Halo Fanon
Advertisement
Terminal This fanfiction article, Riley Franklin, was written by Delta Pistol. Please do not edit this fiction without the writer's permission.
Help This fanfiction article, Riley Franklin, is currently under active construction.
ORION ONI Specialist
Riley Franklin
Biographical Information
Homeworld
Born
  • March 12, 2474
Physical Description
Species
Gender
  • Male
Height
  • 1.80 meters (5'11)
Weight
  • 89.3 kilograms (197 lbs.)
Hair
  • Black
Eyes
  • Brown
Chronological and Political Information
Rank
Service number
  • 43956-85772-RF
Specialty
Affiliation
  [Source]
"In our world of black ops bullshit, the only crime in war is failing. I've stayed in the game for so long because I'm willing to do things that make ordinary people can't even imagine doing. I'm able to do this because I understand one simple fact; Victory has a price, and survival an even greater one.."
― Riley Franklin

Riley Allen Franklin (SN:33956-85772-RF) was a Human special covert warfare operative, serving within the United Nations Space Command (UNSC), and was also a specialized biochemically-augmented supersoldier of the ORION Program, becoming a first generation Spartan. Franklin would serve as a clandestine operations agent in the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI).

Franklin was a trooper in the UNSC Army, serving in the Army Rangers. After his brief tour in hotspots in the Outer Colonies, Franklin took part of the secretive ORION project, where he became an elite augmented supersoldier, dubbed a Spartan. Right before the project's deactivation, Franklin was recruited into Section One of Naval Intelligence, where he became a paramilitary operations officer responsible for numerous high-risk, covert black bag and wetwork operations. Even when the Human-Covenant War broke out in 2525, Franklin and his cell would focus mainly on black bag operations against human Insurrectionists, to ease the pressure on the UNSC's war efforts against the Covenant. Even so, Franklin would conduct joint covert missions against Covenant activities when finally called upon to do so.

In the final years of the war, Franklin was part of the efforts to "preserve human legacy" if the UNSC were to lose the war against the Covenant, establishing and setting up hidden data fortresses and underground facilities housing human technology and knowledge. Franklin would also lead efforts to protect the knowledge and locations of human refugees that had fled into deep space to escape the Covenant armada that hunted them. In 2552, just prior to the war's end, Franklin quietly dropped out of contact after a wetwork mission, disappearing after communications with his team ceased. ONI Section Zero deemed that Franklin had went AWOL, and deployed teams of operatives, including Spartans, to "recover" Franklin, but their efforts were in vain. Speculation is rampant about Franklin's activities, motives, his whereabouts, and even whether his status as a runaway was a cover.

Franklin is a seasoned combat veteran of exceptional skills, versed in close-quarters combat and an expert marksman with a wide range of firearms. Riley specializes in intelligence-gathering, fieldcraft, and espionage. Franklin demonstrated an ability to infiltrate and extract without anyone knowing he was there, but he could also leave a trail of destruction when called upon to do so. Even though he mostly conducted solo missions, Franklin would led small teams, trained to infiltrate enemy lines and survive inhospitable conditions in hostile locations, on several covert ops that he headed. Franklin would also undertake deep, undercover missions, assuming new identities and putting himself within the ranks of rebel cells and criminal factions, dismantling them from the inside and vanishing without a trace.

Franklin has no qualms about working outside his missions' legal guidelines, even engaging in some morally-questionable and criminal activity. In the field, Franklin would also often work with local militias and mercenaries for his various tasks. Franklin would also establish contacts and connections within the criminal underworld, using their resources against the Insurrectionist militias and Covenant operations. Franklin is considered to be one of ONI's most valued agents and has become an integral part in the expansion of ONI's sphere of influence throughout known space.

Career Service Vitae (CSV)[]

Riley Franklin
450px-ORIONpatch
Operations Officer

FULL NAME: Franklin, Riley Allen
SERVICE #: 33956-85772-RF


    Unit:
    Military Occupational Specialty: Critical Skills Operator
    Neccesary Military Occupantional Speciality: Intelligence
    Enlistment Date: 6/26/2492
    Garrison:

    Gender: Male
    Birthplace: Reach
    Birth Date: 3/12/2474
    Blood Type: A-
    Height: centimeters
    Weight: 89.3 kilograms

Service Biography
Overview

Operations Officer Riley Allen Franklin was a SPARTAN for the ORION Project (Spartan-I). Before his involvement with ORION, Franklin was an Army Ranger in the 2nd Ranger Battalion, UNSC Army.

