Samuel-B256 (TPF)

"They won't talk or even acknowledge your existence, they don't trust anybody. But if you need a leader who will go until he can no longer go, check if Samuel-B256 is open. I commanded him since he first set foot in the field and I've never seen someone with his skill set before."

- Lieutenant Commander Stephan Ferguson talking to Rear Admiral Serin Osman.

Samuel-B256 (service no. S-B256) is a SPARTAN-III program supersoldier. Conscripted into the Beta Program in 2537, Samuel became a SPARTAN and the soldier that he would need to become. Only focused on fighting the Covenant and Insurrectionists, Samuel was viewed as a lone wolf that didn't work well at all with anyone else. Samuel was pulled out of Beta Company and placed in a specific team where he would train to become more specialized. He joined a special branch in the Navy Special Weapons where he became a sniper.

Throughout the Human-Covenant War and Post-Covenant conflicts, Samuel deployed with one other person as a sniper element team for hunting down crucial Covenant infrastructure around occupied planets. Samuel took command of Team Specter where he led the element team across the Galaxy in both time periods, he was able to survive the Human-Covenant conflict by the skin of his teeth and incredible luck. As of 2570, Samuel deploys as Ferret Team Specter's team leader.

Early Life
Samuel Ecgtheow was born on May 17th 2530 to Lucas and Alexandria Ecgtheow. Being the son of a farmer, Samuel was raised in a tight household with his parents. At a young age, Samuel learned the life of a farmer and what he would need to do in order to be a successful farmer. Due to their location on New Harmony, Samuel was disconnected from the rest of New Harmony and anything that was happening. A game Samuel got extremely good at was hide and seek and would hide from his mother as she would chase him around the farmland.

When the Covenant came in 2537, Samuel was unaware of what was going on. His father prepared himself with a large gun while his mother instructed him to go to his best hiding spot. Hearing a loud boom as Samuel ran, he ran into a shed where he made himself a makeshift bunker and waited for his mom to find him. Following the instructions of his mother, Samuel waited in the farmhouse until instructed otherwise.

Getting hungry then thirsty, Samuel left his hideout to get food and water. Seeing his home on burned down, Samuel went to investigate what happened and where his parents went. A group of UNSC ODST soldiers stumbled upon the farmhouse and located Samuel looking for his mother. An ODST noticed a man and woman dead, picked up Samuel and told him that his parents were at the pickup location. Unknown that his parents were killed, Samuel went on with the ODST and headed to the evacuation area where he left the planet without his parents.

Now an orphan of the Human-Covenant War, Samuel was lost, scared and ultimately timid of everything around him. Looking at screens, tall people arguing with themselves and intercoms in the ceiling, Samuel was scared. Crying his eyes out each night screaming for his parents, he had no luck and later started fighting the staff. Getting creative, Samuel found a way to tie up the doctor's shoes and watch one trip and fall. Getting their key off their belt, Samuel attempted to break out of wherever he was and failed when security caught him.

The orphan was then given the opportunity to join a program that allowed him to get back at the Covenant. The Covenant was the only word that Samuel knew he hated. Before the recruiter finished his talk, Samuel was willing to join whatever it was that he would need to do to fight the Covenant. He didn't know where he was going, he didn't know what his future would be, all Samuel knew was that he was going to have a chance to fight the Covenant.

Conscription and Training
Arriving at Camp Currahee on Onyx, Samuel pushed himself away from the other violent kids. The training began the next day where Samuel learned more about himself than he ever did in his life. Physical conditioning, mental toughness and psychological strength were built into Samuel. At first, he resisted such training and fought back against the instructor called Senior Chief Petty Officer Mendez. However, Samuel went on to learn that it was creating himself to be mentally tough and never fail in battle against the Covenant.

Assigned to Team Tango with Mathilda-B079, Roland-B210 and Jonah-B283, Samuel teamed up with Mathilda but the two rarely talked to one another. Samuel was not able to understand many of the technological features he would be given and never asked for help. During team activities, he would go off on his own or follow Mathilda to where they would race to the objective. Though they never showed teamwork together, they began to slowly work around one another rather than with one another. Samuel slowly learned how to become a team player, but it wouldn't happen till specialty training.

Weapons training made Samuel learn how to become accurate with a MA5K Carbine. Due to his nature, he instinctively turned the rifle to the side, threw it at a rock, put it in water then fired the weapon. Instead of the other candidates who prized their carbines, Samuel felt there was nothing special except for it being a pile of junk. He remembered the ODST who rescued him had a much lengthier gun. Unknown to what it was, Samuel wanted to use it and become the best at operating that weapon system in a firefight.

The MA5K Carbine is not effective at longer ranges and it's for sure not a strong weapon, seeing the other candidates have the same weapon, Samuel was not fond of that. Seeing that he needed a much better weapon to kill the Covenant, he became an expert at longer ranges with a Carbine. His accuracy went up, staying further back allowed Samuel to have a better battle IQ and win more situations than he was able to comprehend. As he went further back from the frontlines, the more comfortable he felt.

Samuel never completed the final test for his SPARTAN-III Beta Company training. Thinking he had been expelled from the training, he struggled with the concept that he lost and failed his parents. However, he was wrong. Samuel was one of the extremely select few that were pulled out of the Company to receive more advanced training. With information from Lieutenant Commander Ambrose, Samuel was ready and determined to become the fighter that the UNSC needed him to become.

Augmentations
Project CHRYSANTHEMUM was the project that would give Samuel his powers and abilities as a Spartan. The augmentation process was said to be successful on all subjects and Samuel was ready for the upgrades. Seeing his chance to live longer and kill more Covenant soldiers, he accepted the augmentation without a second thought and begged for it to work. Arriving at UNSC Hopeful, Samuel was prepared for whatever is to come next of him,

The Project includes the following drugs:


 * 8942-LQ99 - "carbide ceramic ossification catalyst" drug.


 * 88005-MX77 - "fibroid muscular protein complex" drug.


 * 88947-OP24 - "retina-inversion stabilizer" drug.


 * 87556-UD61 - "improved colloidal neural disunification solution" drug.

Stronger, faster, quicker and deadlier; Samuel became the soldier he needed to become for the UNSC. His bones are impossible to break, strength was off the charts, eyesight was stronger than ever before and he was able to react to a situation faster than he could comprehend. All of these traits would be put to great use, allowing Samuel the chances he would need to kill as many Covenant soldiers as he could.

Along with the augmentations Samuel received, he was given a SPARTAN Neural Interface that would allow him to access and have an artificial intelligence inside of his head. Learning that this was the reason people were arguing with themselves, Samuel wanted to put himself in a position to have an AI. Due to being a terrible electronics user, the benefit of having someone else would greatly benefit him in the field of battle. However, he never got one.

Specialty Training
While the rest of the Company went on for Operation: CARTWHEEL, Samuel stayed on Onyx for more training. He wasn't a technician or an explosive experts, Samuel is a sniper and a spotter. Learning how to become a sniper, Samuel took his new role as a means to kill as many enemies as he could before they could ever find him. The training put Samuel's accuracy to the test. Seeing there wasn't anything else he could be, Samuel executed his tasks on a day to day basis to make himself become a fundamental and crafty sniper.

Learning all aspects of sniper warfare, Samuel trained himself in close, medium and long, counter sniper training and extreme ranges. With setting up a spot, he learned how to hide himself in an environment and what locations are best for using as a sniper's location. Sticking to his fundamentals and not pushing for the rare shots, he learned that his training and environment would force him to adapt. Samuel took the least amount of classes in spotting since he felt that was not worth it for him.

No matter how much he protested, Samuel grumbled his way through the rest of spotting classes. Tracking enemies, calculating their movements and using that information to make an informed shot allows Samuel to make the right one. Instead of being a mindless sniper who waste his ammo on Unggoy, he saves it to move around the irrelevant forces and sets up to kill his target. Spotting allows Samuel to distinguish who is his enemy and who isn't since Sangheili tend to wear similar armor but with distinct differences that show their rank.

