Ash-G099: Difference between revisions

{{Era|HCW}}

{{Newcontent|[[Halo: Retribution]]}}

{{Character infobox|variant=Human

|image=[[ File:HM-Ash-cropped.png|300px]]

|homeworld=

|birth=c. [[2540]]<ref name="Halo page 401">'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 401''</ref>

|height=

|mass=

|hair=Brown<ref name="goo100"/>

|rank=Petty officer<ref group="note">[[Kurt Ambrose]] once addresses Ash as a "private" in ''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'' (p. 254). This is clearly a mistake, as it would imply his service branch is either the UNSC Army or the Marine Corps, even though the mainline Spartan-IIIs are part of the Navy. ''[[Halo: Retribution]]'' identifies [[Olivia-G291]]'s rank as petty officer, though the class is not specified. Given the ranking conventions of the known Spartan-IIIs and Spartan-IIs, as well as the similar status of the former members of [[Team Saber]], it is reasonable to infer that Ash actually holds a petty officer rank.</ref>

'''Ash-G099''' is a [[SPARTAN-III program|Spartan-III]] supersoldier of [[SPARTAN-III Gamma Company|Gamma Company]], and the former leader of [[Team Saber]]. His call sign in the team was '''Saber One'''.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 109''</ref> Following a stint of service as part of [[Blue Team]] between the [[Onyx Conflict]] and [[Operation: JOVIAN WHISTLE]], Ash was assigned to an [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] [[Ferret|Ferret Team]] led by [[Veta Lopis]] along with fellow Gamma Spartans [[Olivia-G291]] and [[Mark-G313]], serving as the team's surveillance expert.<ref name="ant"/>

Ash was orphaned at a young age when the [[Covenant]] [[Glassing|glassed]] his homeworld, and joined the [[SPARTAN-III program]] at age six in order to avenge his family.<ref>'''Halo: Last Light''', ''page 129'' (Google Play edition)</ref> Once on [[Onyx]], he and the other SPARTAN-III candidates were trained by [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Kurt Ambrose]] and [[Senior Chief Petty Officer]] [[Franklin Mendez|Mendez]]. Ash was assigned to lead [[Team Saber]].  

They decided to investigate, and the drones engaged. Ash dispatched scouts to reconnoiter and figure out the weak spots of the drones. He and the rest of the team hurled rocks at the drones and to their surprise, the robots' shields did not activate. Curiously enough, one drone responded to Ash's [[COM]], and talked to him, first using an unknown language, then switching to [[Latin]] and finally to [[English]], calling him "[[Reclaimer]]". However, after Ash failed to provide the proper counterresponse, the machine classified him and the other humans on Onyx as targets to be neutralized. Before the Sentinel could kill Ash, however, the rest of Team Saber ambushed and destroyed the machine, saving him.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 133''</ref>

In [[2553#May|May 2553]], Blue Team was attached to ONI's [[717th Xeno-Materials Exploitation Battalion]] [[Operation: JOVIAN WHISTLE|deployed]] to the [[Outer Colony]] of [[Gao]] to search for a [[Forerunner]] [[ancilla]], [[Intrepid Eye]], 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. For over a month, the 717th attempted to capture the ancilla while being harassed by her complement of [[Aggressor Sentinel]]s. Additionally, upon learning of the UNSC's intentions, Intrepid Eye began covertly murdering Gao citizens in the [[Montero Cave System]] in an effort to create discord between the Gaos and the UNSC. The [[Gao Ministry of Protection]] dispatched [[Special inspector|Special Inspector]] [[Veta Lopis]] and her field team to find the murderer and Nelson had members of Blue Team aid her in her efforts to allow the UNSC to return searching for the ancilla without Gao interference. Lopis was initially convinced that the murderer was one of the Spartans, with her suspicions eventually focusing on Mark in particular.<ref name="hll"/>

On [[2553#July|July 4, 2553]], Ash, Olivia, Mark and Fred accompanied Veta Lopis and her partner [[Cirilo]] to the last known location of [[Major]] [[Ira Halal]] and [[Private]] [[Hayes]], both of whom turned out to have been murdered. The Gao investigators decided to follow a trail of an unidentified fluid—in fact belonging to the wounded [[Huragok]] [[Roams Alone]]—deeper into the caverns, with the Spartans in tow. As they reached a large cavern, after nearly a twelve hours' descent, Intrepid Eye attacked the humans with her last four remaining Sentinels. Though the Spartans were able to destroy the Sentinels, Cirilo was killed and Olivia was seriously wounded. Ash's shoulder was also dislocated, though Lopis managed to pop it back into place. Ordering the others to stay put, Fred left to investigate the area in hopes of finding the [[Covert Support Base 4276|Forerunner base]] sought by the 717th. While waiting for Fred, the Spartans and Lopis were approached by Roams Alone, a [[Lifeworker]] Huragok who began to heal Olivia's wounds. Fred eventually returned and decided that the party should take the Huragok with them, return to the surface and report to Nelson.<ref name="hll"/>

