Promotion

''105th Shock Troops Divison HQ, New Harmony, Mars. January 10, 2553.''

The sign on the door read "Lt Col Franklin Lucas, 7th Bn". 1st Lieutenant James O'Neill knocked briefly, and waited for a few seconds before the door to the office opened. Sitting at his desk was the Lieutenant Colonel, who motioned for him to sit down. He pulled up a chair and obliged.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" O'Neill asked.

"Yes, Lieutenant," Lucas began. "I do." He reached for his datapad, pulled up a file, and handed it to O'Neill. O'Neill read the file, and was caught surprised. It was Captain Polonski's, his CO, letter of resignation of resignation from Valkyrie Company, the 7th Shock Troops, and the UNSC Marine Corps as a whole.

"The Captain's resigned, sir?" O'Neill questioned, astonished. Lucas nodded as O'Neill handed the datapad back to him.

"Now, this leads to why I wanted you here. With Captain Polonski's resignation, we obviously need someone to replace him." O'Neill straightened up in his seat as Lucas sighed. "James, you're the most experienced man in the company, hell, maybe the entire battalion."

"I think I see where you're going with this, sir."

"I expected as much. So, will you accept these?" Lucas grabbed a patch indicating a Marine Corps Captain.

"Yes, I will, sir." Lucas stood up, and O'Neill did the same. He handed the patch to him. "Don't take this lightly, O'Neill. Treat you new position with respect."

"I will, sir."

"Good luck, Captain." Lucas saluted, and O'Neill returned it earnestly. Lucas then ushered him out of his office, and O'Neill went on his way. He had not felt this giddy since he had graduated officer school, and was having trouble concentrating on walking out of the building, focused almost entirely on his new rank.

Any feeling of fear or unknowing was completely wiped away. He felt confident and, for the first time in years, legitimately excited. He wasn't really worrying about the transition of command; Polonski was liked, but somewhat of an introvert, while O'Neill was already well liked by the men and women of Valkyrie Company.

For once, he actually had very little to worry about. What he had once seen as a dark and fearful new life had now become a bright future, and O'Neill could feel nothing but pure, stupid happiness for that.