Merlin-D032

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"I'm not a superhero or a wizard. I can't do the impossible and I can't create things from nothing. I haven't even earned the title "Spartan." But, I guess being me is good enough."

- Merlin-D032 admitting to his limitations.

Merlin-D032, born Merlin Ljang Boyd, is a former commando recruited and trained by the breakaway ONI Beta-5 Division program, DELTA Initiative as part of an illegal continuation of the SPARTAN-III Program.

The former child of ONI officers, Merlin was put into the foster-care system after his parents were slain in the line-of-duty, on and  specifically. ONI retained the Boyd family records, eventually leading to the DELTA Initiative selecting Merlin and about 300 children of similar backgrounds to become Spartan supersoldiers, under the pretense of defending against the genocidal alien empire known as the.

Merlin would be trained alongside his fellow recruits for a period of four years, between and. During this training, he would make many friends but also many rivals. This polarizing reputation with the rest of the training company was chalked up to Merlin's accident-prone nature. Trouble found him, and it had the unfortunate effect of escalating quickly and chaotically. For being such a troublemaker, Merlin was a very mellow and good-natured trainee.

Following unexpected consequences tied to SPARTAN-III Delta Company's only company-wide mission, the project was shut down and the leadership arrested. Merlin and his Spartan fireteam, Team Boson, were inducted into the  where the team participated in dangerous and politically-sensitive investigations on the behalf of the. However, repeated failures in the field led to Team Boson being pulled back to where they served as glorified security guards for a period of six months, watching over military installations in the United Republic of North America. Brash decisions made by Boson's team leader, Daniele-D003 lead to the entire fireteam going. Now on the run, the team splintered - now with too much freedom at their fingertips and very different agendas to complete. Merlin, along with his best friend, Andra-D054, turned to mercenary work - landing a contract with the Baal Defense Solutions private military company. However, their Spartan pasts caught up to them and they were inducted into BDS's own supersoldier program, Project APOLLYON where they served as operators. Under BDS's command, Merlin and Andra were deployed on a few missions and were caught up in many morally-grey situations just as the began.

With the now  and the galaxy's future in jeopardy, Merlin is left fighting a personal war against his past and for an uncertain future. Merlin never earned the right to call himself a Spartan, according to his superiors in training, however, this new conflict may give him the opportunity to prove himself. No matter the side he stands on. Similar to the galaxy at large, Merlin's crisis only seems to be beginning - only a year out of the UNSC and old faces and new complications have brought out personal tragedy in their wake. As Merlin sees it, if he survives the next few years, it will come with great sacrifice.

Military-Grade Protection
Spartan-D032 has worn a number of powered and regular combat armor through his lifetime, both on the Frontier and as a SPARTAN-III commando. The dangers of the galaxy at large require him to carry his weapons and his armor wherever he goes and to be ready to fight at any time. This challenge of remaining mobile but also having a detrimental requirement of trying to maintain his armor requires Merlin to be backed by a decently-sized and sophisticated logistical line and industrial base. It's no wonder that he ended up joining a private military company like Baal Defense Solutions after leaving the because of his equipment's limitations.

Just before the end of his training as a Spartan, Merlin was with a unique mix unlike that of  and provided a   with  with emphasis on adaptation and combat variability, many after-market modifications were provided by Merlin during his time with this  setup. After only a real year of usage, Merlin's equipment would get a total overhaul with the shutdown of Delta Company. The nostalgia that Merlin would have for his GEN1 system would continue to holdover with him, serving as his baseline when comparing newer power suits when he was provided them. While others would be more advanced and more powerful, the GEN1 series was the one Merlin would cherish the most.

When Merlin and the rest of his Spartan team were inducted into the UNSC after the shutdown of Delta Company, there was a gradual overhaul of their gear, including an addition of new. Merlin was limited in the terms of modularity with the second Generation of MJOLNIR, however, the second generation also came with hardware and software upgrades that made the GEN2 systems a complete revolution over his Mark V-Bravo. Merlin settled on an armor developed within the UNSC's experienced defense labs rather than from a government contractor, called the "Interceptor".

The was a rather simplistic suit that provided the same security and reliability as Merlin's previous powered armor but also provided increased modularity. The suit's streamlined form was somewhat more stealthy while also allowing for plenty of retail space to add magazine and utility pouches. Merlin would do a lot of personal tinkering and manual reading to understand the ins-and-outs of the combat armor. Disappointingly, the time required to take off and put on the armor manually was just as convoluted as that with the first generation, the over-reliance of the, a turn-wheel quick-assembly technically required to put on, and take off the suit. In some ways, due to this inconvenience, Merlin did consider the armored suit a hindrance. Not to mention the of the older suits was still included. Before leaving the UNSC, he was working on finding a workaround for the drainage system.

When Merlin and the rest of his team left the UNSC, deserting the military organization that had given them new life, Merlin took the suit with him. It would take him a good few hours to take off and put on the armor before Merlin ended up joining up with Baal Defense Solutions as a new operator of Project APOLLYON, the private company's own supersoldier program. While under the employment of BDS, Merlin would occasionally out on BDS's own pirated, MJOLINR clone, the ENTERPRISE variant. Merlin also used the technologically-inferior but cheaper Series 01 MIMIC Powered Exoskeleton that was employed by regular UNSC ground troops and BDS security personnel on several occasions. While it was clunky, it got the job done and Merlin had a positive opinion on both suits while with APOLLYON.

Spartan's Arsenal
Merlin has always favored a good mix of and precision firearms as a SPARTAN-III commando. During training, he was often seen wielding and  as they gave him more room for improvisation and situational freedom during training exercises. However, as time went on and Merlin was introduced to the - he came to the realization that automatic weapons were probably not going to be his go-to warfighting preference. The alien had made it standard to equip their forces with  and  that made automatic firearms less effective against  and  when the goal for a Spartan was to put down an enemy as quickly as possible. While the overall difference would likely be minuscule, Merlin improved his aim - becoming a and adopted the BR85N  by  as his standard combat rifle. The versatility of the Battle Rifle would give him a balance between precision and automatics with is while still giving him room to adjust his aim if an accuracy error became a problem. The BR85-series would serve him through his time with Delta Company and with the UNSC until he deserted and started to wander along the frontier.

Now strapped for cash and in need to keep his equipment constantly battle-ready, Merlin turned to the Mk.15 civilian firearm and the M395 to fill the void of his prized battle rifle. Due to the commonplace presence of the and the, these rounds were not as far-out or reach. In most cases, Merlin had to trade some versatility between transitioning between military and mercenary, however, in some cases, the new set up he has is an improvement over his previous kit.

Merlin also has a long history with the Misriah - this same sidearm has been a staple of Merlin's kits since he became a Spartan and he's been known to carry more than one. While large in size, these pistols are still compact enough to hid on his person. Besides his staple firearms, Merlin makes use of many other types of firearms like his prized SRS-99 and more exotic firearms, however, on a typical mission or when traveling - he prefers to keep the weapons he's seen with most - pistols, assault rifles, and DMRs.

Physical Appearance
Merlin has always been an average-stature individual compared to other Delta Company graduates. He comes nowhere near the size of most MJOLNIR-clad Spartans and stands only a few inches above an average human male. While in his powered armor, Merlin barely reaches seven feet. Merlin's body is also clearly muscular and decently defined from augmentations - even for someone of Merlin's weight class, he's exceptionally light for a soldier. A trait he shares with most Spartans in fact. Merlin is descriptively lengthy and thin. He doesn't have pronounced strength but he's a quick fighter backed by decent strength for a Spartan. His augmentations only made him capable of functioning in Spartan armor - it did little to augment his outward appearance besides accelerating and stagnating his puberty.