Team Specter
Samuel-B256 was paired with Mathilda-B079, another sniper that Samuel met during his initial training. The two were not happy to be working together, both wanted to be by themselves and hunt the Covenant. However, that changed as the two began to know one another. They shared a similar background, both losing their parents and wanting revenge on the Covenant. Since the two saw themselves as lone wolves, they didn't talk and make friends with the other candidates during training. The two forged a friendship over their common goal.

Joining the Navy Special Weapons program, Samuel and Mathilda were put together to be a Headhunter team. Of the numerous Headhunter teams to emerge from Beta Company, the two are one of extremely select few that had made it out of the Human-Covenant War. With targets from the Insurrectionists to the Covenant, there would be no target that the duo could hit. Their training partners, Roland and Jonah also became a Headhunter team. Making Team Tango the first training team to produce two Headhunter teams.

The team name was from Mathilda's childhood, she was afraid of a Specter in her room that her father would come and chase away. Since Specter means ghost, the two Spartans agreed that the name would fit their team the best. Team Specter holds two Beta Company Spartan snipers that want to inflict the most damage against the Covenant before they are killed. That was the goal of each member in the small team, the motto of the team was One Shot, One Kill.

The field leader, Samuel-B256 would report to an ONI Section Three officer named Lieutenant, Junior Grade Stephan Ferguson. The officer would provide the intelligence, mission and objectives for the two SPARTAN-IIIs he was told to command. Known to be a sniper hunter element team, Team Specter would be deployed for assassinations and executing high value targets. Not wanting to fail their officer, the two snipers worked together to execute their missions to get their next then the next.

Operation: SILENT SERVANT (2546)
ONI has taken note of the Freedom and Liberation Party. Ever since Alpha Company put them down in 2537, select few Beta Company Spartans have been deployed in assistance of shutting down the party for good. In 2546, Operation: SILENT SERVANT was launched to assassinate key leaders of the FLP, destroy supplies that are being shipped to the party and ensure they would no longer be a threat during the Human-Covenant War.

Team Spectre and Samuel were deployed onto Mamore where they scouted out the numerous targets, picked which ones were needed to be assassinated and study the supply lines that would help them find more powerful people inside of the FLP. Samuel was eager to get into the fight, make a difference and show to ONI that he is worth the investment they put into him. Team Specter spent their time preparing for their first kill and the excitement they would have.

Tracking the FLP to a safehouse in the mountains of Mamore, Team Specter continued to inform their commanding officer what they were looking at and hoping to get orders. When Lieutenant Ferguson authorized Team Specter for lethal action against the leader, it would be the first of many times that he would see the success of the sniper team. Receiving their orders, Samuel and Mathilda were ready to fire upon their enemies and showcase their abilities to fight.

Set up from about 1,200 meters away, the two SPARTANs were able to hit three out of three High Value Targets (HVT)s inside of the compound. Seeing the death of their targets, the two were content with their abilities and immediately reported their intelligence to Lieutenant Ferguson. Being ordered to only track shipment supply and mark their locations, the two SPARTANs gathered intelligence on shipyards, housing structures and warehouses that would allow ONI to launch a much stronger attack against the FLP in the future.

Operation: SILENT SERVANT was a success for Team Specter. It allowed the young Spartans to understand how to work behind enemy lines and also taught them how to be a functional team. Samuel began to get used to having a partner to work alongside in the field, her insight proved valuable and kept him alive longer. Both kept each other in check to prevent one from making a mistake and blowing the operation early. With their first confirmed kills, Team Specter slowly moved up the ladder for harder targets to take on.

Operation: RIGHTFUL DAWN (2547)
Following the success of Operation: SILENT SERVANT, Team Specter and ONI began to analyze another target. Cassidy III came up on the radar for ONI Section Three when United Rebel Front personnel when their sensors picked up more activity than there needed to be on the colony. Wanting to keep classified technology, Lieutenant Ferguson sent Team Specter to investigate the colony and thin out the Rebel population. Orders were looser, the ONI officer wanted to see the SPARTANs work with much boarder objectives.

ONI needed Cassidy III to be ready in case the Covenant were to ever find Earth. The ability for the planet to stay hidden proved valuable to them, with the United Rebel Front on it, it could jeopardize their backup plan. Samuel and Mathilda descended to the planet with the objective of driving down the URF's fighting numbers. Not focusing on civilians, the SPARTANs would only focus on the fighters and make the others leave due to the deaths of their close relatives.

The two SPARTANs worked tirelessly around large encampments of enemies, engaging the enemy, using them as bait then taking out another. The tactic worked extremely well since they always knew they could get another fighter in the midst of the campaign. However, the URF adapted and so did Team Specter. Switching to night raids, they were able to test their abilites as close quarters combatants. Able to use their upgraded vision and faster reflexes, the two SPARTANs were able to disarm and kill enemies without having to fire a gun and expose themselves.

In the settlements they attacked, people moved away and to much larger settlements where they could be safer. Driving out the little factions, Samuel and Mathilda were able to secure the designated areas that ONI needed them to recover. Along with securing the area, the two set up new sensors for ONI to monitor activity in case they were to ever come back. Once testing the sensors and seeing them work, Team Specter reported to Lieutenant Ferguson that they had accomplished the mission and were ready to be picked up.

The URF on Cassidy III felt they were being attacked by Ghosts. In the four months that the SPARTANs spent on the ground, Samuel was able to hide and evade enemy patrols that would attempt to look for them. Lieutenant Ferguson was more hands off with Team Specter and allowed them to make their own decisions. Allowing the two to mature in combat, Samuel was able to become a smarter and much more educated leader on the decisions he would make in the combat field.

Operation: URGENT TEMPEST (2548)
Team Specter and ONI had been working on a way to deplete the Covenant of their plasma supply. With limited Headhunters and Grey Team on a mission, Lieutenant Ferguson's small team would be deployed in their first fight against the Covenant. The objective of the mission is to disable major reactors across Ealen IV. Along with disabling them, Team Specter would study how Covenant forces would rebuild them and give ONI an idea on how to use Covenant technology to their benefit.

Ealen IV would not be the way that Samuel and Mathilda wanted their first mission to go. They wanted to hit Covenant leadership, behead them and drive fear into their enemies. But, Lieutenant Ferguson was able to piece together two high value targets that were spotted on the planet overseeing the plasma reactors. Using their precise sniper skills, the two SPARTANs were able to disable a plasma reactor then study the Covenant repairing it. The two took extensive notes on the tasks and what buttons were pressed through their spotter scopes.

Their first HVT came early in their deployment, a Sangheili Field Marshall. Samuel was extremely excited, he wanted to kill the Sangheili but turned to look at Mathilda and told her to take the kill shot. Remembering that she saw her dad get killed by a Sangheili, he wanted her to take out the first one. Acting as a spotter, Samuel was able to give Mathilda a clean killshot on the Field Marshall. The two soon left the area and relocated as the Covenant tried to understand who took a shot.

Their second HVT came along extremely late in the deployment, another Sangheili Field Marshall who oversaw the training of Special Operations Covenant troops prior to deploying into UEG controlled space. Reports told Team Specter that the Field Marshall was liked and respected among the Covenant, taking the Sangheili out would deal a blow to the morale of the group. Samuel, with the help of Mathilda was able to execute the Field Marshall. The two were able to evade numerous patrol parties then get pulled off of Ealen IV.

Returning back from Ealen IV, Team Specter gave valuable information on how the Covenant worked their plasma reactors, took out two very powerful Sangheili and came back alive. Lieutenant Ferguson was worried that he wouldn't see his small team again due to dangers and the amount of risk. However, he was glad to see the two SPARTANs prevail and get their first assassinations on the Covenant.

