Frederic-104: Difference between revisions

===Early life and conscription===

{{Quote|multi=yes|Fred-104|q1=How come I have to stay and play sniper?|John-117|q2=Because you're our second-best shot. And our best spotter. Our plan hinges on the sniper team. Now just do it.|Fred and John during a training operation against Tango Company<ref name="fs147">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 147'' (2010)</ref>}}

Frederic Ellsworth was born on the [[human]] [[Inner Colony]] of [[Ballast]] on [[2511|April 3, 2511]].<ref name="universe"/> In around [[2517]], Fred was identified as an extremely talented child, and marked as a potentially exceptional soldier and a candidate for Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]]'s [[SPARTAN-II program]] as a result. On [[2517|September 23, 2517]], Fred was abducted by the [[United Nations Space Command]]'s [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] at the age of six to be conscripted into the SPARTAN-II program. He was then replaced with a [[Flash cloning|flash clone]] and sent to [[Reach]] in the [[Epsilon Eridani system]] with the other Spartans.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 35'' (2001); ''page 44'' (2010)</ref> His flash clone would die shortly after Fred's own abduction. Fred was [[SPARTAN-II training|trained]] with the other Spartans at Reach by [[dumb AI|"dumb" AI]] [[Déjà]] and [[Chief Petty Officer]] [[Franklin Mendez]], with the two serving as the Spartans' teacher and [[drill instructor]], respectively. Fred also participated in numerous training exercises, including the Spartans' mission to the [[Military Wilderness Training Preserve]] in [[2519]].<ref name="TFoR AS">'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series]]''', ''Act One''</ref> During one training exercise, Fred and the other Spartans traveled to [[Emerald Cove]] for an underwater mission, where they abandoned Mendez and lived on their own on an island for a few days.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 266'' (2010)</ref>

===Infiltration on Eridanus Secundus===

{{Quote|multi=yes|Samuel-034|q1=You questioning orders? Scared?|Fred-104|q2=No, but this is no training mission. Our targets won't be firing stun rounds. I just don't want to fail.|Sam and Fred, while aboard ''Laden''<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 104'' (2010)</ref>}}

On [[2525#September|September 14, 2525]], shortly after the Spartans had recovered from augmentations, Fred was selected by John-117 to join [[Blue Team]]—also composed of [[Samuel-034]], [[Linda-058]], and [[Kelly-087]]. The team was then chosen for the Spartan-IIs' first mission, [[Operation: TALON]]. The [[operation]]'s objective was to capture [[Colonel]] [[Robert Watts]], a UNSC Marine turncoat officer and the leader of the [[United Rebel Front]]. ONI had recently discovered that Watts was residing within [[Eridanus Secundus]], a large [[asteroid]] settlement and [[insurrectionist]] [[military base]] in the [[Eridanus system]]'s largest asteroid belt.<ref name="for98">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 98-99'' (2010)</ref><ref name="watts">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/colonel-watts '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Colonel Watts'']</ref>

After the [[Covenant]] [[First Battle of Harvest|attack]] on [[Harvest]] and the beginning of the [[Human-Covenant War]], Fred and the rest of the Spartan-IIs were brought to the [[Reach FLEETCOM Military Complex]], where [[Rear Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]] and the AI [[Beowulf]] briefed them on the emerging Covenant threat. In response, the training of Fred and the rest of the Spartan-IIs was accelerated, and the Spartans were sent to [[Chi Ceti IV]] in the [[Chi Ceti system]] to receive their new [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]] from [[Damascus Materials Testing Facility]] to aid in combat against the Covenant.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 121'' (2010)</ref> While en route to Chi Ceti IV aboard {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}} {{UNSCShip|Commonwealth}}, the [[frigate]] was [[Battle of Chi Ceti|attacked]] by Covenant [[warship]] ''[[Unrelenting]]''.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 127'' (2010)</ref> ''Commonwealth'' was able to ward off ''Unrelenting'' and the Spartans were deployed to Chi Ceti IV with Halsey, where they each retrieved a set of armor.<ref name="for141">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 141'' (2010)</ref> While the Spartans were returning to ''Commonwealth'', ''Unrelenting'' returned and engaged the frigate. To provide aid to ''Commonwealth'', John had Fred and the other Spartan-IIs use [[thruster pack]]s to embark towards ''Unrelenting'' to destroy the warship with [[Anvil-II air-to-surface missile|Anvil-II AS missiles]], though only John, Kelly, and Sam made it aboard. Ultimately, Sam sacrificed himself to destroy ''Unrelenting'' by detonating the missiles, while John and Kelly escaped and returned to ''Commonwealth''.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 147-150'' (2010)</ref><ref group="note">''Halo: The Fall of Reach — The Animated Series'' depicts Fred, John, Kelly, Sam, and Linda taking a Pelican to board ''Unrelenting'', with all five boarding the warship. However, this contrasts from other depictions of the event and is regarded as non-canon, particularly as the animated series was intended to serve as an introduction to the members of Blue Team playable in ''Halo 5: Guardians''.</ref> However, Sam's death proved to Fred that the Covenant could be killed and the UNSC could win the war.<ref name="for as act3"/> Fred and John briefly were later sent to support a group of Marines fighting rebels, but the skirmish quickly changed as the Covenant's arrival forced the UNSC troops to side with the rebels to combat the Covenant.<ref>'''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]''', ''Part 3''</ref>