However, Olivia had lost her "Smoothers"—drugs that controlled the Gammas' [[Project CHRYSANTHEMUM#Gamma Company|altered brain chemistry]]—during the fighting, meaning that the young Spartans would inevitably run out of them on the way out. Mark volunteered to take only one of the remaining five Smoother injections, leaving two doses each for Ash and Olivia, with Mark subsequently taking point as the group began their nearly one and a half day's climb toward the surface.<ref name="hll"/>

[[File:HM-BlueSIII.png|thumb|250px|Ash firing on [[Keepers of the One Freedom]] [[Jiralhanae]] in [[Wendosa]].<ref group="note">While the Spartan pictured has not been officially confirmed to be Ash, this can be inferred from the other characters shown. The sniper has been identified as Mark, while Fred's presence implies the illustration takes place before Lopis' party reunited with the rest of Blue Team and thus Lucy-B091 and Tom-B292, who also wore SPI armor. This leaves only Ash and Olivia, the latter of whom was missing her SPI helmet and the lower half of her armor at this point, whereas the pictured Spartan's armor is shown to be fully intact.</ref>]]

After the party reached the [[Gallery of the Inverted Forest]], Fred managed to capture Intrepid Eye's [[inspection drone]] shell with a [[scramble grenade]]. With the ancilla in their possession, the group surfaced at the embattled village of [[Wendosa]] and moved to reinforce the 717th, which had fallen under attack by the [[Keepers of the One Freedom]]. Informed that Fred was to return to the [[Montero Vitality Center]] with the ancilla, the group fought their way through Wendosa and Fred boarded a [[UH-144 Falcon|Falcon]], but the craft was shot down and crashed in the jungle several [[kilometer]]s away.<ref name="hll"/>

With the battle in Wendosa turning to the UNSC's favor, Ash and the others reunited with the rest of Blue Team, who soon decided to make their way to the Falcon's crash site before the Keepers could reach it. Before they departed, the Gammas took double doses of Smoothers to stabilize their mental condition. After a series of sniper battles along the [[Briones Ridge]], the group arrived at the crash site. With the eventual help of [[Alpha Company (717th)|Alpha Company]], they fended off the Keepers and recovered Fred as well as the ancilla. The Spartans were brought to the Montero Vitality Center to recover. Ash and Olivia personally greeted Lopis after she regained consciousness, with Ash physically subduing [[Mikaelis|a sentry]] guarding the room in order to gain access.<ref name="hll"/>

{{Quote|multi=yes|q1=We're going to make a great Ferret team. Right, Ash?|Olivia|q2=Yeah. Right. I'm in.|Ash|Olivia and Ash regarding their reassignment<ref name="ll c28"/>}}

Before the 717th could evacuate, the newly-elected [[President of Gao]] [[Arlo Casille]] sent [[Gao Republic]]'s military to forcefully remove the UNSC from the planet. Ash and Olivia joined Fred at the [[Portable Spartan Support Module]] in order to acquire their armor. However, Intrepid Eye had taken control of the module and attempted to suffocate Lopis inside the [[airlock]], but the Spartans were able to free the inspector and neutralize Intrepid Eye's inspection drone. Determined to prevent the support base from falling into the hands of Gao's insurgent government, Blue Team, Lopis, and Roams Alone embarked to destroy the facility with a [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]], while the rest of the 717th evacuated. Pursued by [[Wyvern]]s carrying [[Gao battle-jumpers]], the team traveled in Warthogs to the [[Well of Echoes]], below which the Forerunner support base was located, and boarded the [[Owl]] [[UNSC Silent Claw|''Silent Claw'']], with [[Serin Osman|Rear Admiral Serin Osman]] waiting onboard. As the Owl escaped the planet, Mark dropped the HAVOK into the Well of Echoes, destroying the Forerunner base.<ref name="hll"/>

{{Quote|no=three|q1=Livi's right. And it's not just your ego. I've tried your helmet. It's like wearing a ten-liter bucket.|Ash|q2=Really? I have a big head?|Mark|q3=Enormous. Can we tell Mom about the dead guy now?|Ash|Ash and Mark during the incident<ref name="ant"/>}}

On [[2553#October|October 14, 2553]], the Ferret Team participated in a training exercise against [[Oscar Squad]] at [[UNSC Recreational Facility 6055-NA-A]] on [[Neos Atlantis]]. Disguised as junior ODST lieutenants, Ash and Mark posed as rookie ONI agents in the facility's [[officers' club]] as part of a ploy to deceive Oscar Squad. However, an unexpected complication occurred when Olivia was [[Nicothiotal|drugged]] by an unidentified man. Lopis ordered Ash to create a distraction while Mark seized the man and Veta escorted Olivia back to the hotel's Halsey Suite, which the team used as their base of operations.<ref name="ant"/>