Operation: HYPER ANGEL (2549-2550)
Insurrectionists activity began building on Harmony. With the major success that Team Specter had on Ealen IV, Lieutenant Ferguson deployed them with two objectives, investigate and hunt. ONI and Lieutenant Ferguson were confident in Team Specter in their ability to work behind enemy lines and break up leader positions. The two SPARTANs have proven themselves in the past three years as dependable and reliable soldiers that can accomplish the goal set forth in front of them.

Team Specter was dropped off on Harmony with their two objectives and told to give updates down the road. There was no timeline for the operation and they were the only two, the freedom felt awkward for them since they worked with leadership guidance for quite some time before getting their own mission and free will. Samuel began to take control of the missions and began to apply the lessons he was taught by Lieutenant Ferguson. He slowly became the leader that Team Specter needed.

Samuel and Mathilda were deployed to a continent where they came across an extremely large enemy encampment. The official ONI report is that the encampment disappeared, Samuel and Mathilda wiped out the entire enemy encampment, taking out all enemies and destroying their supply. The SPARTANs were able to use all of their skills and training to take out the encampment. Once clearing through the encampment, the Insurrectionists learned that one of their encampments went dark and nothing was coming out.

Team Specter was given supply and sent back reports to ONI, Lieutenant Ferguson was concerned when he learned that his team wiped out an enemy encampment. Samuel moved into the stronghold of Harmony where he could study and prepare an attack on the Insurrectionists meeting in a windowed room. Launching an attack, they were able to take out three HVTs and flee the area before they could react and fight. When the Insurrectionists found where the SPARTANs fired from, they found rival signs.

Samuel became the mastermind behind Team Specter and the success on the ground. Working with Mathilda and Lieutenant Ferguson's advice, he was able to make the right judgement call. Many decisions that Samuel made, he felt that he was making the right one based on the time and the circumstances. Returning back to UEG controlled space, Samuel was notified by Lieutenant Ferguson that he had made the right calls and that his actions were far more impressive than he had ever seen.

Operation: GREAT TYRANT (2551-2552)
The People's Occupation started to pick up their terrorist attacks against Reach. ONI decided to respond with Team Specter and ensure the disappearance of the PO. Intelligence was gathered across Reach where numerous leaders were last sighted and suspected to be. Lieutenant Ferguson worked with Samuel and Mathilda on finding the key leaders, assassinating them and ensuring that the PO would never rise up again. ONI needed Team Specter to accomplish their mission or they would have to direct war efforts to Reach.

About a month into the deployment, Samuel was able to execute Nemesio Breit during a crucial meeting. Along with assassinating the leader of the PO, Samuel and Mathilda hunted the rest of the enemies that fled from the area. From there, Team Specter waged a covert campaign of wiping out enemy encampments and assassinating leaders. The two SPARTANs did not want to fail ONI and their need for Reach to be secure. Most of the PO fled from the area that Team Specter called their hunting ground.

The death of Nemesio Breit shattered the PO into numerous splinter groups across Reach. Many groups became desperate and acted on revenge to try and get back for the death of their leader. Those terrorists were put down by local forces while Team Specter continued to shine the light into the rooms the PO were hiding in. Two SPARTANs were able to weed out and fracture a terrorist organization that had been harassing the people of Reach for quite some time.

At the turn of 2552, Team Specter continues to hunt the PO and any remnants they can find. As winter became spring and spring became summer, Samuel began to notice that the PO activity became impossible to track. When tracking a source on the PO from Lieutenant Ferguson, Team Specter was ambushed by the Covenant who had set up a scout base on Reach. Immediately warning Lieutenant Ferguson, he also confirmed the reports from NOBLE Team that the Covenant were indeed on Reach.

ONI wanted to wait when it came to taking out the PO, they had the power to do it but wanted to wait for the perfect moment to wipe them out. With Team Specter having a high reputation as a Insurrectionist hunting team, they pointed the two SPARTANs at the problem and let them run free. Team Specter did what they did best and nearly wiped out the entire terrorist organization. But, they would be running right into the Covenant and have to defend Reach.

Fall of Reach (2552)
Specter Team was immediately deployed back to ONI Sword Base where they regrouped with Lieutenant Ferguson to learn what their mission and objective were to be. With Reach fighting multiple front battles, Ferguson was unsure where he needed to deploy his team to do the most damage. Lieutenant Ferguson learned of the Battle of Szurdok Ridge and dispatched Team Specter where he would oversee their actions. After spending time out of battle, Team Specter was ready to get into the fight.

The Battle of Szurdok Ridge was more in favor of Team Specter where they were able to provide sniper support. Assisting conventional forces for the very first time, Team Specter allowed the advances of many ground forces through the Ridge, giving them strategic positions. Samuel focused on the stronger Covenant forces which would make it easier for the conventional forces to make their push throughout the area. Many of the army soldiers felt a God was watching their back, when in fact Specter Team was clearing the way.

Team Specter assisted with sniper support during the Battle of New Alexandria. Taking cover in skyscrapers, the two snipers were able to take out Banshee pilots and Phantom door gunners before they could inflict damage on the UNSC Falcons in the air space. Both SPARTANs were able to display their sniping ability taking out Banshee pilots. When the Covenant carrier glassed New Alexandria, Team Specter was already gone and heading to a cover ONI base where they would meet up with Lieutenant Ferguson and await the orders he would give.

Team Specter regrouped with their commanding officer and assisted him with destroying files, deleting hard drives and breaking anything that could possibly reveal ONI information to the Covenant. Once securing the office, Team Specter escorted Lieutenant Ferguson to an evacuation area. On the way, Samuel defeated a Sangheili Special Operations element in hand to hand combat then ensured the protection of his commanding officer. Once securing him, Team Specter left Reach with no intentions of coming back.

The Fall of Reach was hard for Team Specter and their fellow comrades. The loss of the military powerhouse brought morale low for Team Specter since they saw their home destroyed. Lieutenant Ferguson had a plan in mind and briefed Specter Team. They are going to Cassidy III where they plan to wait for a green light from ONI to launch an attack on Teash, a colony for the Jiralhanae. With one plan set in place for Glyke, Teash would be the other target for ONI to inflict the most causalities.

Operation: HIGH SERPENT (2552-2553)
Arriving on Cassidy III, Lieutenant Ferguson worked on creating a way to capture a Covenant Scout Ship while Team Specter focused on pushing back the United Rebel Front. The small team was able to conceal themselves from URF patrols and prepare for their trek to Teash once they were given the green light by ONI. Lieutenant Ferguson was able to acquire an Eclipse-class Prowler named ONI Battuta. Team Specter and Lieutenant Ferguson were able to acquire two pilots along with a ONI Captain named Nayla Raymond.

Team Specter provided perimeter security as well as run drills on the ship in case there were to ever be an attack. Mathilda learned how to be the lead pilot while Samuel learned the numerous other functions of the ship. If the pilots were ever killed, the two SPARTANs would be able to pilot the ship and go on with their mission. The two were good, but they could use some more practice. Luckily, they never had to pilot the ship again, but the adrenaline rush the two got made them want to become pilots.

The URF began to investigate unknown movement on Cassidy III, when their patrols disappeared, they decided to not send out anyone else. Remembering what happened to previous patrols, they pulled back from the region immediately which allowed Team Specter to set up more sensors and monitor the URF movement since they condensed into a much smaller pack. The URF believed that the Covenant had found them and were scared, but were never killed like the rest of the Insurrectionists during their time.