On [[2526|April 26, 2526]], Fred and the rest of Blue Team were deployed to [[Circinius IV]] to combat the Covenant [[Battle of Circinius IV|invasion]], as well as to evacuate [[civilian]] populations and observe Covenant invasion patterns.<ref name="H5GLtd"/> During the battle, Blue Team received a distress signal from a [[Hastati Squad|cadet squad]] pinned down at [[Corbulo Academy of Military Science]]; these cadets were the only survivors on the entire planet. While Kelly led Blue Team north to the evacuation point, John traveled to the cadets' location to rescue them. Eventually, John and the [[Thomas Lasky|three]] [[Michael Sullivan|surviving]] [[April Orenski|cadets]] reached Blue Team's evacuation point and rendezvoused with Fred and Kelly, where their Pelican immediately dusted off to regroup with surviving UNSC forces in the planet's orbit as Circinius IV was [[Glassing|glassed]] by the Covenant.<ref name="FUD">'''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn''', ''Part 5''</ref>

Prior to [[2530]], Fred also participated in [[Operation: ROCK HOUSE]], in which he neutralized an insurrectionist facility and personnel on Eridanus II.<ref name="H5GLtd"/> By [[2531]], Fred and the rest of Blue Team had repeatedly disrupted the operations of the United Rebel Front, including at [[Station Jefferson]] in the Eridanus system, onboard the [[destroyer]] ''[[Origami]]'', in [[Wikipedia:Micronesia|Micronesia]], on Reach, and at a high-explosives manufacturing facility at an unspecified location.<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 37''</ref> On [[2531|May 1, 2531]], Blue Team—then consisting of Fred, Kelly, Linda, John, and the recently added Kurt—had [[Raid on Camp New Hope|infiltrated]] the URF-controlled military base of [[Camp New Hope]] on [[Victoria]] to retrieve contraband [[nuclear weapon]]s. However, the insurrectionists successfully ambushed Fred, Kelly, Linda, and John using an [[antigravity plate]] which disabled the Spartans.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 35''</ref> Before the rebels could interrogate the Spartans, Kurt freed Blue Team using a [[M12 Warthog]] and [[Asteroidea anti-personnel mine]]s, where they eventually escaped the facility with the nuclear warheads. However, the rescue resulted in the death of the high-ranking rebel leader [[Howard Graves|General Howard Graves]].<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 41''</ref> Several months later, on [[2531|November 7, 2531]], Fred was deployed on an [[Extra-vehicular activity|extra-vehicular]] mission with Kurt and Kelly to [[Construction Platform 966A]] in the [[Groombridge 34 system]] to investigate reported suspicious activity. However, Kurt's thruster pack malfunctioned, sending him spinning away into deep space to his presumed death. In actuality, ONI had arranged the "incident" and had retrieved Kurt to use him as a trainer for candidates for the upcoming [[SPARTAN-III program]].<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 59-64''</ref>

In [[2544]],<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach|Halo: The Fall of Reach (2010)]]''', ''Adjunct''</ref> following the [[Battle of Miridem|Battle]] of [[Miridem]], Fred participated in [[Operation: WARM BLANKET|an ONI-led operation]] which required a team of Spartan-IIs, consisting of [[Solomon-069]], [[Arthur-079]], Kelly-087, John-117, and himself, to infiltrate Covenant-controlled space at [[Ascon]] via [[OF92 Booster Frame]]s and rescue the captured Halsey from the Covenant's [[Third Fleet of Glorious Consequence]]. The Covenant fleet was temporarily unable to enable their [[slipspace drive]]s due to a stellar magnetic field, providing the Spartans some time to retrieve the package before the Covenant fleet departed. During the course of the operation, Arthur and Solomon were killed by the Covenant. The surviving Spartans then infiltrated the [[Supreme Commander]] [[Luro 'Taralumee]]'s [[Resplendent Fervor|flagship]] and fought their way through numerous Covenant forces. When [[Sangheili Major|Major]] [[Thel 'Lodamee]] and two [[Sangheili Minor]]s attacked the Spartans, Fred held them off and engaged them in combat to allow John and Kelly to advance towards Halsey's position. After getting separated from Kelly, John managed to rescue Halsey and escape the ship in a [[Covenant escape pod]], while Fred and Kelly covered them with hijacked [[Type-31 Seraph]]s. The operation was successful, with the Spartans escorting Halsey back to the [[ONI PRO-49776|stealth ship]] that deployed them.<ref name="package">'''[[Halo Legends]]''', ''[[The Package]]''</ref>