Special Remarks

To Be Added.

Biography[]

Early Life[]

Riley Allen Franklin was born on March 12, 2474, in the sprawling metropolis city of New Alexandria on the colony world of Reach. Born into the Franklin family, a respected family with a decorated lineage of military service that traces back to the earliest years of the 20th Century, Riley was thrusted with great expectations from his family. Riley's father, a decorated Marine Corps officer, and his mother, a retired Navy aviator, were adamant in instilling their five children (including Riley) strict discipline and intense focus to prepare them for the challenges to come in their lifetimes.

City Pelican

The bustling, industrial streets of New Alexandria, Reach (circa early 2480s).

In his youth, Riley was surrounded by the aesthetic and the allure of military life on Reach, as his family's military lineage would shape his childhood and adolescence. Riley was involved in military-focused youth programs and is often in attendance at military parades that involved his family from time to time. During primary school, Riley was an excellent student, as he excelled in mathematics and science courses. Franklin was also involved with sporting activities, as he was an active participant in youth basketball, and the cross running programs. Despite his sterling record, Young Riley was considered to be a renegade by his peers and family.

Riley had a reputation for being outspoken and stoking conflict with anyone he saw fit. Franklin wasn't afraid to argue with his teachers in his primary school and would get into altercations with other kids that had crossed him. Franklin was also more comfortable with the street kids of New Alexandria, rather than his elitist peers. Riley often engaged in delinquent behavior with his friends, ranging from typical pick-pocketing to vandalism. If it wasn't for his family connections, Franklin would've found himself in juvenile detention in his early youth.

At the age of fifteen, Riley was enrolled and sent to the Corbulo Academy of Military Science, on the colony world of Circinius IV. In those four years, Riley established himself as one of the top classmen at the academy. Franklin proved himself as one of Corbulo's top cadets, as he excelled in his academics and showed his tactical prowess during extensive field and classroom exercises. It was here he learned to focus his energy, hone his skills, and to either follow orders or be sure to hide the evidence. By his senior year, Franklin was one of the academy's class commanders and would graduate with honors. Afterward, Franklin would opt to join the UNSC Army, feeling the Army would help him thrive in his new life.

Operational History in the UNSC Armed Forces[]

After his graduation from the UNSC Army's basic training course at the Unified Combined Military Boot Camp and School of Infantry (SOI) on Earth, Franklin would be commissioned as a second lieutenant and would serve as an infantry platoon leader for the 1st Infantry Division in 2492. However, Franklin wanted to pursue a career within the UNSC Special Operations Forces, as he wanted to challenge himself, and he believed that the Special Forces would be able to give him that challenge. Franklin would then join the UNSC Army Rangers, and he passed right through their selection process and was assigned as a platoon leader in the 2nd Ranger Battalion.

Marine Rockies

UNSC Army Rangers in action on the Outer Colonies against local Insurrectionist Militia forces, circa 2490s.

From 2492 to 2494, Lieutenant Franklin and his Army Ranger platoon were deployed on counter-insurgency operations in hotspots around the Outer colonies, such as Alpha Corvi II and Talitsa. Franklin and his Army Rangers were tasked with reconnaissance patrols, covert search and destroy operations, and other unconventional warfare operations in the region. Franklin and his men were also dispatched to give support to joint intelligence-gathering and direct action operations with the clandestine elements of UNSC Special Operations.

During this period, Franklin would make himself known to Special Forces community for his ruthless actions and valiant leadership in battle. One example of his leadership would be Franklin leading the recapture of a vital commercial spaceport against local rebel forces that sought to control Talitsa, taking charge of the Rangers when leadership had faltered. When it came to his brutality, while Franklin and the Army Rangers went on search and destroy missions in the Outer colonies, the after-action reports detailed him and his platoon burning down local settlements and torturing suspected rebels with "enhanced interrogation". Within the Rangers, Franklin became known for his ruthless drive to defeat the enemy, an all-or-nothing leadership style, and his efficient lethality in combat. Riley was also regarded for showing courage and valor in the face of adversity.