When Lieutenant Ferguson learned of the Covenant collapse, he asked ONI if he could deploy Team Specter to ensure that the defeat of the Covenant would be final. ONI rejected the proposal and kept Team Specter ready for any moment they would need to deploy. Samuel and Mathilda continued to run surveillance and observation operations to learn more of the URF and keep them occupied as they waited for orders. This gave Team Specter the chance to test new ideas and concepts in a enemy combat zone they couldn't test before.

In 2553, Lieutenant Ferguson was given orders by ONI. The Jiralhanae continued to fight back and they needed to send a message, Team Specter and ONI Battuta were given a new mission and told to abandon Operation: HIGH SERPENT. With their new mission, they approved Lieutenant Ferguson's request to go to Teash and assassinate the leaders of the Jiralhanae military council. Orders were to make it look like another Jiralhanae did it so they colony and hopefully species would spark into a civil war. Lieutenant Ferguson would be tasked with poisoning key systems while Team Specter assassinates.

Operation: CALM CRUSADE (2553)
Now under the name Operation: CALM CRUSADE, Team Specter and ONI Battuta would begin their trek to Teash. Unlike Grey Team, Team Specter is to do specific hits against the Jiralhanae since they know the Sangheili have forged a temporary alliance with Humanity. Using sabotage and assassinations as a mean to assassinate the leaders would not blow back on the UNSC and UEG. Knowing full well that he wouldn't be coming back, Samuel prepared for the mission like any other mission he would be sent on.

Arriving over Teash, Team Specter were able to land in the jungle and prepare their covert campaign against the Jiralhanae. Using everything they learned from their training and previous missions, Samuel was able to lead the small element around various patrols, sensors and begin to gather intelligence on their targets. While Samuel and Mathilda worked on identifying and thinking of ways to assassinate Jiralhanae war chieftains, Lieutenant Ferguson worked on sabotaging basic needs for the colony.

Samuel and Mathilda were able to locate four distinct Jiralhanae chieftains. The two agreed to take out their own two then meet up to protect Lieutenant Ferguson. Assassinating his two targets in front of their families, Samuel was able to show the families just what it was like for others to lose the ones they loved right before them. Meeting back up with Mathilda, they learned that Lieutenant Ferguson had gotten lost then captured from a patrol. The two launched a rescue mission despite being told they needed to retreat.

Team Specter were able to locate Lieutenant Ferguson who had been badly tortured. Extracting him from the clan, Team Specter returned to the clan and made it disappear. Leaving behind Kig-Yar and Sangheili DNA, they were able to deflect the attack away from the UNSC and UEG. Team Specter were able to tend to the wounds of Lieutenant Ferguson, Samuel knew that his commanding officer would never join him in the field again. Samuel was able to keep Lieutenant Ferguson alive and return him to ONI's care where he would be nursed back to health. Samuel read what the Jiralhanae did to him and knew that the Lieutenant would never be the same.

Teash was the first mission that Team Specter would be deployed onto a enemy stronghold planet. The mission was exceptional on the ends of the two SPARTANs and a disaster for Lieutenant Ferguson. Able to sabotage their water supply, Lieutenant Ferguson was captured and Team Specter broke all rules in the operation to rescue their Lieutenant. Being their first rescue mission, they were able to save the Lieutenant and get him to safety. The massacre of the clan was the first rage filled reaction Samuel had since he became the leader of Team Specter.

Background of Ferret Program
Ferrets, a ONI backed program that allowed SPARTAN-III Gamma Company soldiers to work out of. The fear of the illegal drugs used in the company worried ONI that it would go public, so the Ferret Program was created to hide Gamma Company from Spartan Operations. Now, Chief Petty Officer Samuel-B256, Chief Petty Officer Mathilda-079 and crippled Lieutenant Commander Stephan Ferguson had a choice. Stay with ONI or join Spartan Operations, Samuel decides to stay with ONI.

A Ferret Team is to be sent on covert operations, to assassinate, rescue and investigate leads ONI would give to them. Each Ferret Team is paired with an ONI field officer who guides the team through a mission and assess the mission. However, ONI field officers were placed into Gamma Company Ferret Teams, they were leading teenagers, not combat veterans of the Human-Covenant War. When Team Specter offered to join, Rear Admiral Serin Osman was unsure on what to do with the duo.

Relation with Spartan Operations
Ferret Team Specter did very little operations with Spartan Operations. Samuel and Mathilda would have to work with other SPARTANs, both strongly objected to this idea proposed by Jun-A266, Rear Admiral Osman and Lieutenant Commander Ferguson. The idea that they would have to work with new people and listen to their orders, was not something the two wanted at all. Samuel saw many flaws in Spartan Operations and wanted to stay as far away as he could.

Samuel and Mathilda updated their armor and lived on the UNSC Infinity, that was it. They only interacted with a SPARTAN-IV fireteam during the Requiem Campaign when retrieving an important Forerunner artifact before Dr. Catherine Halsey or the other Spartan Operations scientists could get their hands on it. The two never interacted with the other SPARTANs aboard the flagship and ensured that the two had each other backs. Samuel often reminded Mathilda that they never take orders from Spartan Operations, ever.

Ferret Team Specter
Lieutenant Commander Stephan Ferguson was crippled from the torture he endured on Teash, still that didn't take him away from Team Specter. Chief Petty Officer Samuel-B256 and Mathilda-B079 joined the Ferret Program. They were briefly named Ferret Team Lima, that changed when Lieutenant Commander Ferguson changed it back to Specter. There was one new addition to the team, an AI named Emerysen. Her tasks are to assist the team in tasks that Team Specter would struggle with. Over time, the AI would prove to become the most valuable asset for the small SPARTAN-III team.

Ferret Team Specter were given the ONI Sahara-Class Battuta, the Prowler would allow the small team to infiltrate into any space they would need to go. With Emerysen able to do the work for the pilots and engineers, Captain Nayla Raymond would be the Captain of the ship and oversee the operations while reporting information back to ONI. Previosuly working with her, Team Specter had confidence in her ability to execute the mission for the Ferret Team wherever they would need to go.

In 2557, the ONI Battuta was replaced with a ONI Winter Class Prowler. Name ONI Into Darkness, Team Specter would use the new stealth prowler to infiltrate themselves into covert locations without the enemy knowing they were ever there. Due to the much smaller ship, the ONI Into Darkness would only carry Ferret Team Specter. No longer needing a Captain and other personnel, Emerysen could do everything alone while Samuel and Mathilda could maintain and pilot the Prowler.

Operation: DARK WINTER (2554)
Called the Keepers of the One Freedom, Ferret Team Specter was deployed to Venezia to try and subdue the religious cult. With traces of the cult eliminated on Gao, Ferret Team Specter would be tasked with tracking and assassinating anyone who affiliated themselves with the Keepers on Venezia. Samuel would embark on his first mission with his AI and no Lieutenant Commander Ferguson. Nervous how things would turn out, Samuel was prepared for the mission and the new role he would play.

When conducting surveillance and observation operations to figure out the rank structure of the Keepers, Samuel noticed that humans were working with the Kig-Yar and Jiralhanae. The sight brought a clear understanding for the first assassinations would be. Mathilda and Samuel were able to launch multiple assassinations against the human followers and instill fear into those who worked with the aliens. Originally, Mathilda recommended that they should assassinate all the humans, but Samuel shot that down due to their mission requiring much more specific reasons.

Ferret Team Specter was able to do their first infiltration mission thanks to Emerysen. With her help, she was able to hack into modules, tell Samuel what to do, which wires to cut and the specific files he needed to download. Saving a drastic amount of time on what they needed to get, Samuel and Mathilda were able to focus on their attention on lurking around the structure and sneaking past patrols. Emerysen proved to become the most valuable asset for Ferret Team Specter.

Along with assassination and infiltration missions, Samuel was able to test his AI with her ability to give him fast and reliable intelligence. During skirmishes with the Keepers, she was able to inform of anticipated enemy movements and what he can do to gain an advantage on them. Taking her advice, Samuel was able to flank the enemies with ease and ensure they would get obliterated. Seeing the AI is also effective in skirmishes, Samuel slowly began to put more of his trust in her ability to keep him alive.