While out of armor, Merlin has an appearance akin to a civilian. He's small enough and simple-looking enough that he can get away with disappearing into a crowd, his appearance doesn't even jump out as a military. His upkeep is very relaxed compared to the he was taught to maintain as part of Delta Company. He prefers dressing in loose tee shirts, jeans, and cargo pants. He doesn't like dressing in formal wear, including his. Merlin's hair always takes the form of a bedhead. His facial hair tends to drift with his preferences - many times while on the run, he's attempted to grow a beard only to decide against it after only seeing heavy stubble. He instead buys fake-beards to cover his face. Merlin is somewhat of a neat freak and likes to keep his things manageable, his appearance doesn't have to be neat or professional, however, it cannot become too-messy for too long or it starts bothering him, and on occasion, Andra.

Merlin does not sport any. No prominent scarring. Not even sunspots or freckles. The only real defining feature is his sometimes palish skin from wearing his armor for too long, however, it rarely overstays its welcome. Merlin wears his armor less than most Spartans and lacks their defining ghostly-white complexion. Merlin could be described as a regular male youth even though his body and facial features make him look older and yet younger at the same time, creating a sort of "Spartan-baby face paradox" as its something that most Spartans experience after being augmented where their appearance achieves a sort of.

Personality Assessment
"He's a lovable idiot, everyone's favorite punching bag in Delta. Even if he screwed up a lot, he was a good guy - friendly and reliable. He spent a lot of time with that girl Andra, never really saw them apart for long, now that I think about it. Sometimes I wonder where he is now."

- Justin-D009 describing Merlin-D032 to an ONI officer following Team Boson's desertion of duty.

Merlin-D032 spent most of his youth without his parents since they were off fighting in the Great War. He lost them as a toddler and because of that underdevelopment, his personality strayed from, or rather skipped,. Merlin has been described as unusually mature for his age - he has a tendency to think more and acts with a problem-solving mentality, however, this does not make him a logical thinker. More often than not, his decisions can have unforeseen consequences, some comedic and others catastrophic - usually depends on the situation itself. During his recruitment into Delta Company, Dr. Reyna Zhou-Romero described Merlin as "too calm" but also "too serious." This so-called maturity has gifted Merlin with a highly perceptive mind and a tendency to analyze, maybe too much at times.

Merlin was a clearly defined introvert before becoming a Spartan. Training has prompted a positive growth in his personality, drifted toward extroversion, as he has grown in age and experience. Merlin's quietness can best be tied to his past insecurities about his own judgment. In time, the circumstances of constantly escaping or beating certain death have at least given Merlin a reason to trust his own instincts - especially in battle.

Merlin's drive to seek out purpose, a characteristic he shares with most of Team Boson, has been marked by analysts at ONI as a primary factor for why the Spartans of Team Boson deserted their post. Merlin is also driven by his dedication to his allies and friends, he seeks to protect and stand by them and is relatively approachable to everyone. He doesn't have many qualms with aliens, even if his parents' deaths were a motivating factor for why he joined the Spartans. Merlin is afraid of being alone or abandoned, something he's felt considerably three times in his life: his parents' deaths, when Team Boson fragmented, and when Andra was killed. Merlin tries to avoid thinking about the possibility of being alone, in hopes that he never has to face that fear.

Andra-D054
"You looked lonely. It looked like... you wanted a friend."

- Merlin explaining to Andra why he approached her when they first became friends.

Andra-D054 and Merlin-D032 first came into contact with one another when they arrived on the human colony world of Argus V. However, they did not speak to one another for at least several days, and when they did, it turned out disastrous for both. Both children acted standoffish toward their peers, though, for very different reasons. Merlin chose to approach Andra of all children out of curiosity and probably a false sense of kinship with the girl who kept to herself. Andra was still reeling from the death of her parents and her father's abuse before turning a gun on himself; when Merlin approached, it only pushed those emotions to a boiling point.

Andra struck out first, leading to an altercation between the two Spartan recruits that ended in Merlin's victory. The two reconciled their differences and found similarities between their lifes, eventually culminating in a close friendship. Andra relied heavily on Merlin emotionally and the two were rarely seen apart from one another. Andra's reliance on Merlin dunked their combat scores early in training, however, it helped break her out of her shell. By the time training ended, Andra was one of the most accomplished sharpshooters to graduate from Delta Company. Andra and Merlin were assigned to the same Spartan team and worked together as a Hunter-Killer team duo, Merlin serving as the pair's spotter and Andra as the pair's sniper.

And when Team Boson fragmented due to the selfish actions of Daniele-D003, Merlin and Andra stuck together and went their own way as the rest of the team left in pursuit of their own goals. Their friendship would continue all the way up to Andra's death by Serge-D167's hand. In life, they were easily each other's best friend. Merlin's relationship with Andra is one based on mutual trust and commitment to each other's well being. Not quite platonic in nature, their friendship dances between romantic and a simple friendship quite excessively due to a lack of understanding of their own feelings and a lack of social education on the matter.

Althea
"I'll stick by you. Like she did."

- Althea's resolve to help Merlin during the Created Crisis.

Daiki-D217
"彼は危険なばかだ. [Kare wa kiken'na bakada.]"

- Daiki-D217 describing Merlin-D032. (Translation from Japanese: "He's a dangerous fool.")

Trivia

 * Merlin-D032 was 's first conceptual Spartan, and, his first written character on Halo Fanon based on article-creation. While not officially the first character conceived for Halo Fanon or even Delta Company, Merlin is Distant Tide's personal Spartan, acting as his in-universe projection and protagonist.
 * Merlin-D032's full name, Merlin Boyd, Spartan Delta-032, is an indirect reference to the ancient Forerunner AI,, who betrayed the during the . Merlin's Spartan number and his birth name conform to the say identifying acronym 032.M.B. This reference was unintentional on Distant Tide's part at the time, however, has since been adopted as an inside joke.
 * Distant Tide used a combination of images and anime drawings to convey Merlin's likeness. While this has been described as "can be a bit jarring on the same page", Tide finds that the images fill a necessary role between Merlin's very apparent youth and the necessity for interpretation in the case of this Spartan. The same behavior can be found in most of Distant Tide's character articles under the same situation.

Appearances

 * Delta's Path
 * Remember My Name
 * CBrando's RP Session #1

Development Notes
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Service Biography
"An orphaned child of ONI officers; it's a real shame honestly, the loss of his parents. He's a real catch for the Initiative. He was originally overlooked due to proximity to the Office, following a few years though, he disappeared into the paperwork enough for us to approach him for recruitment. On our first interactions, he proved highly perceptive, quickly identifying the recruitment team's intentions from behavioral queues. He has a protective side, one that we think can be directed to other Spartans if he can learn to trust them. He's also very amicable, though not very forward, that makes me think he's capable of leadership. His introversion is a fault. Merlin possesses a powerful physical memory tied to locations which could become useful. It's best summed up that he has the potential for becoming a Spartan."

- Remarks about Merlin-D032 by Dr. Romero. 2552.

[HOME ALONE]
"Do you remember the faces of your parents?"

- Andra-D054 asking Merlin-D032 about his parents. 2553.

The Cost of War
Merlin Ljang Boyd was born on the 23rd of October, 2545 to the Human-Covenant War late in its cycle, seven years still its near-end. Merlin's parents were Cedric Ljang and Rebecka Boyd, they never adopted each other surnames due to the work involving Naval Intelligence and the military. Cedric Ljang was a Chinese-European native of Ballast where his son was born and raised; Cedric was formerly a Navy Master-at-Arms aboard a UNSC frigate. He retired from frontline service, becoming a security consultant for the Office of Naval Intelligence's, becoming Head of Security for his assigned station. Rebecka Boyd, Merlin's mother in a similar situation was a Russian-American immigrant of working as an intelligence analyst for ONI's Section II, Department of Public Relations and Propaganda. She moved to Ballast due to her work, a job she felt love and hate for - much like her ever distant husband always being deployed on far-reaching intelligence-gathering missions.