ORION Project[]

Induction and Augmentation[]

In early 2491, the Colonial Military Administration would relaunch the ORION Project, with Section III of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) providing data and resources to support the program. With the success of their initial 65 test subjects in their training and their augmentations, ONI expanded its program. Franklin was among those that were approached for the program in 2494 and accepted their offer.

450px-ORIONpatch

The official patch for the ORION Program Operators, circa 2498.

Riley and the other ORION volunteers were placed under their specialized training course for rigorous ORION combat testing. Initial testing in CQC and basic combat skills challenged Riley, but these challenges would allow Franklin to thrive in this harsh environment. Franklin would become a fast-rising candidate in the program, where the instructors and observers regarded the young operator as being among the most talented in the entire program. The ORION program would also shape his skills as a leader and a tactician, thanks to the new friendships made with other ORION candidates. Riley bonded with Karina Liberatore, sharing similar goals and struggles in their pasts. Both of them would form a bond that allowed them to open up to each other, and push each other to their limits. The two would meet with two other ORIONs, Daniel Contreras and Javier Rivas. Uneasy at first with each other, the four soldiers would eventually form a close relationship with each other, as they would train together and get to know each other better.

One of ORION's principal goals was to implant their volunteers with an series of augmentations that would make them into the UNSC's first breed of "supersoldiers". Along with his fellow volunteers, Riley spent several months recovering from the procedures and growing accustomed to his improved strength and reflexes before being able to rejoin his fellow ORION operatives. After his recovery, Franklin was assigned to an ORION fireteam with his friends in ORION testing and training, as ORION was prepping and being briefed for their first operation as ORION operatives.

Operation: CHARLEMAGNE[]

In June of 2494, Colonel Robert Watts, a UNSC Marine officer, had defected and joined the Secessionist Union, and rallied the Insurrectionists on the colony of Eridanus II for an uprising against the planetary government. Equipped and reinforced by rebel sympathizers hidden in the Colonial Military Administrations' ranks, along with support from criminals and arms dealers, Watts had orchestrated a methodical and thorough series of attacks involving terrorist bombings, political assassinations, and kidnappings that impacted Eridanus's shipping routes. With the help of CMA defectors and smugglers, Watts and the Insurrectionists were able to gather a sizable flotilla of starships, to blockade the planet. The Eridanus Government had officially requested aid from the Unified Earth Government in December of 2494. However, by January 2495, Colonel Watts and his forces established control of the colony.

ODST Patrol

Franklin (Left) and ORION operators in action on Eridanus II during CHARLEMAGNE, January 2496.

On January 12, 2496, Operation: CHARLEMAGNE was then launched, with the UNSC deploying a large battle group of the Naval starships to Eridanus II. The ORION task force operators were covertly deployed for the first time during CHARLEMAGNE, as they engaged Insurrectionist forces on the rural landscapes of Eridanus II, covertly and discreetly. During the operation, Franklin and his ORION fireteam were tasked with raids on Insurrectionist strongholds and supply depots in their area of operations, while focused on locating and killing Robert Watts. Despite failing to capture Watts, Franklin led his fireteam in multiple successful actions to liberate the planet from Insurrectionist control.

As a result of CHARLEMAGNE, the UNSC succeeded in regaining control of Eridanus II from the insurgents. However, Colonel Watts and several of his rebel soldiers were successful in escaping to Eridanus's asteroid belt, 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 wide range of conspiracy theories and media speculation. As the legend of these supersoldiers grew, it proved very helpful to the Office of Naval Intelligences' propaganda efforts in the following decades. For Franklin and his team, due to their exploits, the unit was converted into a combat tracker team. Riley and his unit would prove to be a valuable asset in counter-insurgency, intelligence gathering, direct action, deep reconnaissance, and any other unconventional warfare operations.

Operational History in ORION[]

After the success of Operation: CHARLEMAGNE in 2496, ORION operatives were found to be an effective tool in combating the Insurrection. Consequently, during the remainder of that year and in the subsequent years too, ORION operatives were assigned to numerous other classified missions. Delta was dispatched to such covert operations. After their defeat on Eridanus II, Insurrectionist groups had reorganized themselves into a guerrilla force, willing to conduct terror tactics (terror bombings, kidnappings, assassinations, etc.). By early 2498, to subdue these new threats, several fireteams of the elite ORION operators were deployed throughout the Outer Colonies to combat and neutralize Insurrectionist activity.