===Battle of Sigma Octanus IV===

{{Quote|We've come to take Sigma Octanus Four back from the Covenant, Corporal. To do that, we're going to kill every last one of them.|John-117 to Corporal [[Harland]], referring to Blue Team's mission on the planet<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 201'' (2010</ref>}}

On [[2552#July|July 17, 2552]], the Spartan-IIs arrived at the human colony of [[Sigma Octanus IV]] in the [[Sigma Octanus system]] with [[Vice Admiral]] Stanforth's [[Battle Group Leviathan|Battle Group ''Leviathan'']] to aid UNSC forces in the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV|ongoing battle]] at the planet. Deployed to the remains of [[Alpha Headquarters]] to assist the local Marine forces as part of [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV#Operation: OCEAN BREAKER|Operation: OCEAN BREAKER]], Fred was assigned to Blue Team—along with Kelly and [[James-005]]—as "Blue-Three" under the command of John; Fred was given control of the unit's explosives. After meeting with the [[Corporal Harland's fireteam|surviving Marines]] at Alpha Headquarters, Blue Team departed for the city of [[Côte d'Azur]] to investigate unusual Covenant activity and to destroy the city with a [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]] if no [[civilian]]s remained. The Spartans traveled through a jungle to reach the city, eliminating several patrols of [[Unggoy]] soldiers along the way. When Blue Team finally arrived at Côte d'Azur, the Spartans began scouting Covenant movements throughout the city, while [[Red Team]] and [[Green Team]] escorted the city's surviving population to safety.<ref name="for205"/>

===Fall of Reach===

{{Quote|multi=yes|Kelly-087|q1=That's it. We've lost. Reach is going to fall.|Fred-104|q2=Maybe. Maybe not. Come on, we're not done yet.|Kelly and Fred, with the latter determined to save Reach<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 46'' (2010)</ref>}}

On [[2552#August|August 30, 2552]], [[Senior Chief Petty Officer]] Fred was assigned on {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} in the Epsilon Eridani system as part of the Spartan-II contingent of [[Operation: RED FLAG]], an ONI operation with the objective to capture a Covenant [[Hierarch]]. However, the mission was aborted as all ships were ordered to defend Reach from [[Fall of Reach|a massive Covenant assault]]. John assigned Fred to lead Red Team, which was sent to land on the ground and protect the [[Orbital defense generator|power generators]] for Reach's [[orbital defense platform]]s.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 341'' (2010)</ref> As Red Team's Pelican—[[Bravo 001]]—descended to the surface of the planet, the dropship was attacked by Seraphs and dove uncontrollably towards the ground. Fred ordered Red Team to jump from the Pelican and the resulting impact killed four of the Spartans on Red Team; however, if they had not jumped, all Spartans would have died as Bravo 001 exploded shortly after. After regrouping and eliminating several small Covenant patrols, the Spartans traveled to [[Orbital Defense Generator Facility A-331]], where they met with the four survivors of the nearly destroyed [[Charlie Company]]. While Red Team was building defenses at the facility, they received a distress call from Vice Admiral [[Danforth Whitcomb]], [[Deputy Chief of Naval Operations]].<ref name="fs17">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 17-34'' (2010)</ref>

When the Covenant eventually began laying siege to their position, Fred, Kelly, Will, and Halsey were [[Raid on Reach|rescued]] from the underground complex when John, Anton, [[Li-008]], [[Grace-093]], Whitcomb, [[Lieutenant]] [[Elias Haverson]], [[Staff Sergeant]] [[Avery Johnson]], and [[Corporal]] [[Locklear]] arrived at their location and helped eliminate attacking Covenant forces. However, the entire group soon found themselves surrounded.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 228-231'' (2010)</ref> In the resulting battle, Kelly was injured and the group was extracted from the area by a Covenant dropship operated by [[Shiela Polaski]]. Escaping Reach with the Forerunner crystal, the group fled Reach aboard the dropship to the captured [[DDS-class carrier|Covenant carrier]] ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'', fused together with the {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}} {{UNSCShip|Gettysburg}} for power and commanded by [[smart AI|"smart" AI]] [[Cortana]].<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 248-255'' (2010)</ref>