Growing up in Ballast, Merlin lived in the spacious suburbs of the Crimson Bay District in the city of. He didn't remember it much, it was an upper-middle-class upbringing on a prosper Inner Colony. It provided safety and security from the horrors of war, at least, for a time. Merlin Boyd didn't see aliens till later in his life, but, due to his parents' constant commitment to the warfare and defense of Mankind, they were rarely present in his foundational years. Rebeka Boyd was more commonly home for her son, however, her work stationed her on the distant world of Paris IV, closer to the frontlines of the Human-Covenant War and placed her at a higher risk of death which was ultimately her reasoning for not moving the family's permanent residency to the other world. For the family, the survival of their home and child was more important than unity, at least when extinction was just around the potential corner.

Tragically, Paris IV was attacked, to the expectation of Merlin's mother. In 2549, Rebecka Boyd died in the line of duty to oncoming plasma fire at an ONI Section II facility after being incapacitated by plasma fire. Her death was one of many millions who died during the planetary siege of Paris IV. Without knowing of his wife's passing, Merlin's father suffered a similar fate two months later in orbit of. Deployed aboard the ONI Prowler, UNSC Black Widow, Cedric Lang was killed by Covenant plasma torpedo discharge after a number of tactical errors were made by the Prowler crew and they were discovered by forces in space. This had been by Covenant forces, and ultimately its last after being glassed. Merlin's parents became casualties of war and he was left alone, not even knowing the passing of his parents or how they went out. Merlin was informed in early 2550, February, of his parents' deaths.

Merlin had a little difficulty adjusting to the loss, but, it was ultimately insignificant for the youth. He was four years old and didn't understand the concept of war. The losses of his parents, due to the distance, did not affect his emotional stability as much as that for other Spartan recruits or for the other orphans he would meet while in the foster care system on Ballast. While the will of both parents requested their property and assets be passed on to trusted family friends and eventually to their son when he became of age, due to war priority - said items were liquidated and Merlin became a dependent of the state foster care system.

Spartan Induction
"Do I remember the faces of my parents? Hardly. They died a long time ago - in a faraway place."

- Merlin-D032 reply to Andra-D054's inquiry into his past moments before she assaulted him. 2553.

On the 21st of June, 2552, Merlin was approached by a young couple at the Vallejo Military City-Base Foster Care Facility interesting in a potential adoption of him. Their appearance was strange, especially in the middle of the Human-Covenant War as adoptions were rare. The couple had all the proper paperwork and Merlin's caretakers were open to see if Merlin would fit the new parental figures amicably. Placed in an observation room with the couple, Merlin immediately noticed something off about the two given the lack of a caretaker's presence in the room with them, and the way the couple behaved. They were too perfect, too ordinary, and too clean. Something reflective of a military or intelligence organization in origin, rather than just people. It felt fake, and to Merlin, it all felt rehearsed. He was quiet at his approach, asking what the couple was really interested in, and while there was some misunderstanding at first - the situation became clear between both parties. Merlin had seen through the bluff and the ONI agents that were masquerading as adoption-interested parents evaporated.

Merlin was surprisingly calm and perceptive for a seven-year-old. However, being raised by ONI personnel in a militaristic environment during his early childhood did lead to some subtle personality quirks that most youth didn't pick up, Merlin proving to be a rarity. The ONI agents quickly changed their tactics, preferring to act honestly and focus on business rather than attempt to keep up their false bravado. They still treated Merlin with some respect, even if he was still a kid and still had some difficulty grasping deeper concepts. The agents, Jeffery Korn and Dr. Romero, offered their condolences to Merlin on his parents' deaths, even admittedly late on delivery. They followed up the introductions with basic banter and an interviewing process that included analysis of Merlin's daily life, medical history, and his personality through comprehension questions. More often than not, Merlin had concepts go over his head with him trying his best to just understand and keep up. While perceptive, he lacked an adult mind to understand greater concepts than that of a child.

The entirety of the meeting was a test, a private comprehension review on whether he would be a potential recruit for the Spartan-III program which was still deep in its Gamma Company phase. The recruiters, mostly Dr. Romero, asked Merlin if he considered himself a willing candidate to be a Spartan supersoldier. After a bit of thought, the child replied with his affirmation and the rest was history - the agents left and promised to check in on him at a later date. In the dead of night on July 4th, 2552, ONI security personnel arrived at the foster care facility in military gear, firearms and forgoing any sense of subtly as the military base was home turf for ONI and the UNSC, the removal of a childlike Merlin would not be objected when it was an in-house operation. It was one of the easier abductions among Delta Company Spartans due to the military nature of the operation, others would not be as simple. The ONI troops removed Merlin from his quarters, without conflict, and took him off-world, heading for places unknown. Aboard the freighter UNSC Give Me More, Merlin Ljang Boyd lost his original identity as a child and became known as "Sierra/Delta-032." A Spartan-in-training.

[THE DELTA INITIATIVE]
"Have you heard of the Spartans?"

- Question used during Delta Company's recruitment phase. 2552.

Spartan Evaluation

 * FULL NAME: BOYD, MERLIN
 * SERVICE #: D032
 * UNIT: NAVSPECWAR/SPARTAN-III DELTA COMPANY/CABIN 003
 * ENLISTMENT DATE: 07/04/2552
 * LOCATION: VALLEJO CITY-BASE FOSTER CARE FACILITY
 * STATUS: ACQUIRED
 * GENDER: M
 * BIRTPLACE: VALLEJO, BALLAST
 * BIRTH DATE: 10/23/2545

Spartan Guinea Pig
"I didn't join the beloved Corps to take part in Lord of the Flies."

- UNSC Marine Corps Drill Instructor expressing his discontent with the behavioral problems exhibited by the Delta Company's recruited children. 2553.

It was several months before Merlin was officially inducted into the ranks of Delta Company because the Initiative was going through a funding crisis following the shutdown of the caused by heavy losses taken by the program in 2552. The war soon ended in 2553 and the need for more augmented child soldiers dried up in the eyes of ONI's leadership. Merlin was shifted to several holding centers and a temporary orphanage while the logistics division attempted to make up for the losses to continue the endeavor to establish another generation of SPARTAN-IIIs.

Merlin-D032 was reacquired by ONI forces in March 2553, right at the end of the Human-Covenant War, and shipped out to the world of Argus V, a secret world occupied by the Office of Naval Intelligence far from most human settlements. The first batch of Spartan arrivals, fifty or so children in total, were taken to the training facility on the colony known as Camp Ambrose that same month when the base was still in the middle of construction since the original facilities were lost with the destruction of the. Upon first sight of the world, Merlin couldn't tell much of a difference between Ballast and Argus V with exception to the lack of settlements on the planet. In fact, besides the base personnel and construction crew, there were no inhabitants on Argus V except the Office of Naval Intelligence - it was the perfect place to train and raise a secret and illegal program for augmented supersoldiers.

Merlin was impressed with the construction of Camp Ambrose which appeared like a forest castle among the woods and plains of Argus V's mountainous terrain. High-security walls guarded against the elements and nature outside and kept the personnel within. In appearance, the base shared designs similar to the facilities used to train previous generations of Spartans on and Onyx. Beyond the training fields and Camp Ambrose, a vast forest and mountain range dotted with rivers extended out for miles. Merlin's infatuation with the world would dry up quickly, however, his love for untouched wilderness would never leave him from this moment on. The mystery and solitude of the forest yearned to him.

Upon landing at the Camp Ambrose facility, Merlin stuck to the edge of the batch of recruits, setting precedence for himself by analyzing the other kids from a distance to see how the other children behaved and hoped if someone would approach him. Being somewhat shy and introverted, talking to others wasn't among Merlin's few talents. Merlin, following this, mostly kept to himself. He didn't talk to anyone unless he came across a public conversation or someone addressed him in general. After a few days of observing the other children, Merlin decided that one of the girls staying at the edge of the groups formed by the recruits was someone to approach. Merlin made some leaps in judgment, believing she was of the same mind as Merlin and avoiding people to observe the group. He ultimately was proved wrong when the girl turned out to be something of a brick wall, wanting to avoid any interaction with people in general. This girl was Andra-D054.