ORION Black Ops

Squadron of ORION Operators in action against local Rebel militaries in the urban zones of an unknown Outer Colony, circa 2490s.

For several years, Riley Franklin and his fireteam would conduct numerous covert, special warfare operations within the Outer colonies, against the Secessionist Union and other Insurrectionist factions. These ops included direct action, reconnaissance, HVT, counter-insurgency, intel-gathering, and other clandestine operations on various colonies. Franklin and his team were proven to be just as effective, if not more so, as the typical UNSC Special Forces. The unit would be engaged in several successful combat missions in various colonies, such as Eridanus II, Madrigal, and Harvest.

During this period in his service, Franklin would emerge as one of ORION's best operatives in the field, where his exemplary leadership and efficient lethality was showcased in the field. Franklin led his team on various missions in the Outer Colonies, where he became known for his ability to complete any mission at any cost. Franklin also proved himself as an elite warfighter, as he excelled in close-quarter combat situations and showed proficiency with a wide range of weapons and fieldcraft. Franklin also showed tactical prowess in combat, and even developed his interrogation skills during these operations. However, it would be his ability to covertly insert himself into hostile zones and efficiently eliminates threats without alarm that would showcase his talent as a soldier. Riley's talents would attract the attention of the upper echelons of Naval Intelligence.

Operation: KALEIDOSCOPE[]

In 2502, new tactics were formed 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 the clandestine assassinations of key figures in the Insurrection movement. With the success of Operation: VERITAS, they were able to conduct such an operation, under the codename KALEIDOSCOPE. In this operation, Franklin was detached from his group to undergo solo assassination missions, as to maintain covertness and quick mobility.

Ghost ORION

Riley Franklin on a covert assignment during Operation: KALEIDOSCOPE, circa 2500s.

Franklin was deployed to various Outer colonies, tasked with the elimination of rebel leadership and the acquisition of intelligence on the activities of the Insurrection movement, mainly focusing on the Secessionist Union. Franklin would prove himself one of the most efficient and hyper-lethal operatives, not just in ORION, but throughout UNSC Special Operations.

During this operation, Franklin would silently infiltrate rebel encampments and outposts, assassinate numerous rebel officers, uncover valuable intel, and rescue captured UNSC personnel and local CAA/CMA officials from imprisonment. Franklin would also infiltrate many local communities that sympathized with the Insurrections' cause, and was able to accomplish his objectives while utilizing an unwitting civilian population in his efforts. Franklin also provided support for other ORION operators also operating in his area.

Riley's exploits became heralded and inspiring stories within the Special Forces community, and nightmarish tall tales for the locals and rebels on various worlds. Franklin would also develop connections with the criminal underworld in the Outer colonies, connections that would prove to be valuable in the future for the ORION operator. By the operation's conclusion, Franklin was responsible for the "neutralization" of over thirty Insurrectionist HVTs and credited with the dissolution of various rebel networks and cells throughout the Outer colonies.

KALEIDOSCOPE proved to be a successful operation for the UNSC, as rebel factions had collapsed and dissolved in droves. This included the Secessionist Union, as their leader, Jerald Ander, and their vital military officers had been killed or, had simply, disappeared. Franklin was noted for his effectiveness and success in dismantling Insurrectionist activities, neutralizing key figures in the Secessionist Union, and uncovering a deep relationship between Insurrectionists and the criminal underworld of the Outer Colonies.

Clandestine Service in Office of Naval Intelligence[]

After his impressive work during KALEIDOSCOPE, including the rescue of ONI agents from a compromised safehouse on Gao, the Office of Naval Intelligence were eager to recruit Franklin into the agency, to work as a forward operator for their ultimate intelligence-gathering force within Section One. Franklin accepted their offer to join, surrendering his former rank and history of special ops military service for a new life in ONI. In 2507, Franklin would join the ranks of a clandestine recon-type unit composed of lone, covert operatives, tasked with high-risk intelligence-gathering and counter-insurgency operations deemed either too sensitive or too risky for traditional entities to access, dubbed the Black Cell program.

Upon his recruitment and orientation into Black Cell, Franklin, alongside Liberatore who was also recruited, underwent training at "The Farm" in Camp Peary on Earth, a UNSC military reservation that hosts an ONI covert training facility. This training was to demonstrate to the Naval Intelligence superiors, that Franklin and the chosen candidates had the adequate skills to successfully perform in the field as a Black Cell operative for Section One. The training course at The Farm tested individuals with navigating through obstacles, stealth actions, their understanding of information warfare, interrogation, excessive & non-lethal force, and bypassing surveillance. In the end, thanks to his skills and talents, Franklin was able to complete his intense training and was welcomed into Section One.