Fred's injuries were finally treated aboard ''Gettysburg'', where the severely injured Linda was also located. He then took part in the Spartans' extra-vehicular mission to repair a [[plasma]] conduit on the ship, holding his own against [[Active camouflage|cloaking]] [[Sangheili]] as well as the dangerous rampant [[Plasma turret|plasma bolts]] floating around the [[slipspace bubble]] the ships were trapped in as a result of the Forerunner crystal aboard. After repairing the conduit, Polaski picked up the group in the Covenant dropship but, while returning to ''Ascendant Justice'', a stray plasma bolt hit the dropship, killing Anton, Li, and Polaski and rendering Fred and the surviving Spartans unconscious.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 265-270'' (2010)</ref> The Spartans were eventually brought back aboard ''Ascendant Justice''–''Gettysburg'', and the ship hybrid eventually escaped the Covenant by returning to normal space. The Spartans recovered aboard ''Gettysburg'', where they learned that the Covenant had discovered the coordinates to Earth; furthermore, the Forerunner crystal emitted a deadly radiation in slipspace that would kill the crew by the time they arrived at Earth.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 285-286'' (2010)</ref> Seeking both an alternative way to Earth and repairs for ''Ascendant Justice''–''Gettysburg'', the ships traveled to the Eridanus system to request aid from the United Rebel Front at Eridanus Secundus, with Fred helping Whitcomb and Haverson man the ships' stations.<ref name="fs301">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 301-313'' (2010)</ref>

===Battle of Earth===

{{Quote|multi=yes|Terrence Hood|q1=Suit up, Lieutenant [sic]. We're sending Blue downstairs—you ready to get back to work?|Fred-104|q2=Eager, sir.|Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood and Fred-104, as the Battle of Earth begins<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 46'' (2010)</ref><ref group="note">Fred is erroneously addressed as a Lieutenant as of the Battle of Earth in the quoted short piece featured in the Adjunct section of the 2010 reprint of ''Halo: First Strike''. He was actually not promoted to the rank of lieutenant, junior grade until the conclusion of the Battle of Onyx.</ref>}}

Shortly after their return to Earth, ''Gettysburg'' docked with the [[Borneo Space Tether]] and Fred and Linda descended the [[space elevator]] to report on Operation: FIRST STRIKE to a council of ONI officers, where they warned them of the Covenant's inevitable invasion of Earth.<ref name="h2aterm"/> During the opening stages of the Covenant invasion of Earth, Fred was subjected to a psychological analysis by ONI's Doctor [[Veronica Clayton]]. The doctor became increasingly vitriolic toward Fred, seemingly blaming him for the deaths of his teammates at the Fall of Reach after giving the order to jump from Bravo 001. However, [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]], who had not authorized the analysis, soon arrived and had Clayton escorted away. He then told Fred to return to Blue Team and assist in Earth's defense.<ref name="adjunct">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''Adjunct'' (2010)</ref>

In [[2553#May|May 2553]], Blue Team was attached to ONI's [[717th Xeno-Materials Exploitation Battalion]]. The research [[battalion]] was [[Operation: JOVIAN WHISTLE|deployed]] to the [[Outer Colony]] of [[Gao]] to search for Forerunner [[ancilla]] [[Intrepid Eye]], an {{Class|archeon|ancilla}} that had been detected on the planet by the battalion's [[Commander]] [[Murtag Nelson]]. The UNSC's presence on the planet was largely undesired by the traditionally independent Gao.<ref name="ll27">'''Halo: Last Light''', ''pages 27-30''</ref> Upon learning of the UNSC's intent to capture her, Intrepid Eye began murdering Gao citizens in the [[Montero Cave System]] in an effort to create distrust and discord throughout Gao. The [[Gao Ministry of Protection]] was tasked with finding the murderer and Nelson had members of Blue Team aid [[Special inspector|Special Inspector]] [[Veta Lopis]] in her efforts to allow the UNSC to return searching for the ancilla without Gao interference.<ref name="ll8">'''Halo: Last Light''', ''pages 8-15''</ref> During the investigation, Lopis became certain that the murderer was one of the Spartans and often pestered Fred for details on the battalion's mission, much to the Spartan's annoyance.<ref name="ll27"/> On [[2553#July|July 4, 2553]], Fred, Ash, Olivia, and Mark were exploring the Montero Cave System alongside Lopis and her partner [[Cirilo]], where they discovered the bodies of [[Major]] [[Ira Halal]] and [[Private]] [[Hayes]], who had been murdered by Intrepid Eye. As they moved deeper into the cave system, eventually emerging into a larger cavern, the last four remaining Sentinels attacked the humans while Intrepid Eye watched nearby. Though the Spartans were able to destroy the Sentinels, Cirilo was killed and Olivia was wounded.<ref name="ll104">'''Halo: Last Light''', ''pages 104-30''</ref> Ordering the others to stay put, Fred left to investigate a nearby cave-in.<ref name="ll126">'''Halo: Last Light''', ''pages 126-128''</ref>