Andra was an anomaly among the first batch of children recruited for Delta Company. She actively sought to avoid people, not out shyness or personal opinions like Merlin and other quiet kids who were still uncertain of the crowd around them. Andra avoided just about everyone, barely talked and kept her distance from the rest of the class. She wasn't the only one, but, she was definitely one of the more concerning ones. Even the drill instructors and recruiting staff had assessed her as a weak link in the Company and was left alone as it was assumed she was a lost cause. Merlin's encroachment of her personal space, and actively seeking her caused an unforeseen development. She got angry. The two broke into a major fight, the first of its kind among the recruits.

The fight lasted minutes, ultimately with Merlin coming out on top, restraining Andra-D054 where she ended up breaking down in Merlin's grip. Her avoidance of other people was built on self-pity and a hatred at the world for the loss of her parents, grievances that were unique to her situation alone. Her father was a drunk and mild abuse due to the loss of her mother, it greatly affected Andra's psyche when he took his own life. Merlin would learn these factors later, in more gruesome detail as they spent more time around one another, but, this clash of wills between Andra-D054 and Merlin-D032 would establish their lifelong friendship all the way through training and beyond. Merlin became Andra's anchor in Delta Company, keeping her motivated and eventually allowing her to excel on her own ability, stabilizing her mind once she learned to trust people once again.

The two's fight occurred based on Andra asking Merlin if he remembered his parents, and to which he answered negatively. The two Spartan recruits shared a lot in common, in terms of their childhood backgrounds. Both were children of military parents, war orphans. Each one was a loner by choice and personality. It was enough for them to get along, and, being acquaintances of one another, they consciously avoided others as the days went by and a social hierarchy began to form among the children. Merlin and Andra drifted to the edge of the Spartan recruits as more children arrived over the course of 2553. Merlin would spend some of his time early in his time at Camp Ambrose dedicated to improving his often tense friendship with Andra-D054 but was often busy being funneled through the indoctrination process of Delta Company.

Medical tests. Basic educational curriculum. Military-style stress exercises that the trainers referred to as "chores." Cryogenic sleep familiarization. While physical conditioning had yet to set in, the mental training and stress testing had already begun. Merlin was noted as one of slower learners in the Company, taking to ideas slower than his peers. While he would improve with time, he never escaped the wrath of the trainers. His slow adaptation would help build his reputation as a subpar recruit in the Company early and invite a number of the more aggressive recruits to pick on Merlin-D032, during induction and the boot camp experience that followed.

At Childhood's End
When the final recruits finally arrived on Argus V and everyone finally became accustomed to their new lifestyle and the training atmosphere, the environment changed once again. Boot Camp began. The children were herded into the Camp Ambrose Mess Hall and introduced to their new lives, the DELTA Initiative came clean to their new young patrons on what they were to do, and what they were to become. The children were informed they would train like proper soldiers, and eventually, become Spartans. An introductory video was provided, the training staff was introduced with special care given to introduce the Spartans that would shape Delta Company into the proper Spartan material and the Camp's resident AI lady, Oracle. The Spartan trainers were Kyle-B115 of SPARTAN-III Beta Company and Ren-172 of SPARTAN-II Program, Class II. While the trainees would not become familiar with all the staff and project leads, they would become greatly familiar with these Spartans. Ren-172 would be notoriously early as his position as the lead trainer made him instantly hated - that didn't mean he wouldn't grow on the Delta Company trainees with time, it just meant it took a long while.

Following the meeting, the initiation began. Since the induction of, every SPARTAN-III company had been introduced with a hellish opening night. Herded aboard the UNSC Give Me More, the freighter that had brought the children to this mostly uncivilized world, the children were ordered to put on and given an impromptu lesson in how to use the airborne equipment - Merlin failed to pick up half of the information from loud noise and a lack of focus. They were being ordered to jump and being provided their first barbaric lesson in survival, sink-or-float. Like the age-old tale, when a bird chick got old enough to fly, the roosting bird mother pushed them out of the nest and off the tree. It was up to the grown bird to either fly and survive, or fall and die. Merlin saw this coming and it petrified him with fear. He knew the odds of survival were slim, at least in theory - most people would not be sane enough to do this.

Children started to jump, several kilometers up and in the dark - without a technological assist and no concept of up or down once out there. No one could see the ground. Merlin hesitated on his turn but jumped when the frantic children smashed into each other and pushed him off the freighter, several other children were forced off at the same time with him. He fell and he reacted, relying solely on instinct - he managed to survive the fall, not breaking anything but bruising his knees pretty bad on the impact. While not life-threatening his injuries would limit him somewhat early in the training phase - mostly during the runs. Assisted by some homeostasis boosters provided by the medical staff - he pushed through.

Upon recovery, he was congratulated by his trainers but he felt no pride. This was his life now and he was not ready for it. On later recollection, Spartan D032 noted that he felt nothing and said little for the rest of the night. The terror had only brought reality crashing down on his shoulders. He was a Spartan now, but not yet. He had a long road ahead, just like all the other orphans in Delta Company. Merlin didn't know who shoved him off the freighter when he glided out into the night but whoever did - he considered to be "a real asshole."

The Spartan Lifestyle
"D032, stay in line or you'll be running back to Camp in the dark!"

- Delta Company Drill Instructor yelling at Merlin-D032 for underperforming during a PT Run. 2554.

The day following Delta Company's initiation was a stark contrast for all the recruits compared to the events and stressful challenges that came before. Delta's training was no longer purely intellectually or emotionally-taxing, it became physical-taxing as well, pushing the children beyond their typical limitations to transform them into fighting machines. Alongside this new physical regime that pushed the Spartans to their limits, a social hierarchy began to develop among the children, mostly determined by individual capability as potential Spartans and personal character, given everyone's youth.

Younger individuals tended to gravitate to the oldest individuals due to their age and perceived maturity, whether that be true or not. Older Spartans had a tendency to be more mature, however, and this usually reflected in future command positions in Delta Company's ranks being handed out to them first. With little to compare but by the display of talent, the Spartans that were liked by the drill instructors more for their ability to perform and lead by example also commanded respect and authority. Under these circumstances, Merlin did not excel. Merlin lacked the command authority of some of his older peers, and, built in his traumatic fall during the Spartan Induction night, he lacked the motivation to push himself further than most. He lacked drive, something he shared with his now close confidant and friend, Andra-D054. These two children were often bunched up together due to their friendship and their lackluster performances early on. Andra's performance was so bad that drill instructors were watching to see when she would break, enough to the point that Merlin's reputation among trainers and fellow Spartans also diminished.

On the third day following Delta Company's initiation, Merlin came into conflict with Hector-D105 in the cafeteria during breakfast. One of the more overzealous recruits to join Delta Company, Hector-D105 was one of those kids that quickly adapted to their environment and easily bought into the cause they were indoctrinated into. He was by no means unintelligent, far from it. Hector was as good of a critical thinker as Merlin, however, whereas Merlin questioned his place in Delta Company, Hector was already dedicated and acting the part. He wanted to be a Spartan, and those who even showed a sign of doubt, were to be pushed out - he was determined to separate the wheat from the chaff. Merlin's continued friendship and association with the critically-lauded Andra-D054 meant that his own reputation among the was dragged down by her own social weight. Merlin and Andra were good friends already when physical training began, however, their friendship was tested by a number of characters and situations, including the continuously aggressive and idealistic Hector. Hector-D105 was annoyed with Merlin's lack of dedication and found his lack of motivation, tied to Andra's own lack of effort to be a personal insult. He started to go out of his way to try and provoke a fight with Merlin and verbally and borderline physically assault Merlin in what could be considered playful rough-rousing rather than an intimidation technique, but, it was the kind of behavior that drove Merlin nuts. Andra would come under the same scrutiny from Hector, but, even more from other Spartan recruits.

