Spirit of Bloody Fire. Cutter. Bloody hell.

“Spirit of Bloody Fire. Cutter. Bloody hell.” is a flash-fiction story included in the Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide. In the story, Sergeant John Forge awakens in prison and is approached by Admiral Preston Cole, who assigns him to the UNSC Spirit of Fire.

Story

Forge opened his eyes and looked up into the sun. Quickly closing them again, he tried to remember what sequence of events had led to him waking up outside. The sounds were off, though, echoing wrong and way too quiet. He opened his eyes a second time and realized that the sun was actually a single lightbulb high up on a concrete ceiling. He sat up and looked out through iron bars.

“Bloody hell. Jail.” He lay back down and closed his eyes again. 
“On your feet, Sergeant!” An MP rapped the bars with his clipboard. “You’ve got a visitor.”


Forge thought about staying down, but when a military man like Forge is told to stand, he finds himself on his feet before the thought even finishes.

“Bloody hell,” he repeated. He wasn’t at his best and was in civilian clothes and obviously in a military jail. The events of the previous night flooded back, and his overnight accommodations now seemed to be a luxury compared to the pain that was sure to follow.

“Admiral! Admiral Cole, sir!” Forge straightened up and stood at attention. He felt naked in these civilian clothes. His discomfort was obvious.

“Sergeant Forge. At ease.”

Cole looked him over, and right away Forge knew he was in deep trouble, a ranked admiral in the cell, and Cole at that. His career flashed before his eyes. He had joined up straight from high school. His father had been in the military, as had his father before that. His grandfather once told him that the military family line could be traced all the way back to World War II. It was in his blood. He had worked his way through a stint as an MP on Mars and had done grunt time on Epsilon Eridani IV during the insurrections, but he disliked policing and jumped at the chance to be assigned to Fort Marshall. Cole quickly cut the thought off.

“Sergeant Forge. It took three MPs to haul your ass off that man last night. He wants you charged with assault. Is there any reason I shouldn’t ship you off to Phobos penal colony right now?”

“Sir. Permission to speak freely, sir?”

“You don’t normally need permission to speak your mind, Sergeant, but go on.”

“Sir. That drunk—”

Cole interrupted him. “Sergeant, ‘that drunk’ is Lieutenant Prosser.”

The penny dropped. He had assaulted a superior officer. He was dead.

“Lieutenant Prosser. Well, sir, I was just having a conversation with him about how when a lady says no, she really means no.”

Cole was obviously not amused. “And that took fists, Sergeant?”

“He didn’t listen too good, sir.”

Cole sighed. “Fortunately for you, Sergeant, a witness came forward and verified your story. DNA evidence confirms it too. Charges against Lieutenant Prosser are being filed as we speak. She called you a hero in her statement, says you saved her life.”

Forge faltered. He might be done for, but that sick bastard was going down too. “Is she okay, sir?”

Cole smiled for the first time since entering the room. “She’ll be fine, Sergeant. I’m looking for a volunteer to lead a squad into a hostile environment. Very hostile environment. Can you think of anyone qualified? I can cut tape to make it happen.”

Forge saw the rope for what it was. “I reckon I do, sir.”

Cole smiled again. “I thought you might. Report to Captain Cutter ASAP on Spirit of Fire. I told him to expect you already. And, Forge?” “Yes, sir?”

“You’re a good father.”

Cole turned to walk out. Forge saluted as he left and then sat back down on the bunk. He stared down at the floor. “Spirit of Bloody Fire. Cutter. Bloody hell.”

Characters

• Sergeant John Forge
• Admiral Preston Cole
• Captain James Cutter (mentioned only)
• Unidentified MP
• Unidentified woman (John Forge's witness)
• Lieutenant Prossar (mentioned only)
• John Forge's father and grandfather (mentioned only)