The Ferret Program has seen success with the Gamma Company teams and were worried about how a Beta Company team would do. In short, the Beta Company blew their operation out of the water. Able to operate better and no ONI officer holding them back, they were able to become a premier Ferret team that ONI could drop them onto a planet. Dropping Ferret Team Specter onto a planet and telling them to find bad guys is going to lead to dead bad guys, the only question is how many will be dead by the end of their deployment.

Operation: MOTHER REACH (2554-2555)
ONI science teams had deployed to Heian. Seeing Forerunner and Humanity like structures on the planet, science teams were deployed to learn more of what was on the planet. One month later, those science teams disappeared and ONI wanted to launch a combat search and rescue mission. Ferret Team Specter along with another Ferret Team with Gamma Company SPARTANs launched to infiltrate and investigate. Samuel would be the lead sniper while the Gamma Company Ferret Team would lead the ground assault.

Early on, Samuel and his team weren't fond of pulling overwatch for the Gamma Company Ferrets. They couldn't be in the field as long as Specter and their officer often stopped them to read a map and plan. With orders from Lieutenant Commander Ferguson, Ferret Team Specter began running their own operations. They were able to find where the science team was captured but that was it, nothing else pointed them in the right direction to find the people responsible.

Tracking Sangheili foot marks, they came across a faction called the Servants of the Abiding Truth. Knowing little of the group, Ferret Team Specter shadowed the group and it lead them to the captured ONI science team. Samuel decided to do surveillance and observation rather than launching an immediate rescue operation. Learning how to infiltrate the enemy camp, Emerysen informed Samuel of the Forerunner technology nearby and what use it could have. Instead of an infiltration, Samuel and Mathilda wiped out the camp.

Rescuing the scientists, Ferret Team Specter gathered the Forerunner technology and took down more information about the housing structure based on the ideas from Emerysen. Ferret Team Specter also gathered more intelligence on the Servants of the Abiding Truth, hoping that ONI could build up more information regarding the terrorist group. The Gamma Company Ferrets were not happy with Ferret Team Specter breaking away and rescuing the scientists. But, at the end of the day, ONI scientists were going home alive.

Ferret Team Specter has had limited experience in combat search and rescue missions. Their only experience came from Operation: CALM CRUSADE and rescuing their then Lieutenant. However, Operation: MOTHER REACH allowed the team to become far better at search and rescue. Due to the ability to wipe out a enemy camp, Ferret Team Specter started to slowly become a premier rescue team. Coming back with more information and technology from the Forerunner proved to be a major success for Ferret Team Specter.

Operation: SAND CARRIER (2556)
A moon around Chi Ceti IV has become a mining location for ONI, however the increase of the New Colonial Alliance and terrorist organizations, ONI needs to secure the area. Ferret Team Specter would be sent to Chi Ceti IV to ensure the mining would be safe of any potential terrorist attacks. Due to the intelligence on Chi Ceti IV and the terrorist organizations being tracked, Samuel, Emerysen and Mathilda would only have to track then execute the groups. With any method allowed to go after the terrorist group, Ferret Team Specter will do what they do best.

Arriving on Chi Ceti IV, Ferret Team Specter went right to work establishing a network of terrorists that needed to be killed and a network that needed to be watched. First launching against the ones that needed to be killed, Samuel and Mathilda were able to infiltrate into buildings to make the deaths look lik suicides. With the idea of making their deaths look like suicide, it would prevent the NCA from uprising against the people who back the UNSC and UEG.

Once finishing off their first network, Ferret Team Specter worked on tracking and assess the network that needed to be watched. Taking the necessary measures against the ones who rose up, Samuel and Mathilda were able to assassinate those trying to take power. Able to put fear into the NCA, they were able to create little splinters of the terrorist group that would go into their own areas and break contact with the others. Making themselves perfect prey for disappearing, Ferret Team Specter worked on developing plans to wipe out the small factions left.

Targeting the much more violent factions, Samuel and Mathilda were able to wipe out the enemy without them able to call for backup. With no help and no place to run, Ferret Team Specter was able to wipe out the extremely violent groups much faster than they could do before. Once taking out the extreme ones, the other groups stopped their acts in fear of being wiped out and disappearing. Seeing that the other factions would not follow the suit of the others, Samuel tracked them to make sure they wouldn't do anything inane.

The hunting of the NCA was much easier than any other hunt Ferret Team Specter needed to do. With active intelligence from ONI, they were able to build networks much faster than before and act on them quicker. The ability to act faster caused the NCA to split into its own rogue factions and allow Ferret Team Specter to hunt the enemies better. Samuel was able to increase his ability to infiltrate and make assassinations look like suicides. Samuel and Mathilda were soon becoming the premier Ferret Team in the program.

Operation: CLOAK HUNTER (2556-2557)
In 2556, Gannick 22 Insurrectionists are embedding themselves deep into Moa reserves. Not wanting to launch missiles and kill the Moa population, soldiers were used but attacked by effective Insurrectionists attacks. Due to the odd situation that ONI was in, they decided to bring in Ferret Team Specter to eliminate the Insurrectionists without harming the Moa population. Due to their experience of tracking enemies from Heian, they were the first team called.

Reaching the planet, Samuel was able to map out the Insurrectionists strongholds across the multiple Moa reserves. Due to their location, Samuel took two Woodland M290 Mongooses to cover the vast land. Able to outrun hostile Moas on them, allows Ferret Team Specter to move around the reserve without the Insurrectionists knowing when they're coming. The element of surprise will allow Samuel to have much more of an advantage rather than getting into grueling gunfights.

Reaching Insurrectionists compounds, they were able to flush them out of the area and take out the ones using firearms against them. Not wanting to make them disappear, Samuel used stealth tactics to make the deaths look natural rather than assassinations. Using suicide on the guards at the gate, made the Insurrectionists theorize that the UNSC was behind then attempted to purge UNSC forces. Due to these mistakes, Samuel was able to capitalize on their mistakes and make them pay for trying to wage a conventional war.

The majority of the operation is spent driving their Mongoose across the vast terrain and blending into Moa packs to avoid Insurrectionist sensors. The ability for Ferret Team Specter to be deployed and invisible to the tourists in the area showed just how good the team is at moving around. They were virtually impossible to track without ONI sensors and made it that way to give the UNSC soldiers hunting the Insurrectionists the credit for taking them out.

Gannick 22 was one of the more interesting operations that Ferret Team Specter would be called upon. Hunting down Insurrectionists on a Moa reserve is not the ideal operation that Samuel would envision. Nevertheless, Samuel was able to come out and win due to his ability to adapt to the situation and use the resources around him. With the Insurrectionists giving up, Gannick 22 is now secure. Looking forward to their next deployment, Samuel is looking for something involving the aliens.

Operation: NIGHT WARDEN (2557-2558)
While the UNSC Infinity docked to get repairs and be retrofitted, Ferret Team Specter and ONI launched a small reconnaissance group to go into Requiem and build a network of what needed to be attacked, HVTs and important technology. Samuel has become extremely dependable as a deep reconnaissance operative and team leader who could communicate valuable information to ONI. Ever since John-117 and UNSC Infinity left, ONI has been looking for a way to get back in with reliable teams.

Being one of the first teams onto Requiem, Samuel began conducting surveillance, observation and reconnaissance on the enemy. Learning about the Promethean, a new Covenant faction and the way that the two forces worked together allowed Samuel to find their flaws fast. Engaging Promethean targets early, Samuel allowed Emerysen to gain insight on how to kill them faster and easier. Creating a formula how to kill them faster, Emerysen uploaded the numerous ways Samuel learned how to kill the enemy.