Hector and Merlin would not get along at all during their training period at Camp Ambrose, while at times, they developed a mutual respect - they could barely stay in the same room together. Merlin made an active attempt to avoid Hector's presence during those early days in camp. Besides suffering from intimidation from his peers early on, Merlin developed a niche in the ranks of Delta Company. He was an average performer with a tendency to drift to the rear of the pack during some of the more difficult activities. PT Runs were among the worst for Merlin who did not enjoy or appreciate the difficulties of Argus V speed marches over the foothills and through forests where the terrain was constantly shifting and unpredictable. Due to the temperance and sub-tropical environment of Camp Ambrose - seasonal rains would muddy the grounds making them near impassable. The foothills carried much uneven footing and recruits often tripped over rocks, or while in forests, tripped over upturned or surface roots from tall trees. Merlin's previous knee injuries from the night of initiation had a terrible time healing during the first few months because of constant pressure being placed on his knees and constant tripping. Merlin grew to hate the PT at Camp Ambrose. It would be a dislike he would maintain during his training, even as he developed a passion for running. The concept of block runs never appealed to the young Spartan.

Not too long after the training regime kicked in and Spartans were conditioned for their new lifestyle, they were also given a societal change in the form of five-man cells referred to as "Teams" or "Fireteams." Each team was designated at seemingly random intervals, though, they were actually decided by initial assessments on personalities by Camp staff led by Dr. Reyna Romero and the Camp Ambrose training AI. Teams were named after physics-related topical items. Merlin's team was Team Boson, made up of five Spartans. Besides himself and Andra-D054 which pleased Merlin greatly, there was Adryn-D111, Daniele-D003, and Rox-D107. Daniele-D003, the eldest of the five, was assigned the team leader. None of these five children knew it yet, but, they would come to trust each other like family.

The five kids were assigned to Dormitory Cabin 012, their new home at Camp Ambrose, following the camp's mostly-complete state. The camp was never quite complete due to budget cuts, not that the children really bothered by it. In Cabin 012, Team Boson was provided sleeping and living quarters including five hammocks of ten total. The other five were given to Team Boson's "sister team," Team Photon. It was made up of Hector-D105, which Merlin was so not-pleased to have, but also, Mei-D214, Itaru-D051, Elena-D101, and Mika-D036. Merlin's opinion on Team Photon would not develop till much later, primarily due to shifting of team rosters that occurred over the next several months. Team Boson remained mostly stable, not seeing much change at first which gave Merlin at least some time to get to know his own team better.

Daniele-D003 was Team Boson's young leader, older than Merlin and Andra by a year, he was quiet and most distant with exception to when the kids were under the eye of the drill instructors or he was giving orders. Daniele was a born leader and dedicated to his post when he first met Merlin, he behaved no different from the drill instructors, attempting to set some form of precedence to what he expected for the unit. This plan would not grow to fruition, however, Merlin's vision for the team would eventually win out. Rox-D107 was an interesting character. She was always seemed happy and vibrant, to the point it was a little bit disturbing. Merlin got along well with her, to begin with, becoming decent friends. While Andra tolerated Rox, the two's opposing personalities early in training did not function well. Between the two girls, there would need to be some time to get used to one another. Adryn-D111 was something of a little monster for Merlin to deal with. He was always bratty, angry, and looking for a fight. He behaved a lot like a bull, just looking at Adryn the wrong way could set him off and start a fight. Merlin had a tendency to cause this early on as well.

While these children, together, would come to form an intricate family structure that promoted internal strength and regulated outsiders from becoming too ingrained in their circle, their formation was not an immediately successful formation. Like many Spartan teams, they went through a number of ups and downs. Team Boson in its final interaction was not the original draft suggested by the staffers of the Delta Initiative. There were also plenty of factors that held Team Boson back, early in training. While they would eventually become among the deadliest Spartans to graduate from Delta Company - they're unit suffered heavily early on. Merlin especially was the butt end of many jokes that occurred over the four year training period for Delta Company, providing Merlin-D032 with a number of absurd nicknames that stuck with him through training and into later life.

[DELTA COMPANY]
"Oracle assures me that this organization structure shall influence the desired results. I can't say everyone agrees, though, Director - Harald doesn't like pitting Spartan teams against each other."

- Andrew Johnson, on Delta Company's unorthodox training methods.

The Team Assignments
It was slow, getting used to training to become Spartans. The children were pushed physically, and mentally to their absolute limits and then some. However, the methodology employed by Camp Ambrose was not atypical of Spartan norms - after almost three or four decades of Spartan supersoldiers being created, and four programs - the pre-augmentation side of Spartan development had mostly been perfected. Rear Admiral Utah and Captain Andrew Johnson, the creators and founders of the Delta Initiative had done their best to study and format a proper operational plan to transform the children into Spartans over the course of a four year period, while accelerated and haphazardly short. It was decided that the major components of making Spartans could be handled within the first four years and after, any additional time would be made up for through experience and secondary training that followed.

[REMEMBER MY NAME]
"Covenant. Definitely Covenant in my LZ."

- Merlin-D032 reporting on the arrival of a Covenant remnant group arriving in his landing area. 2558.

The Dig Site
After the ONI Agent Zachary Rayne ran away from the UNSC with two AI in his possession, the UNSC tasked Ferret Team Boson to pursue the man and his two robot allies in the Spring of 2558. Rayne was motivated to seek out an unknown target as guided by the counsel of a AI by the name of 176 Benevolent Monarch. Team Boson was left without much support upon being informed of their target's last known location, a colony world known as Ramaya. At the time, the colony of Ramaya was an isolationist world with a semi-feudal government only haphazardly recognized as a separate state by the Unified Earth Government. Not interested in motivating a planetary rebellion, the planet was left to its own devices and the isolationist nature of Ramaya meant that the UNSC and the Office of Naval Intelligence could not dedicate many assets to detain Intelligence Officer Rayne who had already managed to arrive on the planet, going mostly undetected by the government of Ramaya.

Due to a royal wedding taking place on Ramaya for the colony's Royal Family, limited numbers of off-worlders were allowed to visit the planet temporarily for festivities and to promote the planet's tourist economy, even if for a seemingly minuscule and economically-senseless period of time due to a lack of integration with the rest of the Human colonies. Due to the strict security maintained on Ramaya, it was currently improbable to smuggle military equipment and Team Boson on to the planet through legal means as well as the method that Rayne arrived on the colony world was still unknown at the time of the Ferret Team's deployment.

Employing, the UNSC sent a single UNSC cruiser through Slipspace to pass through Ramaya's low orbit and allow Team Boson to be dropped from low orbit on to the planet, avoiding the detection by satellite arrays and disguising themselves as meteors plummeting toward the ground below. By that time, Rayne had already been present on the planet for several days at least. Rayne was operating in the Capital City of Ramaya while Team Boson had landed in the forests north of the city. Upon landing, however, the mission to retrieve Zachary Rayne and his two AI compatriots proved far more dangerous and complicated by the arrival of other competing parties that stood in direct opposition to the UNSC interests and operations on the planet of Ramaya.

Merlin-D032 was the first to become aware of these other parties upon arriving on Ramaya. While shaken up from the drop pod crash landing in the forest and still dazed from a rushed thawing process out of cryogenic stasis, Merlin dozed for a bit in his drop pod only to be woken up by a Covenant landing party equipped with plasma drills. This party, a sect of the was looking for Forerunner artifacts located below Ramaya's surface. This party was led by the infamous Tuka 'Refum, an former Covenant warrior and the son of infamous heretical commander,  who fell by the hand of ,  in battle days before the.

Tuka's presence, unknown to Merlin, was the precursor to the arrival of the rogue Spartan Simon-G294, best known as SPARTAN-III Gamma Company's worst graduate and a suspected mass murderer for masterminding the Bombing of Philadelphia in 2554. Simon, while not present at the dig site where Tuka's forces had begun drilling, had brought an element of his own Kru'desh Legion, an unorthodox combat force belonging to Mdama's Covenant forces. Unable to positively identify the Covenant forces present at the dig site, Merlin requisitioned the assistance of Andra-D054 to lay an ambush in a futile and poorly-throughout attempt to glean information on the Covenant force. With permission from Kyser Ducepte, the pair of Spartans assaulted Refum's perimeter - killing several alien warriors. The fight was much more drawn out than Merlin had expected as he and Tuka clashed in a close quarters duel.

