Daniel Contreras

"..."

- Daniel Contreras

 Daniel Contreras (: 44086-24092-DC) is a special warfare serviceman that served under the, and he went on to become a  supersoldier oi the , as he became a first generation.

Coming from a tough life, Daniel Contreras enlisted in the, where he joined the , thanks to his natural talents in combat. Those talents would land him into, and would lead to him being recruited into the. Contreras was one of the initial special warfare operators of the, the clandestine, unconventional warfare team under ONI. After a brief stint, Contreras would leave ONI, and he would then serve as a.

Contreras was a well-regarded soldier that served with valor and distinction during the, the , and the. Known for his intensity and intelligence in combat, Contreras proved himself as natural-born soldier and was called and relied upon constantly. This has led to him having an extensive, and distinguished career service record that stretches beyond his retirement. For the few that truly knew him, Daniel Contreras was a quiet warrior, always focused on the mission to hide from trauma that he has endured over the years in service.

Early Life
On October 26, 2472, Daniel Correia Contreras was born on, in of the , which was one of Earth's bigger urban centers. The Contreras family was hardworking, and lived a quiet life focused on service. Daniel's father, Wandier Contreras, was an officer in the, while his mother, Alexis, was a prominent and respected beat journalist. Daniel lived a typical childhood, as he did well in primary education, played sports, and would socialize with other children. In 2480, the Contreras family would move to, as Alexis had accepted a bigger journalism position in the urban sprawl. It was a rough adjustment for Daniel, as he struggled to relate with other children in his neighborhood and his parents became more preoccupied with jobs. However, Daniel still proved himself adept in his studies, and did well in Chicago's youth sport programs.

Between 2475 and 2483, numerous civilian uprisings against the had broken out in the. By 2483, the crime rates in the Outer Colonies had steadily increased, as gun-running and piracy activity had grown rapidly. Soon, colonial law enforcement agencies were besieged with black market activity and high rates of violent crimes. Soon, Wandier was called upon to join a task force to combat and investigate criminal activity in the region, where he would be away from his family for some time. As Alexis was also buried in her own job, Daniel was forced to get by on his own, as he learned to cook his own meals and do his schoolwork all on his own. He was able to overcome, as he received high marks in his courses. However, Daniel would develop severe depression, due to parents' absence, and his grades slipped and he dropped out of local athletic programs. Once Daniel had completed his primary education, Daniel decided he wanted to attend the, as he wanted attract the attention of parents and to be closer with his father.

Arriving on the campus grounds on, Daniel was shown a harsh welcome by the Corbulo cadre, as the teenager was showered with an intense barrage of mental and physical abuse within his first, few weeks, after the cadet inductions. Daniel's first year as a Corbulo cadet was composed of intense physical fitness, military conduct and courtesies, and hand-to-hand combat. There was also the immense torture and abuse caused by the Corbulo upperclassmen, as Daniel and his fellow classmates endured sleepless nights of marching and drills. For the first two years at Corbulo, Daniel endured and overcame such obstacles, due to the support given by his fellow CAMS classmates. Even so, Daniel came to the realization that he did not want to follow in his father's footsteps, and the young man came close to leaving the academy. However, personal strife and tragedy in his family would crash on down the young cadet. In 2486, as Daniel's sophomore year was closing, tragedy would hit the family. During an operation cracking down on gunrunning on the colony of. The operation ended in complete disaster, as numerous UNSC and personnel and civilians were killed. Amongst the dead was Wandier Contreras, as he was gunned down in his efforts to protect civilians during the firefight. Daniel had spent his summer break mourning his father with his mother. Around this time, Daniel contemplated on what to do now. The boy was unsure on whether he should stay or leave Corbulo. Daniel's mother was in a deep depression and she had developed a deeper resentment towards the, as she felt that they were responsible for her husband's death. Alexis became distant and cold from her son, as she drowned herself into her own work, which focused on negative reporting on the UNSC,, and CMA. She soon developed a deep resentment for her own son, as Daniel was warming up to the idea of returning to Corbulo.

Daniel, becoming estranged from his mother, decided to return to CAMS to finish secondary education. The junior and senior years at Corbulo were an immense struggle for the teenage Daniel, as his depression worsened and it affected his academic performance. The troubled cadet would take his frustrations and anger out on other cadets, instigating numerous brawls. However, Daniel soon realized that he needed to focus on himself, and to not let his tragedies and bitterness consume him. Contreras was able to achieve improved grades to avoid expulsion, while his athleticism, along with renewed discipline, would lead to strong performances in areas of basic fitness, military courtesies, hand-to-hand combat, and athletic programs. In the spring of 2490, Daniel graduated with honors in military conduct and combat performance. Upon his graduation, Daniel was offered commissions in the and. However, feeling a sense of inadequacy, Daniel denied those officer commissions. Instead, Daniel decided to enlist in the in the summer of 2490.