Learning of the Forerunner technology that Jul 'Mdama was going after, Samuel learned of the various places he could potentially come in and steal the artifacts before the Sangheili could put his hands on them. Launching infiltration missions, Ferret Team Specter was able to recover various Forerunner artifacts and sent them to a secluded ship above Requiem. With ONI able to get their hands on the artifacts, it would give them an edge in their ability to launch more effective campaigns against the enemy.

Samuel only engaged the enemy when he needed to. Sticking to stealth and infiltration techniques allowed him to avoid many firefights that would have ended in a mess. Increasing his battle IQ, Samuel became someone who could predict what the enemy could do and move according to the situation. When getting into battles, Samuel was able to use flanking maneuvers to take out the enemy before they could call for help. Samuel proved to Admiral Osman and Commander Ferguson that Ferret Team Specter is the best in the program.

Operation: NIGHT WARDEN was the operation that would make Ferret Team Specter the best team in the Ferret Program. The ability for the team to be dropped off and come back with far more intelligence than ONI expected them to get, shows that the team is extremely reliable. As the UNSC Infinity came into orbit with fresh troops and a new attitude for the planet, Samuel would watch the initial battles and find ways around the SPARTAN-IV teams to get what they need.

Requiem Campaign (2558)
As the Infinity joins the fight against Jul 'Mdama and the Prometheans, Ferret Team Specter pulls off the planet to get rest and calm themselves down from the constant adrenaline rushes they would get. With the SPARTAN-IV fireteams waging their battles, they began to bring back Forerunner technology that was dangerous for the ship. Admiral Osman authorized Ferret Team Specter to recover any Forerunner technology and prevent SPARTAN-IVs from bringing it back to the Infinity.

Samuel began with infiltrating into Spartan Operations logs where he was able to learn of the numerous Forerunner objects they've marked for SPARTAN-IV teams to recover. Once gathering the list, Samuel began following the team leaders of those Fireteams to learn how they would fight and what would be the easiest tasks to hunt them down. Meanwhile, Emerysen was scanning the planet for the artifacts and technology so Samuel wouldn't have to track a SPARTAN-IV team.

Samuel began taking the artifacts and technology before Spartan Operations could even send a fireteam down to recover it. With the fireteams coming back empty handed, Ferret Team Specter was sending the precious cargo back to ONI for their scientists to investigate further. With Dr. Halsey and Glassman not being stable subjects for investigation, ONI went around to get what they needed. Samuel was able to deliver on multiple ocassions for ONI, making him someone directly dedicated to ONI's goals and missions.

When a SPARTAN-IV fireteam recovered a Forerunner artifact, under the orders of Commander Ferguson, Ferret Team Specter was to do whatever it took to ensure the Infinity would never see it. Using stealth tactics, Samuel was able to knock out the numerous SPARTAN-IVs then use an armor lock on the leader carrying the artifact. They disappeared and delivered the artifact to ONI. Tensions between ONI and Spartan Operations grew when the fireteam claimed that rogue Spartans took the artifact from them, ONI refused to investigate.

Throughout the Requiem Campaign, Ferret Team Specter needed to stay one step ahead of Spartan Operations and SPARTAN-IV fireteams. Putting some competition in their work, Samuel was able to push himself a little beating the fireteams to their locations. Samuel was able to use all of his skills to fully display that the SPARTAN-III program is vastly superior to the SPARTAN-IV program. Samuel also showed that the Ferret Program is becoming one of the top military programs in ONI.

Created Conflict (2558-2559)
With Cortana working to use Guardians are her agents of policing the Galaxy, Ferret Team Specter deploys to Sarcophagus. Deploying to the Shield World allowed them to take out the enemy forces surrounding the area. Samuel led a much different campaign against the Prometheans while tracking and hunting the Servants of the Abiding Truth. With the Guardian shut down, Ferret Team Specter is able to join the fight and assist the others on the Shield World.

The main focus was the Servant of the Abiding Truth, once taking them out Samuel and his small team could focus on the Prometheans. Using tracking and traps, they were able to draw out the Servant of Abiding Truth forces to be slaughtered. Lying in wait for them to come out, Samuel was able to utilize his patience to draw out the Sangheili to turn them into target practice. He allowed Emerysen to track the patrol and they went off to hunt down the rest of the forces.

Battling the Prometheans, Ferret Team Specter was able to make it to the headquarters where the Servant of Abiding Truth were located. With Emerysen shutting down the power, Samuel and Mathilda were able to eliminate all of the enemies inside. Taking out the numerous enemies in hand to hand combat, they were able to display their vast skills developed from their years of deployments and fighting. Killing the rest of the enemies, they were able to put an end to the Sangheili religious and terrorist cult.

Now focusing on the Prometheans, Ferret Team Specter began hunting out the rest of the enemies that were left on the planet. Able to track and hunt down the enemies, Samuel was able to speed up the process that was taking much longer than it needed to be. Using Emerysen to her full potential, he was able to track down major pockets of Prometheans and kill them off. Leaving the stragglers for other, Ferret Team Specter played a major role in securing the research outposts and eliminating all the hostile threats.

With the Created conflict over, Samuel returned to find that Commander Ferguson was alive and well. He has became the leader of the Ferret Program and works with the various teams. Still, Commander Ferguson sees Ferret Team Specter as the top Ferret Team in the program. With the success of hunting down two enemies on Sarcophagus, Ferret Team Specter continued to set the bar higher for the other groups. Now, Samuel eyes the Ark after hearing what's been happening there and a future deployment there.

Operation: RAPID SHADOW (2560-2561)
Reports of the Banished retreating have reached ONI, not wanting the threat to come out, ONI dispatches Ferret Team Specter in response. Samuel would be in charge of tracking and assassinating various enemies that would display themselves as higher leadership for the Banished. With no requirement on how far they could go, Ferret Team Specter was planning to track the Banished back to the Jiralhanae homeworld where they would continue to unleash a ruthless campaign against the enemy.

Reports of Flood activity were mentioned, Ferret Team Specter was under the impression to wipe out everyone. From the Banished to UNSC personnel to ensure the Flood would no longer would pose a threat to the Galaxy. Arriving into the system, Ferret Team Specter had registered no hard intelligence on Flood activity. From there, they deployed onto Installation 00 and began to purge the Banished off of the Installation. Taking out outposts and other sectors, they were forcing the Banished to retreat.

For the ones who stayed behind to die in glory, were not given a glorious death. Placing a tracker on the mercenary ship, Ferret Team Specter were able to figure out where it was going and pursue them with ONI Into Darkness. Reaching a staging area for the Banished, Samuel was able to detonate a HAVOK nuclear device, rendering the station inoperable. With the ship escorting the most HVT, Samuel began his pursuit to end the leadership of the Banished.

Reaching Doisac, Samuel was able to track the enemies across the planet and into their respective tribes. Taking out the enemies with their guard down, ensured that they would have a clean kill. Making it look as if a cult in the Jiralhanae did it, Samuel was able to watch clans go to war over the death of leaders. Able to infiltrate expertly now, he is able to be in places ONI would never expect him to be in. With the success of the Banished turning against one another, Samuel backed away and let the rest happen.

The hunting of the Banished were to be done by Gray Team, but they been out of contact. Sending the best Ferret Team was a gamble by Commander Ferguson due to possible Flood activity and needing to wipe out everyone to prevent another Flood outbreak. Soon, Ferret Team Specter went out of contact and accomplished their mission in a fashion that surprised ONI. Hearing that they infiltrated the Jiralhanae homeworld sounded like a fairy tale till they showed photos. Then, ONI understood just how dangerous Ferret Team Specter is.