Descending into a pit in the cavern's floor, Fred discovered Intrepid Eye's damaged [[Covert Support Base 4276]]. When Fred approached the facility's corrupted [[vacuum energy]] extractor, he was caught inside a space-time anomaly; while over two hours had elapsed on the outside, Fred had only felt the passing of ten minutes. Wary of exploring the mysterious facility alone, he left to regroup with the rest of his team to return to the surface and report to Nelson, along with the recently discovered [[Lifeworker]] Huragok [[Roams Alone]].<ref name="ll141">'''Halo: Last Light''', ''pages 141-145''</ref> While the group continued towards Gao's surface, the battalion's encampments at the [[Montero Vitality Center]] and at the village of [[Wendosa]] were attacked by [[insurrectionist]]s and the [[Keepers of the One Freedom]], who sought to take Gao's ancilla for themselves. Meanwhile, the Gamma Company Spartan-IIIs had run out of their "Smoothers", drugs that controlled their more unpredictable [[Project CHRYSANTHEMUM|augmentations]]. After having lost contact with Mark who was supposed to scout the area ahead, Fred, Ash, and Roams Alone departed to look for him.<ref name="ll170">'''Halo: Last Light''', ''pages 170-173''</ref> The three soon encountered dead Keeper forces killed by Mark. Meanwhile, Mark had returned to Olivia's and Lopis' position, helping the two fight off hostile forces.<ref name="ll179">'''Halo: Last Light''', ''pages 179-181''</ref>

===Skirmish on Gamma Halo===

{{Quote|I will allow you a moment more to fire the weapon, human. I will grant you the gift of dying a warrior.|The Ur-Didact to Fred-104, allowing Fred to shoot him with a Boltshot<ref name="HE9">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 9|Issue #9]]''</ref>}}

On [[2557|July 26, 2557]], Fred, Kelly and Linda were reunited with John-117 after he returned from the Forerunner shield world of [[Requiem]]. Shortly after the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]]'s [[New Phoenix Incident|defeat]] at the hands of John over Earth, Fleet Admiral Hood tasked Blue Team with a mission to investigate an attack on a local science team and [[Black Team]] on [[Installation 03]], with John serving in an active role rather than advisory despite Hood's suggestions. Traveling to the installation, Blue Team landed near the UNSC facility on the Halo aboard a Longsword, where Linda found tracks left by a [[Promethean Crawler]]. Arriving at the facility, Blue Team soon found the bodies of Black Team and the scientists. After John noted to his squadmates that he doubted the Crawlers could kill four Spartans, Blue Team was [[Skirmish on Installation 03|attacked]] by [[Promethean Knight]]s. Blue Team quickly destroyed the Knights, with Fred stabbing one in its "head", killing it. They continued following the Crawlers' tracks and came to where the [[Composer]] was originally located. Kelly found a tunnel which they followed down, soon finding the [[Composer's Abyss]] where they entered a slipspace portal.<ref name="HE8">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 8|Issue #8]]''</ref>

The Spartans arrived in a deserted Forerunner city where they soon discovered the [[Composer's Forge]] and six intact Composers housed therein. The Spartans were then confronted by the thought-to-be-dead Didact and a firefight broke out between them and the Didact's newly created Promethean machines. While Fred and the other Spartans battled the Prometheans, the Didact had [[monitor]] [[859 Static Carillon]] bring Installation 03 to the Composer's Forge and departed to the Halo installation with one of the Composers, intending to use the device as well as Gamma Halo against Earth. Disgusted by the Didact's actions, Static Carillon informed Fred and Blue Team of the Didact's plan, and the Spartans pursued the Forerunner through the portal back to Installation 03. Upon their return to the surface, the Didact attacked the Spartans, intending to kill them personally.<ref name="HE9"/> The Didact threw John into Fred, and Linda and Kelly attacked the Forerunner. He blasted Kelly away and tackled Linda to the ground, disabling the Spartans. The Didact allowed Fred to shoot him in the head with a [[Z-110 Boltshot]]—to no effect—so he could give Fred the honor of "dying a warrior". However, before the Didact could finish them off, Static Carillon appeared behind the Forerunner and disabled him with his laser. The monitor then teleported the Didact to Gamma Halo's [[Control Room (Installation 03)|control room]] to prevent him from killing the Spartans. While John went to pursue the Didact, Fred and the rest of Blue Team returned to their Longsword. After John successfully "contained" the Didact by way of subjecting him to the fields of multiple Composers, Static Carillon teleported himself and John into Blue Team's Longsword. Fred asked the monitor where the ring would be taken, but no response was given; Static Carillon then left to repair the ring and Blue Team returned to Earth.<ref name="HE10">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|Issue #10]]''</ref>