While hauling the subject out of the club, Mark was attacked by a server from the officers' club wielding a knife and accidentally killed the man he was carrying in an attempt to use him as a shield. At this point Ash arrived, prompting Mark's attacker to flee. Ash and Mark decided to dispose of the man's body through an [[airlock]] and returned to the Halsey Suite afterward. Before they could explain the incident to Lopis, Admiral Osman arrived, accompanied by Oscar Squad's [[Svenson|Commander Svenson]], who had witnessed Mark and Ash carrying the body and demanded an explanation. After a brief argument between Lopis, Svenson and Osman, the admiral left the suite, giving the Ferret Team two hours to resolve the crisis.<ref name="ant"/>

After Ash and Mark explained what had happened, it was discovered that the man who had drugged Olivia was in fact the investigative reporter [[Spencer Hume]], who had ostensibly had access to classified information such as the Gammas' identities. Hume had received the information from Mark's assailant—a former ONI operative named [[Ota Gallo]], now working for the private security company [[Dark Moon Enterprises]]. Attempting to recover Hume's belongings, now in the Ferret Team's possession, Gallo and two of her henchmen stormed the Halsey Suite soon after. After a brief firefight, the Ferrets managed to defeat the attackers, with Gallo being blown apart by her own [[grenade]].<ref name="ant"/>

Immediately after the attack, Admiral Osman returned to the suite with an [[ONI Security|armed escort]]. The admiral claimed Hume's personal effects, then asked Lopis what had really happened to Hume. Lopis lied that Gallo killed Hume after the reporter was planning to name her as his source. Although visibly incredulous, Osman was seemingly satisfied with the explanation.<ref name="ant"/>

[[Kurt Ambrose|Lieutenant Commander Ambrose]] considered Ash to be one of the fiercest, smartest, and best leaders in [[SPARTAN-III Gamma Company|Gamma Company]].<ref name="goo100">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 100''</ref> An enthusiastic and affable individual, Ash was able to understand and hone his team members' specialties into working together as a seamless unit; their extraordinary teamwork ultimately placed Team Saber among the top three teams of Gamma Company.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 117''</ref> His tactical intelligence was evident in his coming up with an effective plan to destroy Onyx's [[Sentinel manufacturing facility]] before the other Spartans, although he himself had major doubts whether the plan would work.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 318''</ref> At the time of the [[Battle of Onyx]], Ash was still sometimes overeager to act during combat due to his inexperience.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 113''</ref> He has also been known to lapse in his adherence to military protocol, such as wearing his hair over regulation length or momentarily removing his helmet in potentially hostile territory, although he quickly put the helmet back on once Kurt noticed his mistake.<ref name="Halo page 254"/> After several months of active duty, he and the two other Gamma Spartans had come to perform without fault as part of [[Blue Team]].<ref name="hll"/>

Ash has a very Spartan attitude to his duty as a soldier; he was remarkably calm when faced with almost certain death and affirmed his team that they had succeeded in their mission.<ref name="g322">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 322-323''</ref> He greatly respected Kurt and his other mentors; [[Franklin Mendez|CPO Mendez]], [[Lucy-B091]] and [[Tom-B292]]. Before his augmentations, Ash told Kurt that in case he did not make it he would not have done anything differently.<ref name="goo100"/> Ash cares deeply for his team, considering his teammates his brothers and sisters.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 134''</ref> He was also quick to accept the Spartan-IIs as fellow team members of his team and adapt to the new team dynamic.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 324''</ref> Ash can be quite protective of his teammates, for example attempting to shelter Mark from negative consequences by drawing attention to his own mistake during the incident on [[Neos Atlantis]].<ref name="ant"/> Out of Team Saber, Ash appears to have been particularly attached to [[Holly-G003]]; while escaping the destruction of Onyx's sentinel factory, Ash helped Holly up after she fell and continued to hold her hand as the Spartans were about to be crushed by machinery, though Dr. Halsey was able to teleport them away at the last moment. Upon being translocated to safety, Holly quickly detached her hand from his, seemingly embarrassed.<ref name="g322"/> Ash was deeply distraught at Holly's abrupt death, whereupon he fell on his knees where she had had been vaporized.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 362''</ref>

Ash has large,<ref name="hll123">'''Halo: Last Light''', ''page 123-125'' (Google Play edition)</ref> brown eyes<ref name="hll106"/> and in [[2553]], [[Veta Lopis]] noted that he had gentle features and smooth (albeit scarred) skin that were indicative of his young age. Similar to the other Spartans, his athletic physique appeared to be that of a man in his late teens or early twenties,<ref name="hll123"/> and while not as large as the [[Mjolnir]]-armored [[Frederic-104]], he was still taller than average.<ref>'''Halo: Last Light''', ''page 93'' (Google Play edition)</ref> Ash has wavy brown hair which he has been known to wear slightly over regulation length. On the day of Gamma Company's augmentations Kurt took note of this fact but deliberately overlooked it because of the occasion.<ref name="goo100"/>

<references group="note"/>

[[Category:Humans]]