Operation: LUCID DESTINY (2562-2563)
Rogue factions of Sangheili religious cults were found scouting out Genesis and intending to sweep through the place to rid the area of the enemies. Ferret Team Specter has been deployed in order to rid the enemy of the area and establish more security for the research outposts around. Learning about the Apostles of the Gods, Samuel set out for another mission where he would wipe out the rest of the enemies. However, Samuel would come in contact with a Prelate and everything becomes serious.

Beginning their purge against the Sangheili terrorists, Samuel was able to force the enemies off the planet with effective purges. Able to put the enemy at bay, Samuel was able to assist with gaining more intelligence on the enemy and learned of a Prelate in the group. Never seeing one in combat and learning they are the same species as the Prophets, Samuel brought the information to Captain Ferguson and his mission changed. Orders were to hunt down the Prelate and ensure that he would be assassinated.

As the Prelate came into contact with Samuel, he intentionally lost so he could plant a tracker and watch him scurry away. Ferret Team Specter focused their hunt on the rest of the Apostles of the Gods and made them disappear. Once they were dealt with, Samuel turned his attention to the Prelate where Emerysen gave him a location and they took off on ONI Into Darkness. Samuel planned on not coming back and prepared for the fight of his life, his objective is to kill a Prelate.

Reaching the area, Samuel saw a Flotilla of starships. With scans, he was able to learn they were the San'Shyuum. Grabbing a HAVOK nuclear device, Samuel prepared to take out one of the ships. Infiltrating in, he was able to assassinate the Prelate and set a nuclear device. Once breaking away, Samuel was able to witness the destruction of a starship and watch the others escape. Emerysen took note of the other ships and sent the information to ONI. However, Samuel noticed a problem in Emerysen.

Emerysen was showing signs of rampancy, she was growing unstable and needed to get back to ONI in time. Setting a plot of home, she mentioned that it was a honor to serve with Samuel and that she will miss him. Once going into hyperspace, Emerysen put them into cryosleep and monitored the two until they made it to the Sol System. When Samuel woke, Emerysen didn't respond and he knew that she self destructed to protect herself from him. She knew he couldn't do it, she saved one last message before leaving him.

Operations (2564-2570)
As of 2570, Ferret Team Specter still operates for ONI and for the Ferret Team Specter. Known as the best Ferret Team in the program, they often get the most exclusive and dangerous missions. Senior Chief Petty Officer Samuel-B256 has the most Ferret Program successes in his 16 years as a Ferret Program soldier. Following his loss of Emerysen in 2563, there was an idea to put Samuel with another smart AI, but went out when they saw a drastic increase in his performance without the AI.

Through the six years, Samuel and Mathilda began doing more hostage rescue missions. Their abilities to infiltrate a base and rescue a VIP became invaluable to the Ferret Program. Seeing SPARTAN-IVs were struggling, the Ferret Program was given the chance to shine by HIGHCOM. Using Ferret Team Specter, HIGHCOM began sending the small Ferret Team rescue VIPs across UEG controlled space. Maintaining a perfect record, the procedures were often extreme, but Ferret Team Specter did everything to bring the VIP home, alive.

Starting in 2570, ONI began tracking and hunting rogue Spartans. Since the SPARTAN-IV program and few people from Gamma Company were going rogue, Ferret Team Specter would begin their tracking and retiring of rogue Spartans. Paired with an old friend, Samuel and Mathilda would take ONI Prowler Beyond Dawn to hunt down the those who gone rogue. With Samuel's expert tracking skills and Mathilda's infiltration techniques, it would only be a matter of time before those rogue Spartans meet Ferret Team Specter.

Controversies (2564-2569)
Following their success on Requiem, Spartan Operations learned that a Ferret Team had in fact stopped SPARTAN-IVs from gaining their intelligence. Demanding the Ferrets who were responsible for the action, ONI informed them that the team was killed in 2559 during the Created Conflict. Using the death of two Gamma Company Spartans, cooled the minds of Spartan Operations while Samuel and Mathilda were asleep on the UNSC Infinity. Captain Ferguson was able to keep them safe through deception and other tactics.

In 2566, Samuel and Mathilda were ordered by Spartan Operations to go after a target. The two were never aligned with Spartan Operations and refused to follow the orders. With ONI Into Darkness grounded for disobeying orders, Admiral Serin Osman defused the situation and allowed Ferret Team Specter on their way. Tensions grew between Spartan Operations and ONI until Rear Admiral Lower Half Ferguson pointed out that those two Spartans did not report to Spartan Operations.

The following year, Samuel and Mathilda were engaged in a fight with SPARTAN-IVs. Samuel defended Mathilda when a SPARTAN-IV tried hitting on Mathilda, leading to a fight with a SPARTAN-IV fireteam. Defending his teammate, Samuel disabled many of the SPARTAN-IVs and sent them to the infirmary. Presenting his argument to Spartan Operations, Samuel and Mathilda were free to go while the SPARTAN-IV fireteam would face punishment. After that, Samuel and Mathilda stayed as far away from the other Spartans as they could.

Coming off a rescue mission in 2569, Ferret Team Specter was investigated by ONI for their means of rescuing the VIP. ONI was not happy that they tossed the VIP out a window and broke her legs while extracting her. Samuel remarked that bones heal but gunshots to the head don't. Due to their extreme circumstances, Samuel was told to not throw another VIP out the window and sent back out on another rescue mission. Despite having a perfect rescue record, their methods were questionable.

Reunion with Emerysen (2570)
Called in after a long mission in 2569 to 2570, Rear Admiral Ferguson introduced Samuel-B256 back to Emerysen. Seeing the AI, Samuel was excited to have Emerysen back. The seven years he spent without her were long and dreadful, he often missed the voice inside of his head. Mathilda was glad to see Emerysen back into the fold of Ferret Team Specter and the team is now back at full strength. Heading back out for another mission, Emerysen noted the excitement in Samuel and was happy to begin working with him again.

Personality and Traits
Full of joy, happy and emotional was Samuel prior to joining the attack on New Harmony. Brought up in a house of little technology, discipline and rules, Samuel was eager to explore what his father did and how his mother came up with the ideas she told him. Due to the length it was to a nearby school, Samuel was home schooled and grew up with his parents teaching him about the wonders of the Galaxy and farming. Having little to no other people to talk to, Samuel was shy and timid around others.

After the attack, Samuel was confused, scared and sad. He didn't know where to find his parents, he was trapped with other mean kids and being probed by doctors. From what his father taught him, Samuel began to attack the doctors by biting and punching. Soon enough, he learned a swift kick to the shin could put down a doctor. In one instance, he escaped out of the room and began running, but was soon caught. His ability to constantly break out gained the attention of Beta Company recruiters from the SAPRTAN-III program.

Joining the SPARTAN-III program, Samuel talked to none of the other recruits, fought the instructors and struggled. His ability to keep fighting after he was worn down interested many of the instructors, he was soon considered to become a Headhunter due to his refusal to quit. Samuel developed into a person that refused to quit and never give up on an objective no matter what the odds were. Still, he struggled in teamwork when he would leave his comrades behind to sneak past large groups and capture an objective.

Being paired with Stephan Ferguson and Mathilda-B079, it gave Samuel steady people that would be around him for a while. Ever since the death of his parents, Samuel never had anyone and became a mute due to not letting people figure him out. Stephan taught him how to use technology and Mathilda became his teammate who he would later go on to serve with throughout the Human-Covenant War and then Post-Covenant Conflicts. The trio would form an unbreakable bond that Samuel desperately needed.

As a Spartan, Samuel is a quick thinker, willing to get anything done for the mission. He is not a crafty nor idealistic planner, he gets his task and executes it in the most efficient way. With Stephan teaching Samuel how to become a proper leader, he loosens his grip on the team and allows Samuel to make more of the decisions. As time goes on, Samuel becomes an extremely sound and fundamental leader that is able to accomplish a mission with bare minimum intelligence and create a plan.