===A new conflict arises===

{{Quote|They won't court-martial all of us, right?|Fred-104, after agreeing to help John-117 find Cortana<ref name="h5 blue team"/>}}

After the loss of contact with Office of Naval Intelligence's research and development station ''[[Argent Moon]]'', Fred and the rest of Blue Team were deployed by {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} to [[Raid on Argent Moon|recover]] the facility on [[2558#October|October 23, 2558]]; the station had been rediscovered when a group of Kig-Yar scavengers sold it to [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]]. Using a [[D79-TC Pelican]] to travel to the station's position within a dense asteroid belt, the four Spartans left the dropship and used their thrusters to reach ''Argent Moon''. As they neared, Fred and Blue Team fired their weapons to weaken a glass window in the station before smashing through it themselves, ejecting the Covenant forces inside the room into space while the Spartans activated their magnetic boots to stay in place.<ref name="h5 blue team"/>

The Spartans fought their way through the station, clearing it of Covenant occupants. During the engagement, John received an apparent vision from the thought-to-be-dead Cortana, simply warning him that "[[Meridian]] was next". John informed his teammates of this, though Fred asserted that it was impossible, since John himself confirmed her death over Earth the previous year. Setting the vision aside, Fred and Blue Team attempted to continue their salvage mission until a large Covenant fleet arrived in the system, bringing word of 'Mdama's [[Battle of Kamchatka|death]] on [[Kamchatka]]. Deciding ''Argent Moon'' was no longer salvageable due to the presence of the Covenant fleet, John switched the mission to asset denial, and the Spartans used Covenant [[Type-54 Banshee]]s to damage the reactor and trigger an overload. Mission accomplished, John reassigned himself to Meridian to investigate Cortana's message, against the orders of ''Infinity'', after learning the UNSC was already planning to do the same. He attempted to convince Blue Team that they did not need to follow him, but all three members declared their solidarity with him and joined him aboard the [[Winter-class prowler|prowler]] [[ONI Acrisius|ONI ''Acrisius'']], which they used to escape the [[self-destruct]]ing ''Argent Moon'', avoid the Covenant fleet, and depart for Meridian in the [[Hestia system]].<ref name="h5 blue team"/>

The very next day, the UNSC listed Blue Team as absent-without-leave. [[Fireteam Osiris]], a [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan-IV]] unit led by Spartan [[Jameson Locke]], was tasked by the [[UNSC Security Council]] with recovering Blue Team and ''Acrisius''. Upon arriving at Meridian, Blue Team landed at [[Apogee Station]] and were directed to the mines of the world by Meridian's Governor [[Sloan]]—a smart AI aligned with Cortana—where a dormant [[Guardian]] lay buried. Blue Team's arrival was witnessed by multiple colonists, who were wholly unaware of their intentions. Also unbeknownst to the people of Meridian was the fact that Sloan purposefully ensured nobody tried to stop them. Blue Team encountered no resistance from the mechanical Prometheans that were protecting the Guardian, under Cortana's orders.<ref>'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level, ''[[Meridian Station (level)|Meridian Station]]''</ref> Cortana had Fred and the rest of Blue Team make their way to a Guardian which would take them to her position. As the Spartan-IIs prepared to board the Guardian, Osiris arrived at their position and attempted to halt them. While Fred, Kelly, and Linda proceeded to enter the portal leading to the Guardian, John lingered and had an altercation with Locke. Once John had dealt with him and resumed boarding, the Guardian began to awaken. Fireteam Osiris scrambled to escape the collapsing cavern it had been held in as it rose out of the ground. The Guardian caused massive amounts of destruction to Meridian's settlements as it took to the air, both from the very fact that it was emerging from beneath the earth and from [[Electromagnetic pulse|electromagnetic shockwaves]] it sent out continually. During this time, many Prometheans were deployed from the Guardian to engage Fireteam Osiris as they moved to escape the destruction in their Pelican. The Guardian eventually jumped to slipspace on a course for Cortana's location, taking Blue Team with it.<ref name="h5gunconfirmed">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level, ''[[Unconfirmed]]''</ref>

