Annalee-B220

"'She faded to dreams, and her journey began.'""—Centroid, Chapter 4"

Spartan Annalee-B220, formerly Annalee Lyra Tesarik, was a Spartan-III Commando from the mid 26th century. Annalee was one of thirty-two other Spartan-III's pulled from Beta Company by brass, Rear Admiral Darren Cohen and his Diamond Initiative. Annalee is best known for her exploits with Beta Company's Team Golf and later as DIAMOND Team's leader. She is a close friend of fellow Spartan operative Andrew-B191.

Annalee's early history is made particularly interesting due to '''[THIS DATA REDACTED PENDING REVIEW FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION BY ONI SECTION 3]. '''Annalee's expertise in combat is bolstered by her efficiency with long guns, particularly with assault rifles and sub-machine guns. It is this combat efficiency, and her natural leadership skills which led to her rise to become DIAMOND Team's leader. It is often cited that her leadership skills were tested handily during the Battle for Mendel IV, and that her actions during the conflict put her in a class of Spartans which only few occupy.

Early Life
Annalee Tesarik was born on Mars.

Orphaned, Annalee was eventually made a candidate for the Spartan-III program, showing great promise due to her naturally heightened reflexes and driven by the loss of her parents. and Annalee decided to make her origins secret to fit in with her comrades, but Annalee remained conscious of her younger years on Mars and looked on them fondly.

As a Trainee, Annalee was assigned to Beta Company’s Team Golf. She was joined by Joel-B404, Ahmed-B077, Mary-B300, Wei-B256, and Andrew-B191. The Team stayed together throughout their training as well as their initial early deployments. Although Annalee was not the team leader, she was designated Golf-2—second to team lead Joel. Annalee, Andrew-B191, and Wei-B256 were the eldest of the squad, the others anywhere from two to five years younger than them. The two worked closely and, by 2544, Annalee’s leadership did ultimately net her a promotion to the level of Petty Officer First Class.

The Mata Hari Incident
Annalee would help Team Golf particularly set themselves apart during the Mata Hari Incident of 2544, a hostage situation aboard UNSC Bravo 9 Relay Station.

The incident of Piracy/Terrorism was carried out by the crew of the notorious Pirate vessel Mata Hari. The crew of of the Mata Hari raided the remote Bravo 9 Relay Station for supplies, but quickly found themselves in the middle of a hostage crisis gaining the ire of the UNSC Navy. Team Golf, relatively nearby after completing a training mission, was called into action to take Bravo 9 back after the Mata Hari crippled a responding UNSC frigate.

Due to her role in the operation, Annalee would ultimately be promoted to Chief Petty Officer.

Operation: RAUCOUS SOLITUDE and the Diamond Initiative
n early 2545, Teams Golf, November, and Oscar were separated from the rest of Beta Company as initiated by Rear Admiral Darren Cohen of ONI. Cohen had pulled aside these Teams as part of the “Diamond Initiative” which would see Spartan-III’s integrated into the ranks of ONI as intelligence operatives and special. integrated strike teams.

The first mission of the Diamond Initiative, Operation: RAUCOUS SOLITUDE, ended with thirty of the thirty-two selected Spartans KIA. Annalee and Andrew-B191 were the only survivors of the operation, and thus the only two Diamond Initiative survivors. The nature of the program changed inherently, and saw to it that both Spartans would  receive promotions. Operation: TORPEDO had already concluded months earlier, and there remained no Spartan-III’s to replenish the Diamond Initiative.

Annalee would briefly be enrolled in the after returning from Operation: RAUCOUS SOLITUDE, in preparation for her role in the Diamond Initiative and it's impending mission on Mendel IV.

Trivia

 * Annalee's birthday is shared by the author's sibling.
 * Lyra, Annalee's middle name, is the name of recognized by the International Astronomical Union. It is Latin for, a smaller harp-like instrument.
 * Annalee is inspired by the character "Kelsey" in a drama/comedy Machinima called "Seekers", released in 2011. Seekers was also written and directed by the author.
 * Although not explored in the Centroid continuum, Annalee partly comes from from Jewish heritage (her father's side). This is a nod to the voice actress who played "Kelsey" in "Seekers".