Memories of Reach (TPF)

For a sunny morning in August 31st of 2555, Oriana Frommenwiler takes out her American Quarter Horse named Koko. Setting the saddle on, she glances up at her husband to give her a quick smile, before the two head out for their morning ride. The former troop commander of Red Team rides up next to him and the two head out in the woods surrounding Carson City, Nevada.

Oriana settles in for the first leg of the journey as she leads the way through the insect buzzing forest. Adjusting her short blonde hair under the Lake Tahoe Trucker Hat, she hears him speed down to walk beside her. Clayton knows this is the third anniversary of the Fall of Reach, a battle where she lost three of her troops during the month-long engagement.

Oriana glances at him, then back up the trail. “What’s going through your mind, you been more quiet than usual this morning.” She doesn’t say anything as her mind scans the new trail they haven’t explored, but his mind places the two together. “Is it about Reach? I know today is the third anniversary.”

Oriana turns down the trail, and Clayton looks at her with a cocked eyebrow. “Are you sure you want to ride this trail?” He follows after her regardless to explore, if they get lost, he can use her expert tracking to get back home. “You know where you’re going?”

She turns to look at him with a smug smile. “Of course I know where we’re going. And don’t worry, we won’t get lost. After all, I have been right about all the other trails before. So, therefore, I am right about this one.” She watches his eyes roll at her arrogance and ability to annoy him.

But Oriana’s mind turns back to Reach, the original question he asked her about in her mind. The Fall of Reach and why she hasn’t talked so much about it.

“Mm-hm.” She starts to walk again, letting the sound of the horse's hooves take place for the silence in the forest.

“You didn’t sleep well last night, was it because of Reach as well?” Clayton gets a glance at her then no response.

Glancing up then turning her head, she tells him the truth. “Yes.” There’s no benefit of lying to the person who cares and loves her. “It was Reach this time.”

Clayton allows her the time to speak about what is surfing through her mind. He has learned that she likes it when he listens and pays attention to what she says rather than give advice.

One day stood out to Oriana the most as she continues to ride, August 19th was the day where she lost Lynn-A319. A Mgalekgolo shot his fuel cannon at Draven-A284, and she took the full hit to save him. By the time Oriana turned to see what had happened, Lynn no longer existed. She was running one second before and disappeared in the next. Oriana later learned that the attack vaporized her, she didn’t feel a lot of pain, which was good.

As Oriana continues to slow down her ride, Clayton knows something is wrong. Her silence is typical, and the glassy stare showcases the harrowing truth of the ground battle against the Covenant. He had never seen the frontlines; he was surrounded by safety as he gave orders to her that she needed to execute and win. His orders cost the lives of her troops, her SPARTANs.

“Remember Lynn?” Clayton gives a gentle nod as her eyes find he then back down to the rein in her hands. “She was always nice, a good sniper for sure. The Betas felt she was their mother to an extent; I always remembered her for being the one that would do anything to keep her family safe.” Her family, two words, bounced around Oriana’s head. Red Team, her family.

“Before we went out that day, she told me that she was going to tell us about the ODST that tried to hit on her.” Oriana smiles at the thought, seeing an ODST trying to a SPARTAN into his bed. “He told her that he might break his pelvis, but it would be worth it. A brazen ODST, certainly they did not lack that trait.” Her smile turned to a frown quickly. Clayton understood why. “I’m sorry. Can we talk about something else?”

“Of course.” Clayton knows that Oriana still struggles to open up to him about the Human-Covenant War. “It’s a nice day to rid. Not too hot yet.”

Oriana only nods as the images of her family, friends, SPARTANs and dead teammates continue to swirl around her head. Clayton continues to discuss the day and weather as Oriana feels herself being bogged down by the Fall of Reach. The loss of Lynn, Isaac, and Riley start hitting her like a ton of bricks. The family she told and swore to herself to protect, the promise to bring them all home, no matter the cost.

“Ana.” Her eyes dart up him; he is about 30 meters away. “Stop.” Clayton trots back as the world around Oriana comes crashing down on her in a split second.

Reaching over, he brings her into a tight hug to let her know she is not alone. Clayton feels her hands on his back; she grips his shirt a little harder as her breath quivers. The smell of burning flesh, the taste of sweat coming off her nose inside her helmet, screams of civilians as they get slaughtered, the last breath of Riley, the roar of a Sangheili Zealot, and the crackling of the ground as the Covenant glassed the surface all come swarming into her mind.

“I-I failed Clayton; I failed my family.” She whispers into his chest and holds him tighter. “I failed. I fail-.” Oriana starts to cry into him; each decision came with a cost that weighted the world on her. “I-I, my family. Failed.” Clayton hugs her tightly as she drops all her guards around him and cries.

Running his hands along her back, he can feel the scars of her leadership and the pain she carries for each death of her family. “You’re safe with me.” He pulls her closer to reflect the care. “You’re safe with me, Ana.” He gets a gentle nod from her. “Can you loosen your grip before you snap one of my ribs?” He hears a little giggle from her as she loosens her grip on him.

“I rather non injure you out here.” Oriana gives him a frown as she feels his thumb wipe away the streams of tears from her cheeks. “Thank you.” She gets a smile from him for the small gesture.

He watches her eyes focus on him; he formulates a sentence in his mind. “Hey, whatever it is, I’m here for you. As I promised in our vows, you’re safe with me.” He runs a hand along with hers, noticing the hands of a killer are incredibly soft and smooth. But Clayton refuses to see his wife as a killer and a lethal SPARTAN-III officer. She’s a human, just like he is.

“I still have a better shot between the two of us.” She gives him a small smirk before resting her forehead on his, smiling at him. “And thank you for everything.” She places a quick peck on his forehead as they turn back to their ride.

“I’m glad I didn’t take your last name.”

“Why?”

“A058 doesn’t have a good ring to it.”

Oriana shoots him a quick glare before trying to suppress a laugh. “You ass.”

“Hah! I got you to laugh.” She lets the little victory slide, turning her morning from a PTSD flashback into toying around with him. “C’mere Ana.”

Clayton takes her hand in his, and the two continue to ride. She feels his thumb caress her's as a symbolic meaning to remind her that he is always there for her.

The Fall of Reach happened between July and August of 2552, that was the actual battle that the UNSC and Covenant fought on the planet. But the memories of Reach continue to haunt countless people who lost friends, civilians, teammates, and families. No matter how long Oriana survives, the Fall of Reach will stay with her as a reminder that she lost a piece of her family to the battle.