===Cortana and the Guardians===

{{Quote|Chief, back on Meridian—there was a lot of destruction. There were civilians.|Fred, expressing concern at the collateral damage of awakening a Guardian<ref name="h5greunion">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level, ''[[Reunion]]''</ref>}}

Arriving at the Forerunner world of [[Genesis]], the Spartans disembarked from their Guardian and landed on the planet's surface. Fred questioned John as to why Cortana would have brought them there, though he did not receive an answer. As Blue Team moved out to explore the planet, they encountered terminals that emitted an audible "''Oly Oly Oxen Free''" signal. Interfacing with the terminals to continue their search for Cortana, Fred made note of the enormous casualties that the Guardian had inflicted on Meridian, though Kelly argued that Cortana may not have know that they would be the result of its activation. Proceeding further, Fred alerted the team to the presence of Covenant scattered across Genesis, drawn through the slipspace portals of other Guardians activated across the galaxy. Quickly eliminating the small pockets of Covenant forces, Blue Team encountered a clearing filled with a significant number of dead Covenant soldiers, and were confronted by the [[Warden Eternal]], who introduced himself as keeper of the [[Domain]] and Cortana's protector. The Warden translocated Promethean forces to the area to try to kill Blue Team, declaring that while Cortana wanted them to ally with her, he perceived them as a severe threat to her plan.<ref name="h5greunion"/>

==Personality and traits==

{{Quote|multi=yes|1=Ira Halal|q1=I didn't know Spartans came equipped with a sense of humor. Does that cost extra?|2=Fred-104|q2=No, sir. It's more of an operational bug.|3=Major Ira Halal and Frederic-104, during Operation: JOVIAN WHISTLE<ref name="ll32">'''Halo: Last Light''', ''page 32''</ref>}}

Frederic-104 is a natural leader and a brilliant strategist.<ref name="he112">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 112'' (2011)</ref> Highly intelligent, alert, and objective-focused during [[operation]]s, Fred often appears solemn and stoic when interacting with other personnel of the [[United Nations Space Command]].<ref name="H5GLtd"/> However, he had difficulty hiding his emotions at times, a trait that Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]] was aware of.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 14''</ref> A quick thinker,<ref name="he112"/> Fred has learned to rely on his instincts while on patrol or in the heat of a battle, noting that it had saved his life from dozens of ambushes.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 174'' (2010)</ref> His [[SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures|augmentations]] and [[SPARTAN-II training|training]] has crafted Fred into one of the UNSC's greatest military minds.<ref name="selection">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', ''Character selection''</ref> He is very observant; after years of watching soldiers face their fears, Fred is able to identify tell-tale signs of individuals encountering their fears and weaknesses, such as loss of focus and body tension. He did not always agree with or trust the judgement of his [[commanding officer]]s, though Fred remains respectful to his superiors. However, he refuses to be intimidated by "key-tapper" officers, jesting that the day he is will be the day he turns in his armor and resigns.<ref name="ll27"/> Despite his stoic and serious demeanor, Fred occasionally makes jokes or sarcastic quips in the midst of a battle or mission, once jesting to [[Major]] [[Ira Halal]] that it is "an operational bug".<ref name="ll32"/>

As a Spartan, Fred has a strong sense of duty and commitment towards the UNSC and his closest peers, and is always to accomplish the goals set before him and achieve victory in ever tactical situation.<ref name="adjunct"/> As with many of his fellow Spartan-IIs, Fred preferred to fight on a world's surface rather than in zero-gravity environments that were typically encountered in off-world operations. Regardless, Fred often chose to volunteer for space operations as he sought to participate in missions that presented greater threats and dangers.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 13'' (2010)</ref> Fred was always eager to battle the [[Covenant]] to defend any world, though he was particularly determined to save [[Reach]], viewing the planet as an invaluable military resource and his home.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 174'' (2010)</ref> Fred noted that other personnel of the UNSC looked upon Spartan-IIs with awe, suspicion, and fear. However, Fred, like many of the Spartan-IIs, dislikes the special treatment he and the other Spartans receive from ordinary humans and does not elevate himself above baseline troops, believing they all served the UNSC for the same reasons.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 29'' (2010)</ref> Fred is ever pedant in following protocol; during [[Operation: JOVIAN WHISTLE|his operation]] on [[Gao]], Fred was irritated that several of his superiors continued to violate [[Foxtrot Tango Angel 7012]] by revealing classified information on the [[Forerunner]]s to [[civilian]]s.<ref name="ll8"/> Although Fred's service with the UNSC throughout the [[Insurrection]] and [[Human-Covenant War]] has left him as a highly decorated individual, he refrains from wearing his awards.<ref name="H5GLtd"/>