Merlin charged the Covenant line under the protection of his active camouflage and employed an instinctual disinformation campaign by employing a number of smoke and fragmentation grenades to create the illusion that Merlin was many more fighters than himself. Andra-D054 provided overwatch support by taking out Kru'desh Legion stragglers that attempted to engage Merlin directly as the young man broke through the Covenant lines and engaged Tuka directly. The Spartan and Elite engaged in a brawl that included a number of grenades and Merlin's BR85 battle rifle against 'Refum's own energy sword and plasma grenades. Refum was greatly hindered by Andra's accurate marksman fire, however, proved to be a much more able fighter than Merlin had expected as it had been his first close quarters encounter with a Sangheili warrior of some talent and infamy.

Merlin attempted to glean information directly from Tuka through insults and taunting and attempts at overpowering the much larger reptilian alien. 'Refum spoke few words, already aware of Merlin's attempts to recon Tuka's intentions. It wasn't long before Merlin and Andra had overstayed their welcome as Tuka's forces regrouped and became focused on the two Spartans that were attacking their position. The rogue AI who acted as Simon-G294's questionably loyal companion, Diana hacked Team Boson's communication arrays and spoofed herself as an ONI handler, ordering the Spartan pair to leave the Covenant forces alone. Forced to retreat, Andra destroyed one of Tuka's plasma drills and covered Merlin's escape from the Covenant troops. Tuka and Merlin both escaped mostly unscathed from their encounter, however, both wasted a notable amount of their own weapon and equipment inventories, especially in the case of Merlin's grenade count. Merlin was forced to retreat without acquiring any useful information from Refum and instead created a military blunder, revealing the presence of Spartan supersoldiers on Ramaya and putting Simon and his forces on guard for future attacks by Team Boson.

Following their clash with the Kru'Desh Legion and escaping mostly unscathed, Merlin and Andra regrouped with the rest of their Spartan team. Their return, while not disastrous was considered a risky gambit as evidence of greater powers had become involved and discovered the Covenant remnants as Boson had done by accident only hours before. Ramayan Security Forces, members of the Campbell's Marauders pirate clan, and Kru'Desh Legionnaires fought over the great hill as Team Boson marched their way out of the area. While the team was not immediately aware of the heavy skirmish that had occurred atop Merlin's landing site, they were close enough to hear and detect signs of battle. Ramayan combat aircraft clashed with Covenant aircraft in the sky. Smoke rose from falling carpet bombs. Sounds of sporadic gunfire echoed through the forest.

At the same time as the battle, Team Boson was attempting to acquire some kind of assistance from UNSC forces and coming to terms with the possibility that their communications array had been compromised by foreign agents as Team Boson was unaware of any other Direct Action units that had been assigned to the detainment mission to return Intelligence Officer Rayne to UNSC Space. Major Ducepte put out a call on a UNSC general channel requesting air assets for a potential ride since it was a report from a UNSC element that first informed Team Boson of Rayne's location. However, unknown to the team - their communications upon bouncing off a Ramayan communication satellite had been acquired by a tactile group of Ramayan rebels with ties to the, specifically the cell belonging to infamous Insurrectionist supersoldier, Jonathan Ulan. Upon making contact with the Ramayan rebels who identified themselves falsely as the children of a UNSC Army garrison before Ramaya cut off its connection to the rest of human space. They claimed to be fighting a guerrilla war against the Ramayan Defense Forces for a number of years now. Uncertain about the group who had driven up on the Spartan team's position in an old main battle tank from the 25th Century. The rebel tank contingent's commander was a man named Mark Roskov, a former member of the Gilgamesh Free State and a terrorist fighting against the UNSC. Without proper knowledge of the forces at work on Ramaya, the Spartans and their team leader were forced to trust the strangers enough that they asked for a ride.

Roskov was, in fact, responsible for the second breach into the UNSC frequencies that same day and had spoofed a UNSC signal to lock down the location of the Spartan team, however, uncertain of their capabilities and interests - he maintained a facade due to his uncertainty with dealing with these unknown UNSC forces, especially as it was difficult to tell whether the Spartans were actually supersoldiers or just heavily-armored soldiers under their layers of thick metal covered by large alloy cloaks designed to assign Team Boson with their active camouflage suites. Ducepte ordered Daniele-D003 to cloak out of sight when the team was asked by Roskov if they required a ride. Both groups were preparing to set up traps that neither side was aware of - Team Boson was preparing to employ Daniele as a trump card in case things went sideways and Spartans pitted up against a tank in close quarters was deemed simple enough. On the other hand, the Ramayan rebel cell was already in contact with Ulan back at their safe house and informing the rebel supersoldiers that they had picked up a UNSC/ONI unit in the forest and were considered setting up an ambush. Not wanting to attract ONI forces due to previous encounters during and before the UNSC-GFS War where ONI agents systematically caused havoc across a large presence in the secessionist rebel world of Gilgamesh. The very mention of ONI pushed Ulan to bug out of the safe house and order the tank crew to lead the Spartan team away from the rebel cell to continue maintaining their operational security. For Ulan, confronting UNSC forces in the open would spell disaster under the circumstances he and his forces were in - being the acting underdog and pinched between the presence of Covenant forces, pirates, the Ramayan military, and the UNSC - it was best to stay hidden and out of site.

Merlin and his team would not come in contact with Ulan and his cell and were dropped off at the small town where they made plans to make contact with UNSC informants on Ramaya. Between the reinforced presence of the Ramayan Defense Force along with outsiders such as the Kru'Desh Legion, Campbell's Marauders, the Ramayan Rebel Cells, and rumored presence of Forerunner automatons - it was clear that the simple mission to detain Rayne had become much more complicated.

[DOWN TIME]
"Team Boson exhibits signs of insubordination and declining motivation in the field. Strange coming from one of the rogue DELTA Initiative's primary combat teams. More information is required but the team has been grounded until further tasking."

- ONI Section III Post-Analysis upon Grounding Ferret Team Boson. 2558.

Midwestern Reassignment
Due to a subpar track record as a Ferret Team, Merlin and Team Boson were reassigned to Earth and stationed in the United Republic of North America's Midwestern Region, also known as the Breadbasket of North America. Under strict evaluation and a year's probation from active operations outside UNSC space, Team Boson was to act as glorified security guards and hired muscle on UNSC installations and in minor operations taking place on Earth and in the. Major Ducepte was allowed to stay with his Spartan team, however, their position as a Ferret Team was already falling into question by the UNSC's and the Office of Naval Intelligence. Merlin during the time of crisis heard rumors that Team Boson might be dissolved and restructured as Headhunter Teams or integrated into other units as the command structure began to doubt the capabilities of Team Boson. Boson was one of the highest rated Spartan teams to graduate from Delta Company, after all, however, their track record was clearly faltering out of the gate upon being deployed into the galaxy - no longer tied to the Delta Company brand. One major concern was that Major Ducepte might be forced to resign his post as commander of Boson if his superior officers found no confidence in the man's commanding capability. While Merlin and his team were mostly distant toward the old man who did his best to act as a father figure for the Spartans, the five children had come to respect the former Army Officer as an able leader and someone they had come to treat as a close ally and even a member of the team's family in some cases.