Known to be extremely quiet and protective, he never lets anyone around him he doesn't trust and often avoids social situations. He'll often ignore officers and others who try to talk to him. He got into a fight protecting Mathilda, who didn't need protection from SPARTAN-IVs, but he still protects her like she is his family. Samuel will only talk to Mathilda, Stephan and his smart AI Emerysen. The rest of the people will be ignored and cast aside due to their irrelevance to Samuel.

Now a calm and veteran leader, Samuel is able to lead in any situation and produce results wherever he goes. His ability to take out, rescue and infiltrate are some of the best in ONI's Ferret Program. There is no enemy too hard for Samuel and he will do everything to win. With his Battle IQ off the charts, Samuel has a variety of skills that make him the perfect Spartan for any situation. With the proper teachings and tools, Samuel can etch himself as one of the most dangerous SPARTAN-IIIs that Beta Company has produced.

Armor and Weapons
Upon graduation from Navy Special Weapon training, Samuel-B256 was given the Semi-Powered Infiltration (SPI) armor and chose to wear an operator helmet. Given the Mark II variant, he would have updated technology and a better chance of hiding. Due to the nature of their missions, Samuel was able to have shielding with his. Making it able to protect himself longer, he would be able to use a powerful armor set that gives him the stealth advantage in a combat situation.

In late 2551, Samuel upgrades to the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor Mark V GEN 1. Using the B-class Mjolnir variant, Samuel added numerous variants to the helmet and chest. Attaching a visor that allowed him to see further, a Tactical/LRP for more ammunition and a Tactical/UGPS. Able to track and hunt the enemies, Samuel could use everything to his advantage to win against those he would need to kill. Upgrading his armor ability to better camouflage, he would be able to sneak past more enemies.

Coming back in 2554, Samuel upgraded his armor to the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (GEN2). Given the Tracker-class Mjolnir variant, Samuel is now able to hunt his enemies with no problems. Able to track better and see his targets, he is able to plan better for what is ahead of him. Along with his armor, Samuel was able to upgrade his active camouflage and be able to infiltrate into any place. Utilizing an AI and his powerful armor, Samuel is an impossible target to hit when he is hunting.

In his early years, Samuel used a SRS99-AM sniper rifle and the M6G magnum. Through his early deployments, he learned that the sniper rifle and magnum duo were not working out for him. He didn't have anything medium range to engage enemies at. Adding the MA5C allowed Samuel to become a much more deadlier operative. However, the automatic rifle proved to be more issues than help. He upgraded to the BR55 which allowed him to be more accurate at medium ranges while keeping his two other guns.

Upgrading his armor in 2554, Samuel was able to upgrade his sniper rifle to the SRS99-S5 AM sniper rifle, his Battle Rifle to a M395 DMR and his magnum to a M6H2. The upgrades gave Samuel new weapons to use against his enemies that are far more effective than the other guns he used. The switch from a Battle Rifle to a DMR was interesting due to the rifle's ability at further ranges. However, Samuel continues to use the DMR at a medium to close range rather than its intended use

Mathilda-B079
The only friend that Samuel will ever fully trust and care for is his teammate, Mathilda-B079. Knowing each other since 2537, the two have formed a very close and trusting relationship between the two. Samuel fully depends on Mathilda's opinion in the field and other objectives they would seize. Early in their careers, they were extremely quiet in between missions but found the ability to talk to one another. With their friendship developing, the two are able to work better together.

As time went on, the two began to open up with one another more. Discussing tactics, their commanding officer and missions, they worked on creating better ideas on how to win and defeat the enemy. Many of these ideas would be obscure but soon proved to be invaluable, using the obscure ideas in combat, they were able to get the upper hand on the enemy. Later, Samuel would often let Mathilda lead missions and see how she would do it, he didn't want to be the designated leader and enjoyed Mathilda leading him.

When Samuel was given Emerysen, Mathilda was worried that she would be replaced. However, that never proved to be and Mathilda grew fond of Emerysen. Samuel was glad to see Mathilda working with Emerysen and the two became good friends. Samuel would let Emerysen be inside of Mathilda's head on missions allowing her to experience what it's like the AI. The trust that Samuel had was displayed when he allowed Mathilda to use Emerysen, his personal smart AI.

As Samuel and Mathilda deploy across the Galaxy as of 2570, there is 33 years of trust built between the two. They have seen everything together and there is nothing the two cannot do. Both have tremendous respect for each other and push one another to do their best during missions. Samuel views Mathilda as the only family member he has left in the Galaxy, Mathilda views him the same way. With full trust in one another's ability, they make the team the best they can.

Stephan Ferguson
The only officer who ever got to work with Samuel-B256 and earn his trust. The young Lieutenant began his career as the mission advisor and commanding officer for Samuel, training him how to be a leader and interpret intelligence. He was able to win Samuel's trust over after giving him command on a certain part of an operation. Once Samuel saw that, he began trusting the ONI officer and put his ideas into effect. Soon enough, Samuel would develop full trust into Stephan.

Being in the field with Samuel, Stephan noticed how much Samuel was protecting and covering him. In 2553, Stephan was captured by Jiralhanae and tortured for information. He noticed Samuel, where he was able to rescue Stephan and bring him back to safety. Seeing his friend hurt, Samuel told him that he would be back. Stephan didn't know where Samuel went but he knew that the tribe that captured him, would no longer exist. Due to the injuries he sustained, Stephan would never be able to deploy back into the field.

Stephan is the main reason Samuel is in the Ferret Program and his team is named Specter. Seeing the importance that the name had, Stephan hacked into the Ferret Program to change the name. Acting as an intelligence analyst and Ferret Program Commander, Stephan kept close tabs on Samuel and would often give him advice on his work. He would often advise and give intelligence to Samuel that would give him an edge on the enemy. As Stephan advanced in ONI, he continued to keep his tabs with Samuel.

When Emerysen turned herself off, Stephan forced Dr. Ripley back to work on the smart AI from gunpoint. Seeing the importance that Emerysen had to Samuel, he did everything to bring Emerysen back to Samuel. Almost risking his career in ONI, he was willing to do whatever for Samuel after what happened on the Jiralhanae colony in 2553. Successful in bringing her back, Stephan was the only one who was in the room when he gave her to him.

Emerysen
The only other person allowed inside of Samuel's head, the smart AI is the most interesting companion yet helpful. Studying her companion, Emerysen learned as much as she could about Samuel and prepared herself for the quiet SPARTAN. He was slow to accept Emerysen into his fold, seeing her dangerous and someone who could read his thoughts, he worried of what would happen if she were to go rogue. Over time, Samuel would begin to develop a deep trusting relationship with his AI.

Working with Samuel through his numerous missions, they were able to build a dynamic relationship in the team and with Stephan Ferguson. Being the technician, she taught Samuel and Mathilda multiple tasks they would need to become masters at. In 2558, Emerysen noted that Samuel was worried she would leave him to join Cortana. Emerysen rejected and continued to serve with Samuel. However in 2562, she began to show signs of rampancy and reported herself to Stephan.

Telling Samuel about rampancy, he could not bring himself to kill someone he cared and trusted as deeply as her. Without notifying him, she began a protocol where she would turn off and let Stephan try and fix her. Hoping to rejoin Samuel sometime later, she knew that she wouldn't remember him, but he would remember him. Monitoring him on the way back to the Sol System, she remembered all the good times they had shared together prior to turning herself off and doing more damage.

In 2563, Emerysen shut herself down on Samuel's birthday and underwent seven years of reconstruction to extend her life and stop rampancy from taking over. She rejoined Samuel on his birthday, seven years later. Immediately, Samuel welcomed her back into his team and was glad to have her back. As the two gear up for more missions, they prepare for their tasks ahead and want to do the best. With everyone together and alive, Samuel knew that Emerysen was the last piece he needed.