Initial Operational History in the UNSC Armed Forces
Daniel would go through the Marine's basic training course at the on  and completed the School of Infantry (SOI) on Earth. After his graduation, Contreras, looking to challenge himself and strive for more, volunteered for the, more specifically, within the ranks of Naval Special Warfare Command. During the special warfare training at the in, Daniel would form the core of his skillset, as he was able to hone his marksmanship, and showcased an invaluable aptitude for deep reconnaissance. Contreras would prove himself as an effective combat tracker to be utilized. By 2491, after the completion of his specialized warfare training, Contreras was promoted to and he was given his first duty station with the UNSC Marine Force Reconnaissance Garrison on. Daniel was more than anxious to get on the field and prove himself, especially since Alexis Contreras was becoming a prominent figure for colonial separatist advocate groups in the Inner colonies, as his loyalties were now under suspicion.

As the 2490s began, there were hostilities and tensions in the were rising, as colonists demanded independence from the UEG and the. The tensions and violence escalated, and it would lead civilian uprisings and riots to rise in the region. In 2492, the UNSC utilized nuclear weapons in order to put down a major rebellion on the colony of Far Isle. This event sparked armed Insurrectionists to organize and to wage a guerrilla campaign against UNSC and CMA forces. In 2492, in the aftermath of the Far Isle incident, an carried out a suicide car bombing inside the UNSC special operations garrison on Camber, using a UNSC military transport truck as a makeshift car bomb. The explosion would kill 22 UNSC servicemen, 13 civilian contractors, and wounded a combined 59 servicemen and civilians. Contreras was caught just outside of the blast radius, and survived with scratches and shrapnel. However, as for his Force Recon team, they were not nearly as lucky, as his squad were either killed or wounded in the blast

ORION Project
In early 2491, the was relaunched, with Section III of the  providing the data and resources in support of the program. After the success of the initial 65 test subjects in their training and augmentations, ONI sought out more volunteers for the program. Towards the end of 2492, in the aftermath of the Bombing on Camber, Section III agents approached a recovering Contreras at the hospital, and they offered him a spot in the ORION supersoldier program. After some thought, Daniel accepted their offer into the project, along with 99 other volunteers. Daniel and the other ORION volunteers were placed under the specialized training course for rigorous combat testing. ORION initial testing in CQC and basic combat skills challenged Daniel unlike any challenge he had ever experienced. However, all the ORION candidates passed through the testing, and all of them were inducted into the supersoldier program. During the entire training stage of the program, Daniel would form closer bonds with some of the other participants in ORION, in particular, with some Marines that he met back in basic training on Earth and Reach. Contreras also reunited with some training partners that he met in Seongham during his special warfare training. Daniel would view his fellow ORION operators as brothers and sisters. Daniel cared for almost all of his fellow operatives, and he was willing to lay down his life for them and the mission. Daniel had formed strong kinships with a trio of ORION operatives: Javier Ramirez, Erron Snell, and Keila Liberatore. The four volunteers trained together (almost exclusively), and they all operated as a well-oiled machine during field exercises. Daniel finally felt that he belonged in a family again.

One of ORION's principle goals was to implant their volunteers with a series of. Along with his fellow volunteers, Daniel spent several months recovering from the procedure and growing accustomed to his improved strength and reflexes before being able to rejoin his fellow ORION soldiers. Soonafter, Contreras was placed in an ORION fireteam with his close friends (Ramirez, Snell, Liberatore), and they were prepped and briefed for their first combat operation, as Insurrectionist activity was beginning to escalate in the Outer Colonies.

Operation: CHARLEMAGNE
In June 2494,, a Marine officer who defected, had joined the and rallied the Insurrectionist movements on the Outer Colony of , equipped by numerous rebel sympathizers and gunrunners within the Colonial Military Administration's command hierarchy. Watts orchestrated a methodical and thorough series of assaults involving terrorist bombings, political assassinations, and kidnappings that impacted Eridanus II's shipping routes. With the aid of their CMA contracts, the insurgents were even able to gather a small fleet of ships. The officially requested aid from the Unified Earth Government in December of 2494, as chaos spread across the planet. By January of 2495, Watts and his rebel militia had effectively taken control of the colony. On January 12, 2496, Operation: CHARLEMAGNE was launched, with the UNSC deploying a large battle group of the to Eridanus II. Meanwhile, the ORION operatives were quietly deployed for the first time during CHARLEMAGNE, as they engaged Insurrectionist forces on the rural surface of Eridanus II, quietly and discreetly. During the operation, Contreras and his ORION fireteam were tasked with raids on Insurrectionist strongholds and weapon caches the ground. While Daniel would carry out his first kills over the course of the operation, it would be his work in deep reconnaissance and sabotage missions that would earn him his first commendation. Daniel was effective in tracking the movements of enemy patrols and troop movements. He was also able to gather vital field intelligence, which helped in locating hidden rebel garrisons, and he would assist in the rescues of captured CMA and CAA officials that were held hostage by the Eridanus rebels on the planet. Contreras and his team would also track and hunt down fleeing insurgents, as to maintain a level stealth during the operation. Daniel and his ORION team also played a significant role in the the destruction of a insurgent military base, which served as the base of operations for Insurrectionist forces on Eridanus II. The ORION supersoldiers engaged the Insurrectionists in a rapid and silent offensive operation that resulted in a decisive victory for the UNSC, with only one casualty among the ORION operatives and several crippling losses for the rebels. CHARLEMAGNE was a major success for the UNSC and project itself.