Stuck on Earth, Team Boson was, however, given much more freedom and leeway in what they could do with their free time. Being ordered to stay on Earth provided Team Boson the unusual opportunity to see what life beyond being a Spartan was like - something totally unusual and uncommon among the ranks of the SPARTAN-IIs and SPARTAN-IIIs. Merlin took advantage of this new found freedom and the pension that ONI had provided to him in their recognition that Spartans were people, not tools of war. With years of back pay suddenly flowing into his presence and having owned little property of his own in his life, Merlin chose to take advantage of his small economic fortune. He bought himself a flat in and acquired himself a sports car. Merlin also began to learn and recreate survival skills he had learned from watching and learning from Daniele-D003 - a small amount of Merlin's money went into establishing secret safe houses and caches in the Midwest in case of an eventual rainy day and life hit a new low, even as his team was experiencing a moment of crisis and a hit on their egos for being marked as a failed Spartan team. The words spoken the year before during Delta Company's graduation came back to haunt the team, reminding them that they had yet to live up to and be recognized properly as "true" Spartans. In Merlin's case he took a personal and emotional hit being reminded that he was not living up to the legacy of the Spartans, even more so, he was failing to meet the expectations of Spartans. Merlin around this point was feeling the same array of emotions that he had bottled down and hidden from the days when he first became a trainee in Delta Company. He was to spend a certain amount of time now, relearning what he and his team were doing wrong and eventually, how to bring themselves back to the good opinion of the Spartan Branch and ONI.

A Small Victory
Merlin and his team had been living relatively comfortably in the fall of 2558 when they were forcibly regulated to the Midwestern Region of the United Republic of North America, specifically. Merlin-D032, now living under his original name, Merlin Boyd, had acquired himself an apartment in the faltering metropolis of New Phoenix. While his team was spread out across the Mid-West, Andra-D054, now known as Andra Bradford and Daniele-D003, now Daniele Veracruz, were living in New Phoenix as well. One reason was tied to the city's closeness to many UNSC installations and access to a space tether which improved Team Boson's capabilities to deploy on the fly. New Phoenix was once a sprawling city, encompassing the Arizona desert and included the cities of, the , and neighboring Tuscon. When Merlin and his teammates moved in, claiming the real estate for themselves on their back pay, they only found a megapolis dying in a societal vacuum from the sudden lack of a population. Debris and silence filled the streets and the culture once described as "open and friendly" had all but dissipated.

The by the and Jul 'Mdama's Covenant had wiped out the city's entire population of 7 million, mostly through the act of the city's population and transforming their digital essences into the deadly. Without the seven million people to uphold the city's infrastructure, the town's remaining population - mostly those living on the outskirts or away from home, were left with a community without a heart. The replaced New Phoenix as the nation's fourth largest city in population and by, the city's population still numbered in the hundreds of thousands - a fraction of the city's previous strength. Team Boson was lucky to not have been around during the events of the Promethean attacks as they had still been a part of the Delta Initiative and being able to even get a glimpse at the Human homeworld was still far in the future for the team. While the children, now technically in their late teens, were living in the city - they became familiar with the scorch and ashen marks of battle from months earlier that had not been cleaned out. For Merlin personally, it became a sign and a reminder why he committed his resolve to the UNSC and why he wanted to be a Spartan. To fight monsters like the Covenant and the Prometheans.

However, being on Earth meant that Merlin and his pals were the furthest possible distance from military action possible, not including an incident involving a Sangheili refugee and a in  and the theft of a Phoenix-class Support Ship in orbit of  moon of  the year before. Merlin and Andra were present on the outskirts of New Phoenix near the city of when they were ordered by their superior officer operating out of a field office in New Phoenix to intercept a truck theft that included a number of Havok tactical nukes making its way toward what was believed to be the New Phoenix Space Tether. The terrorists involved were believed to be members of an Insurrectionist cell and heading in the direction of the metropolis. Due to Merlin and Andra being at a rest stop close to the truck's path and the pair's proximity - the two gave chase to intercept the cargo vehicle.

Merlin and Andra jumped into Merlin's sports car and through a number of close calls with crashing, Merlin managed to get Andra close enough to hijack the cargo truck. With a pair of snubnosed M6 magnums, Andra raided the truck before taking over the driver's seat and bringing the vehicle to a halt. The chase, while vicious, had been a fairly short ordeal overall. While it did not improve the circumstances of being regulated to Earth - the event gave Merlin and Andra some additional bonding time over snarky remarks and sarcastic quips at one another and gave the two some room to burn off some unspoken tension caused by living in an alien-like society. On, war seemed so far away compared to being out in the field on a semi-regular occurrence before they were assigned to the United Republic as a temporary station till ONI and the Spartan branch could decide what to do with Team Boson. It was a very difficult time for the team and while there were small victories and distractions from time to time. Each day was a countdown toward disaster as forces took aim at Team Boson, particularly an old ally turned foe.

The terrorists that attempted to steal the Havok Nukes were identified as members of the Salvadorian-based interstellar drug cartel known as the Cortez Cartel. While their motive for stealing the nukes was unresolved, their action was deemed a high-security risk - especially after Insurrections had stolen a UNSC Support Ship right from under the nose of the. Those Insurrections were also actually Cortez Cartel Sicarios disguised as rebels, rather, they were members of the Cartel's naval force - the Glass Raiders. The Glass Raiders were not yet a household name in UNSC intelligence circles, however, former Lieutenant Jeffery Korn - Team Boson's counselor from Camp Ambrose was the acting commander of the Glass Raiders and had taken interest in his old Spartans. The attempt to steal the nukes was intended to augment the deprived arsenal of Korn's new flagship, however, Andra's wipeout of the hitmen unintentionally brought Team Boson back into Korn's life.

Personality & Traits
"We're Spartans. That doesn't make us exempt from being individuals."

- Merlin-D032's personal opinion on being a Spartan. 2558.

Physical Appearance
Merlin-D032 weighs 108.41 kilograms (238 pounds) and stands at 185.4 centimeters (6 ft 1 in). He stands at regular stature in comparison to most SPARTAN-IIIs and in comparison to his Delta Company brethren, only a few units taller than average human males. Born on Ballast, Merlin is the product of a heavily multicultural marriage between his parents. His father was three-quarters Germanic and a quarter Han Chinese while his mother was a mixture of Anglo-Russian descent from North America on Earth. Overall, Merlin appears pale in complexion and European in appearance with a slight tan due to higher sun exposure than most Spartans. Merlin's eyes are colored hazel, a mix of light brown and a reddish maroon. Between augmentation and natural growth, his eye color never changed. His hair has always sported a messy dark brown color. There is nothing particularly interesting in his facial appearance overall.

Merlin is physically-built from his Spartan augmentations along with his natural athleticism. Still a youth and having skipped puberty from artificial acceleration of his homeostasis, Merlin looks somewhere between a towering teenager or a young man in his late twenties, it remains hard to tell - especially a number of physical changes he has gone through as both a Spartan and while a fugitive from the United Nations Space Command. While a Spartan, Merlin kept his dark brown hair, something he never modified, short to meet military regulations. There were often times, however, following his graduation from the DELTA Initiative that he began to grow his hair out longer, sometimes to the point that it would begin falling into his eyes. To continue with military regulations, Merlin didn't grow a beard and he kept his hair bearable enough that it never got in the way of putting on his combat armor, something as a soldier he did on a regular basis, whether it be powered armor or basic military fatigues. Once out of the military and on his own, Merlin began to let himself go a little - he grew out a beard, though somewhat temporarily. He failed to shave as much and started to grow a shadow around his neck and lower face. To his disappointment, any attempts to grow a beard turned out to be too itchy for his own liking. Sometimes in desperation to hide his identity, Merlin has been known to buy fake beards to shroud his recognizable face a little better - especially as a fugitive from the military. In terms of any lasting physical markings, Merlin has none. He has been conscious about applying tattoos on himself, as they could give him away while on the run.