===Leadership and responsibilities===

{{Quote|I'm secure in my role and and the tactical decisions I make before, during, and following combat, and so are my peers.|Frederic-104 to Doctor Veronica Clayton, shortly before the Battle of Earth<ref name="fs428">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 428'' (2010)</ref>}}

Frederic-104 is a tactically proficient and strategically capable leader,<ref name="universe"/> having displayed these characteristics throughout the Human-Covenant War.<ref name="he112"/> While also serving as an incredibly effective combatant, Fred specializes in strategy, information management, and using his leadership skills to transform disparate combat units into a comprehensive fighting force, even when he only has access to the barest information on troop dispensation. Fred has a stabilizing influence on the morale of those under his command, a trait that is of interest to [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] psychologists.<ref name="H5GLtd"/>

===Relationships===

{{Quote|no=three|q1=I haven't seen Chief press himself like this since we were in boot camp.|Frederic-104|q2=He's fine, Fred.|Kelly-087|q3=This many missions non-stop isn't fine.|Frederic-104|Fred and Kelly debating John-117's mental state, prior to their mission to ''Argent Moon''<ref name="h5 blue team"/>}}

Fred has close relationships with many of his fellow Spartans, particularly with fellow regular members of Blue Team. He is an ally and close friend to [[John-117]], having trained alongside him since the early days of the SPARTAN-II program.<ref name="universe"/> Fred often defers to John for tactical direction.<ref name="H5GLtd"/> After learning that John was believed to be dead following the [[Battle of Installation 00|Battle]] of [[Installation 00]], Fred was deeply saddened and commented that he never expected John to have died before him.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 370''</ref> Following Blue Team's reunion with John in [[2557]], Fred grew concerned over his friend's mental health as John restlessly continued to press himself during the missions Blue Team undertook. After John decided to go absent-without-leave to find [[Cortana]], Fred and the rest of Blue Team willingly followed.<ref name="h5 blue team"/>

During the Covenant War, Fred often worried about the statuses of his fellow Spartans who were away on other missions. While the doubt eroded his confidence, Fred never mentioned his worries to his fellow teammates to avoid damaging their morale.<ref name="goo218"/> [[Kelly-087]] often served as Fred's second-in-command when John was not present. The two are close friends, with Kelly attempting to console Fred after his stress in battle led to him making the mistake of broadcasting orders across [[FLEETCOM 7]] rather than a private channel.<ref name="fs17"/> Fred was also close with Kurt-051 and was saddened by his supposed death in the [[Groombridge 34 system]] in [[2531]]. After encountering Kurt on [[Onyx]] in [[2552]], Fred placed a hand on Kurt's shoulder as a rare emotional gesture among Spartans.<ref name="goo252"/> After Fred realized Kurt's intent to sacrifice himself to allow the rest of Blue Team to escape through a [[slipspace portal]], Fred was reluctant to leave his friend behind and the two ultimately parted ways by shaking hands before Fred stepped through the portal. Fred also had a close relationship with [[Will-043]], with the two serving particularly closely towards the final months of the Covenant War. When Will was killed during the [[Battle of Onyx]], Fred was quick to avenge his friend's death by killing the [[Mgalekgolo]] responsible. Afterwards, Fred grieved the death of Will and had some amount of difficulty with suppressing the rage he felt towards his Covenant attackers.<ref name="goo361"/>

==Skills and abilities==

{{Quote|Alright, the [[Covenant religion#Great Journey|Great Journey]] ends here.|Fred-104 to Thel 'Lodamee, during Operation: WARM BLANKET<ref name="package"/>}}

Frederic-104 is an incredibly skilled and experienced close-quarters combatant, and has gained a reputation for preferring [[Combat knife|combat knives]] in numerous combat scenarios.<ref name="universe"/> A superb soldier even for a [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan-II]] and an excellent strategist, Fred's quick thinking has ensured his success in battle on numerous occasions.<ref name="he112"/> While Fred's combat prowess is never subject to question, his true specialty lies in strategy and leadership.<ref name="H5GLtd"/> During [[SPARTAN-II training|training contests]], he almost always came in second place, with [[John-117]] usually coming in first. John believed that Fred had the skill to come in first in these competitions, but Fred did not care for the resulting attention.<ref name="for78"/> While John assumed that Fred had the ability to rival himself in any set of skills, Fred lacked John's inherent luck.<ref name="he112"/> Due to his extensive training from [[Franklin Mendez]], Fred was highly skilled in evasive movement and is able to easily avoid sniper fire in a combat environment.<ref name="ll243"/>

==Gallery==

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