Covert Operations in the Outer Colonies[]

For the next six years, Franklin lived a series of assumed identities to achieve "sensitive" objectives wherever he is needed, often operating autonomously. Franklin's mission profiles included wetwork, black bag, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism, information warfare, and anti-proliferation of high-grade weapons. Franklin has also been involved in multiple actions to assassinate Insurrectionist leadership, from militia commanders to corrupt colonial politicians that support the rebels. These missions expanded beyond the Outer Colonies, and into the Inner Colonies, as well. Riley demonstrated efficient lethality and constant success during his time as an ONI paramilitary operative. It was described that Riley not only survived but also excelled in the field of covert operations through his hard work, insatiable curiosity, and brutal honesty. He even proved that he can handle the cutthroat politics of ONI's "work culture". Franklin would rise in the ranks of Section One, and would soon be leading his own ops, as well. He would collaborate with his old ORION colleagues, including Karina Liberatore who had also joined Naval Intelligence after KALEIDOSCOPE.

ORION Spy In Action

ONI Operative Franklin coming across a hostage during a Covert Operation on Andesia, circa 2510s.

Franklin would hunt for key figures within the Insurrectionist movements, personally seeing to their "neutralizations" himself on most occasions. However, there were three HVTs that had alluded him during his first eight years: Colonel Watts, Grigori Kuzmin. and Gabriel Hessen. Franklin and his team came close several times in taking them down, but Franklin would see members of his team get killed or maimed by these rebels. The years-long hunt for this trio turned into an obsession for Riley, as he ended up taking extreme measures to find and eliminate them.

Franklin would also work with criminal syndicates during his missions, tortured civilians and rebel POWs with intel, and was even putting himself and his team in risky situations for small leads that likely ended up nowhere. Franklin still maintained that these actions were necessary in the grand scheme of things, as his main focus was the dismantling and disruptions of networks of rebel spies and cells that have become widespread in the Outer Colonies. Franklin would become infamous within ONI and the Insurrectionists that were aware of his existence and deeds. There was fear among Naval Intelligence officers that Franklin would veer off-course, and was likely committing actions that could result in scandal if he was not careful. However, Riley's performance assuaged those fears, as his mission success rate continue to soar and rebel factions dissolved and disappeared due to his actions.

When Operation: TREBUCHET was launched in 2513, Franklin was set to lead a covert team of ONI assassins and operatives on covert missions against the Insurrectionists, primarily the United Rebel Front and their allied factions, in the Outer Colonies in support of TREBUCHET. Franklin and his cell embedded themselves in the civilian populations and criminal underworlds of the Outer Colonies, as they tracked and extracted information, uncovered spies and saboteurs within the Colonial Administration Authority (CAA) and the Colonial Military Authority (CMA), and conducted black bag operations in hostile areas. Franklin found himself undergoing more undercover missions, as he adapted and learned the Insurrectionists' counter-espionage tactics. In the process, Franklin would build out his own spy network in the Outer Colonies, tapping into resources from the criminal underworld due to relationships and bargains he struck up in exchange for vital intelligence and target information. Franklin's intel-gathering proved worthwhile, as he and his team became a vital source of intel for ONI, as the UNSC Armed Forces ramped up their counterinsurgency efforts going into 2520s.

Covert Operations during the Human-Covenant War[]

In February of 2525, the Unified Earth Government lost contact with the Outer Colony of Harvest. In response, the unarmed scout ship, the CMA Argo, was sent to the planet to investigate. When transmissions from the scout ship suddenly ended, the Harvest situation was deemed highly important and a Colonial Military Administration battle group was dispatched to Harvest, fearing that Insurrectionist forces had taken control of the agriculture world. Upon arriving at the system, the Battle Group was immediately attacked by the Covenant, a religious hegemony of multiple alien species, with only one CMA starship escaping destruction and limping back to Reach, with a dire warning of a hostile alien threat. In November of 2525, the United Nations Space Command was then ordered into full alert. In response to this alien threat, CENTCOM moved to create a massive battle group to retake Harvest. This would bring the Human-Covenant War into full swing.