In terms of clothing and equipment worn by Merlin, it's a mixed bag. Merlin favors wearing comfortable clothing - a fact that he shares with the rest of his Spartan team. While normally wearing military uniforms or combat armor, Merlin's civilian attire favors function and comfort over style and is often subdued in color or design. Merlin usually wears tee shirts and baseball tees, preferably one or two sizes bigger than himself so that he can actually fit into them without constraints. He also prefers pants over shorts, wearing jeans and tactical pants due to their usage of containing plenty of space and protecting against potential injuries in situations where armor isn't an acceptable method of dress. Merlin is known to keep a number of heavy jackets and ponchos in his inventory, even going so far as to wrap his power armor in it when he started to live on the run and on several occasions in the field. Merlin also favors military and baseball caps but has been seen wearing what can only be described as a wizard's hat, much to the annoyance of those near him. In his own belief, he uses it to keep sunlight out of his eyes and protect against the rain. Merlin is often seen wearing sneakers or combat boots and carries a bug-out military bag along with a traveler's extra-large stowaway bag - usually to carry whatever gear he normally has on him in the field or when he is traveling as he doesn't seem to mind extra weight on his person. He has been known to wear these items in and out of armor on multiple occasions.

Personality Assessment
"Merlin, you may not see it yet but your greatest weakness is yourself. You trust others too much - if you aren't careful, they'll back-stab you one day."

- Rox-D107 to Merlin-D032. 2558.

Merlin-D032 grew up most his life without parents, losing them as a toddler. This under development, similar to most war orphans and SPARTAN-IIIs meant he developed personal quirks and characteristics not common with children similar to Merlin's age. For such a young child, Merlin has developed a somewhat mature outlook on the world - one that has caused people to describe him as "too serious," and yet, he's "too calm" in the oddest of times. This maturity has given Merlin several personality strengths over the years including a highly perceptive mind and a tendency toward over-analyzing people and situations.

Otherwise behaving like someone beyond his years, Merlin is a clearly defined introvert, at least during training - his personality over time has drifted toward extroversion as he has grown in age and experience. Merlin's quietness can best be tied to his uncertainty and a lack of confidence in himself. In time, gaining experience as a supersoldier, the circumstances of constantly escaping or beating certain death has at least given himself a reason to trust his own capabilities - especially in battle.

In terms of Merlin's personal beliefs, Merlin is known to be motivated by purpose, or at least the drive to seek it out - a personality issue that he shares with the rest of his team and has been marked by analysts for the Office of Naval Intelligence as one of the clearly defined reasons why the Spartans of Team Boson turned rogue. The other motivator in Merlin's life is the dedication to those he considers his family. This is usually his Spartan team but can be tied to other Spartans and other humans and on the rare occasion, aliens. Merlin is dedicated to protecting his family and doing whatever he can to help them, to maintain their trust in him and so that they have his back when there is a point where he can't do something alone. While notably naive, this belief has rarely failed Merlin in life. Merlin is an amicable personality, behaving overtly friendly and polite with anyone he comes across - with exception to those that threaten him and those important to him. Merlin's greatest fear is losing those he cares about and getting left behind. He doesn't quite fearing being left alone, but, if he is abandoned - he doesn't know what he would do. He avoids thinking about the potential, in hopes that he never has to face that fear.

Relationships
"He's kind of the Delta Company punching bag, and we love him for it."

- Hector-D105 reflecting on Delta Company's overall relationship with Merlin-D032. 2555.


 * Andra-D054

Merlin and Andra first became acquainted during the first few days upon arriving at Camp Ambrose, the training center for Delta Company Spartans. Merlin's attempt to befriend Andra fell apart as soon as it began, ending in a tussle that became one of the first incidents of children fighting at Camp Ambrose. While drill sergeants did not get involved, the incident resolved itself in minutes with both children becoming near inseparable. In a place where children were making friends and enemies quickly, Merlin and Andra stuck to each other fast, becoming friends and mostly avoiding interaction with other Spartan recruits during the early months of training. Attempts to separate the two recruits by Camp Ambrose staff proved futile, and it was later decided that they would be placed on the same Spartan team - even after a final attempt of separation took place where Shima-D011 took Andra's place as Team Boson's designated marksman, it did not prove positive results. Easily each other's best friend among the Spartans, Merlin's relationship with Andra is one based on mutual trust and commitment to each other's well being. Not quite platonic in nature, their friendship has never descended into a romantic direction - caused directly by a lack of understanding of their own feelings and a lack of active discussion along with a lack of education in the concept as Spartan supersoldiers.

Being teammates and both qualified shooters, Merlin serves permanently as Andra's spotter in their Hunter-Killer team duo. She shoots, Merlin spots targets. Merlin's talents for Land Navigation and Scouting further augments the duo's capabilities as a fighting unit. When both Spartans went rogue with the rest of their team, Merlin and Andra stuck to one another when the team fragmented and have since been wandering the colonized frontier as close allies.


 * Team Boson

Merlin-D032's former Spartan Team made up by fellow Spartans Daniele-D003, Rox-D107, Adryn-D111, and Andra-D054, was known as Team Boson and later Fireteam Boson. Assigned together in 2553, the five children, later young adults served together until 2558 when the unit collapsed from multiple members turning rogue and abandoned their duties as Spartan supersoldiers.

Under the command of Daniele-D003, the team was one of the highest performing units to graduate SPARTAN-III Delta Company. Merlin served as the team's executive commander. He specialized in intelligence analysis, scouting, and land navigation - likely one of the best in the entirety of about three hundred Spartan recruits. Merlin loved his team, so much so that he was often compared to the heart or glue. He kept his unit together and maintained their family structure. Merlin was the empathetic and uniting one, promoting trust and free-thinking and made the Spartan team behave less like a unit and more like that of a family, a situation somewhat similar, yet different from other Spartan teams that graduated alongside them. At Camp Ambrose, Delta Spartans were trained to operate within their units and to survive through each other.

When Daniele-D003 turned rogue, his disappearance and abandonment of the unit's family structure, it was heartbreaking and shocking. It sent shock waves through the unit, to the point that it motivated the entire unit to abandon the UNSC altogether. It was also this break that that tore the team apart when they retreated into the colonial frontier as fugitives from the military, an event that harmed Merlin the most out of all of the members as he took it as a personal failure of his to not keep the team together and for failing to lead when Daniele left them all behind in the dust. They were a family, and Merlin felt he failed them all. Eventually, Merlin hopes to reunite the unit and feels it's his own responsibility, though, he tries avoiding the thought so he doesn't guilt himself into chasing after them, at least not yet. He knows eventually something will force him to. Merlin has come to a realization for himself, however, if things turn out for the worst - he would prefer to be the one to detain or eliminate the rogues from his unit because he believes that mistakes should be kept in the family rather than letting the government or the universe decide their fate for them. This belief is partially motivated by the pessimism that he has taken from his close compatriot, Andra. Of the team, she was the only one to stick by him through thick and thin.

Equipment Inventory
Merlin-D032 has carried a number of weapons and equipment over the course of his service and when he turned rogue. During his tenure as a Delta Company SPARTAN-III, Merlin-D032 wore a custom set of the MJOLNIR Powered Armor chassis with heavy modifications with emphasis on adaptation and combat variability. A focus was placed on airborne capabilities and being able to carry a flexible load into just about any environment. Similar to the rest of Team Boson, Merlin's armor was often painted in shades of light gray to black with streaks of green. Merlin's visor color was a dark blue.

Merlin has an MJOLNIR Generation-2 Powered Armor suit courtesy of the Spartan Operations Branch, an set. Because of Team Boson's rogue status and a lack of deployments, the GEN-2 armor saw little service. This Interceptor set was a factory model, mostly unmodified from the assembly line. It was in storage when he and the rest of his Spartan team turned rogue due to scheduled maintenance.

Merlin, while on the run also adopted a Series 01 MIMIC Powered Exoskeleton, a private sector alternative to MJOLNIR and powered exoskeletons like it. It would serve as a good in between when Spartan armor would have been too flashy and projected his position to unwanted parties, especially the UNSC due to Merlin's rogue status. Merlin has used a number of weapons in the past, however, his go-to has always been a variety of pistols, assault and battle rifles, DMRs, and sniper rifles. He, however, does not favor any sort of weapon beyond rifles, due to the likelihood of losing them in combat, and values his own life and his Spartan armor over his firearms. Merlin has been known to also use a variety of blades as well.

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