shortly thereafter, Naomi was pulled out and substituted by Mal. Spenser was surprised by how in a few days Mal and Vaz had managed to infiltrate the Venezian militia. He revealed that it had taken him more than two weeks to infiltrate the militia's barracks. After Vaz and Mal located the Pious Inquisitor, Spenser helped Kilo-Five attempt to remotely seize control of the ship using a transmitter on Venezia. However, Black box's intrusion was foiled by the ship's Huragok, Sometimes Sinks. Shortly after, Mal and Vaz were abducted by the militia, BB alerted Spenser that they had been compromised. Spenser cleared his communications room and went on the run, leaving his hideout. He later signaled Kilo-Five his location and was extracted from New Tyne after Naomi and Devereaux had rescued Mal and Vaz.

While onboard Port Stanley, Spenser and Phillips conversed together in Sangheili, comparing different dialects. Spenser then notified Mal of an incoming signal to Staffan's radio. Sometimes Sinks alerted them that a Kig-Yar pirate crew were attempting to commandeer the Pious Inquisitor. Kilo-Five planned to board the ship and eliminate the Kig-Yar pirates. When Spenser asked if there was role in their mission he could take part in, Osman told him to sit out of the ship's boarding and manage the comms with Phillips.

Kilo-Five eventually succeeded in preventing the battlecruiser from being used against Earth. With their mission concluded, Kilo-Five was granted shore leave. Before Port Stanley headed out to the planet Cascade, Spenser monitored Sangheili communications chatter with Phillips. He was later dropped off at the refit station, Anchor 10.

Personality and traits
Mike Spenser had operated listening stations in remote, dangerous, and lonely places like deep in heart of Covenant space. To combat isolation and lack of companionship, he would befriend alien species like Unggoy and Kig-Yar or just talk to himself to prevent forgetting how to speak. Spenser is noted for being incredibly resourceful when it comes to technology. He tinkered with equipment dating back to the early Insurrection, having had to maintain the obsolete technology for long periods of time.

As an undercover agent, Spenser demonstrated great ability in being able to assume a new identity. During his time on Venezia, he maintained his undercover persona as New Tyne resident, Mike Amberley, an electrician on the run for embezzling funds from the CAA. Vaz concluded that civilian spooks like Spenser must possess astonishing memories or have the ability to forget who they really were in such a field.

Spenser is also an avid cigarette smoker. The fingertips of his right-hand were stained with nicotine. While he was onboard Port Stanley, Requires Adjustment and Leaks Repaired did not allow him to smoke in the ship's hangar.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * ''Halo: Mortal Dictata
 * Halo: Legacy of Onyx