As a result of CHARLEMAGNE, the UNSC had succeeded in regaining control of Eridanus II from the insurgents. However, Colonel Watts and many of his rebel forces were successful in escaping to the Eridanus's, where they escaped capture and continued to operate against the UNSC. Meanwhile, the ORION Project, having completed both insertion and extraction during the operation without being seen by any survivors, fueled a range of conspiracy theories and media speculation. As the legend of these supersoldiers grew, it proved very helpful to the Office of Naval Intelligence's propaganda efforts in the following decades. For Contreras and his team, due to their exploits, the unit was converted into a combat tracker team. Daniel and his unit would prove to be a valuable asset in counter-insurgency, intelligence gathering, direct action, deep reconnaissance, and other unconventional warfare operations.

Operation: KALEIDOSCOPE
In 2502, the UNSC had decided to change its tactics when it came to combating the Insurrection. Instead of using great amounts of resources fighting the rebels in large-scale theaters of combat, a new emphasis was focused on assassinating key figures in the Insurrection movement.

Mental Examination
"..."

- Daniel Contreras

Daniel Contreras is generally known as a quiet, resilient individual, driven by the ideals of duty and loyalty for his fellow men. Daniel is committed, steady and practical as a soldier, and has been hardened by his years of combat during the Insurrection, the Human-Covenant War, and the Post-War years. In his youth, Daniel was raised with a strong work ethic from his parents, and was incredibly active in various sports in his youth. Contreras was instilled with great discipline by his parents, and it turned him into goal-orientated individual. Contreras's life was driven by a desire to find a sense of belonging and purpose, which lead to his enrollment at Corbulo Academy and enlisting into the UNSC Marine Corps. However, due to the family strife and tragedy, Contreras had developed depression and anxiety in his adolescence years. Daniel was hardened by war, to the point that he did not hesitate to commit morally questionable acts when necessary. However, this would affect Contreras heavily, as he would struggle to cope with the psychological damage that came with his actions. However, due to the relationships that he created with fellow soldiers (including Spartans), Daniel was able to control his mental health issues. In essence, Daniel is driven by a utilitarian mindset as a soldier, but, is more than willing to put his comrades over the mission when the time comes.

However, even with all of his tribulations, Daniel's uncanny resilience allowed him to push through any challenges that presented itself. This resilience allowed Contreras to persevere through the challenges at Corbulo, and the grueling special warfare training during his ORION service. Contreras displayed his skill as a sharpshooter, as he set marksmanship records in training courses and proved adept in combat as a designated marksman for his unit. Daniel also became an excellent combat tracker, due to his talents when it came to deep reconnaissance. Daniel and his tracking skills proved valuable in counter operations against colonial insurgents and the Covenant ground forces during his extensive service. Contreras proved to be reliable in direct action and shock attack operations. Daniel's natural athleticism had proved useful in the field, as he was often utilized in scouting and reconnaissance roles, due to his quick reflexes and his run speed. The ORION biological augmentations would supplement those physical talents, and turned him into one of the UNSC's most valued and reliable veteran SPARTAN-Is in the field.

Physical Profile
"My man is not someone to underestimate, you do that, and he'll make sure that you never get the chance to regret that choice in the first place."

- Erron Snell

Daniel Contreras is generally described as a short and athletic individual, with relative good looks. Contreras, due to his years of training and experience, maintains his body at peak physical condition. Agile and physically tough, Daniel has been utilized his talents best in the battlefield. The augmentation procedures would only enhance his physical talents, thus, turning him into a tenacious and durable ORION warfighter. Due to his Hispanic descent, Contreras has a darkened skin tone. Daniel also has dark, black hair and brown eyes. Contreras is slightly built, due to his augmentations. Even with his talents, Daniel still carries scarring and wounds that have never fully healed, as he would collect a hefty sum of injuries during his military career. This led to numerous surgeries over the years, and he would develop a form of degenerative arthritis by the end of his service.

Daniel also has some modest tattoos on his right shoulder, like his ORION patch logo, and a tattoo hidden behind his right, which was the small letter for the Detroit Tigers. Daniel also has noticeable amount of facial hair, and he tries to keep it as clean cut as he can. Although, it does often grow unkempt on few occasions. Overall, while he keeps himself in shape, Daniel physical poise is unremarkable, which has led to his foes (and, in some cases, his friends) to underestimate his abilites in combat.