Robert-028

Robert-028 was a United Nations Space Command SPARTAN-II supersoldier.

Personality and Description
Able to survive numerous situations, Robert has been regarded by superiors as a quick thinker and one of the more impressive SPARTAN-II supersoldiers. Aspiring as an exceptional marksman, familiar with arrays of both UNSC and Covenant technology. During his training, Robert became known for his accomplished reconnaissance.

Early Life
Born on the 18th March 2511 on Charybdis IX, Robert became an orphan only two years later, after an aggressive riot took the lives of both his parents. Although due to his young age, Robert has since been unable to recall the event. At the age of six he was discovered by Dr. Catherine Halsey as one of 150 suitable candidates for the SPARTAN-II project. After she had received the funding to train 75 of the candidates, he was abducted in 2517 and like the others, was replaced by a Flash Clone that later died of seemingly natural causes.

SPARTAN-II Program
As of the fate of the rest of the candidates, Robert was taken to the planet Reach, where the secret training of Spartans began. There, he underwent rigorous training exercises taught by Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez and enjoyed his education from the AI Déjà, becomming fond of human history. Shortly after arrival, Spartan teams were assembled and he was placed within Red Team. Robert befriended the Spartans well, even garnering mutual respect from an opposing Blue Team member, Neoklis-128, after being beaten by the latter in an early training skirmish.

Despite not standing out from other trainees as John-117 did, Robert was making considerable progress in the Spartan program and was recognised by the drill instructors as an excellent pupil when it came to combat training, maintaining efficiency with most UNSC weaponry. In 2518, when two members of Gold Team were reassigned to other units, Robert became one of the Spartans selected to fill the empty positions. Reluctantly he complied with the transfer, although Mendez noted afterward, the sentimental value the boy still attributed to his previous team. Years later Robert underwent physical augmentation on the 9th March 2525 and was one of only 33 to survive the process without becoming crippled.

In the aftermath of the procedure however, his vitality became critically low. Several months passed before his health was sustained and he was deemed fit for combat. As a result he missed the Spartan engagement of the Eridanus Rebellion, neither participating in the extraction of Lieutenant David Byrne or ex-Colonel Robert Watts, however was now ready to face present assignments. On the 2nd November 2525 all surviving Spartans were briefed about the Covenant, whilst Chief Petty Officer Mendez and the AI Déjà left to train a new group of Spartans. Then finally on the 3rd November 2525, Robert graduates from training, commissioned with the rank of Petty Officer, Second Class.

Battle of Chi Ceti
Sent on board the UNSC Commonwealth, Robert and the rest of the Spartans, along with Dr Halsey are ferried to the Damascus Testing Facility on the planet Chi Ceti IV. However before they can reach their destination, the Commonwealth is attacked by the Covenant frigate, Unrelenting. Although the Covenant were forced in to retreat along the edge of the system, the Unrelenting returned to face the UNSC again. Between this time, the Spartans were able to land on the planet surface and don the MJOLNIR Mark IV Armour waiting for them at Damascus. Squad Leader Spartan-117 now gave the order to board the Covenant ship, to destroy it from the inside.

Taking flight in Pelican Kilo-163, Gold Team made an unsuccessful strike upon the Covenant vessel, unable to maneuver in to a position to board it. A MAC round then pierced through the hull of the frigate, providing a new entry point and Graham gave the order for Gold Team to eject from their Pelican. Countless Sangheili Rangers were deployed to counter the Spartans, yet Gold Team were able to provide covering fire which allowed John's team to reach the breached hull and make it inside. Blue Team fought their way to the Unrelenting's engine room and planted their ANVIL-II ASM missiles. Afterwards Gold Team and the other Spartans returned to the surface of Chi Ceti IV, albeit for the casualty of Samuel-034, who remained behind to ensure the missiles' detonation.

First Battle of Arcadia
(To be continued...)

Battle for Neo Kyoto
(To be continued...)

Battle of Installation 02
(To be continued...)

Trivia

 * Robert's number of 28 is a factor of seven. 28/4=7. Although the number was chosen as a biographical reference.
 * Also the number of years between being transferred to Gold Team and receiving MJOLNIR armour happens to be seven years, although was purely coincidence when written.