ODST Nightfall

Franklin, donning an ODST BDU that was custom made by the Beta-5 Division, in the field, circa late 2530s.

At the time, Riley was still engaged in anti-Insurrectionist operations with his cell. However, Franklin monitored the situation closely and kept pace with ongoing developments. In 2529, as the Covenant armada began to lay waste to the Outer Colonies, glassing planets and driving UNSC naval forces back, Franklin and his cell were soon ordered by Admiral Margaret Parangosky, Commander-in-Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence, to dismantle their ongoing operation and return to UNSC-controlled space. Franklin and his team were reassigned to simply monitor Insurrectionist activity within UNSC-controlled space, and to conduct counter-actions against the colonial rebels when directed to do so. Franklin would also train newly-recruited ONI agents during this period, teaching them his craft when he was not on mission.

In the 2540s, as the war with Covenant continued to take its toll, Franklin grew restless with his work, as his operations against the Insurrectionists had grinded to a crawl, due to the rebels mostly retreating into the shadows or even taking up arms against the alien threat themselves. Franklin once again requested a transfer to Section Three to conduct operations against the Covenant. Transferred to the Beta-5 Division, Franklin was given new tasking, as he was to join in covert operations against the Covenant with a task force of ONI operatives and UNSC special warfare operatives. This group was known as the Asymmetrical Action Group. In this new unit, Franklin was reunited with his old ORION teammates; Karina Liberatore, who was now an ONI intelligence officer, and Daniel Contreras, who was now an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper. Franklin would lead his hand-picked team deep in Covenant-occupied space to provide special reconnaissance and conduct covert entries into Covenant installations to obtain information for intelligence and conduct acts of sabotage. However, even with his new tasking, Franklin still found himself entrenched in the war against the rebels, as he was still called on to deal with Insurrectionists by the higher ranks within ONI.

Battle of Jemison[]

Operation: BLACK ZERO[]

Preservation Operations and Disappearance[]

In the aftermath of BLACK ZERO, while grieving the loss of Morel, Franklin was reassigned to Section Zero to conduct special contingency operations for Naval Intelligence. With human civilization facing a complete collapse and total extinction, ONI began to take measures to "ensure the legacy of humanity". Franklin was deployed on missions to recover lost data and information from abandoned ONI facilities, CAA government facilities on abandoned or partially-glassed worlds in deep space. Franklin would recover and transport the collection of data and intelligence to hidden facilities and bunkers on far distant planets and moons that housed data fortresses and the complete records of human history. Franklin would also commence "torch-and-burn" ops, destroying any and all evidence of human settlements and shelters that remain undiscovered by the Covenant, and destroyed valuable military assets and hardware that could be used by hostile human or alien parties.

In 2552, during the Covenant incursions into the Epsilon Eridani System, Franklin was deployed to Tribute, as Covenant forces had blockaded and invaded one of the most prominent commercial colonies in all of human-occupied space. Franklin's mission was to recover data drives from a ONI black station in the city of Jaeraub, and to demolish the site and the datafort it housed to avoid any sensitive intel from falling into Covenant hands. Being supported by a fireteam of ODSTs, Franklin would fight his way to the station, hidden underneath the streets of Jaeraub. However, the situation took a turn, as Franklin would analyze the data drives himself and examined the information that it stored. It remains unclear what Franklin discovered, but he ended up disappearing along with data drives from the area without the ODSTs noticing. Details remain scarce on what happened to Franklin, as the local city surveillance was unable to track his movements, and it became unclear what happened.

Section Zero Operatives investigated the incident briefly, utilizing AIs, Phoenix and Canto, to analyze the known information and to find any new info to determine what had happened. The AIs concluded that Franklin had likely escaped Tribute, taking a civilian Vancouver-class courier that had disappeared during the battle. Records of the data drives that Franklin took seemed to imply that drives had information on covert operations and facilities that ONI wanted to keep hidden from the public, and were of interest to Franklin for unknown reasons. Upon conclusion, Franklin was considered "burnt" and he was now on ONI's extensive list of High-Value Targets to be eliminated with "extreme prejudice". However, the Covenant invasion of Earth delayed any actions to hunt down Riley and the data drives, which likely bought enough time for Franklin to vanish into deep space without a tangible trace.

Suspected Post-War Activities[]

With the Human-Covenant War concluded, Office of Naval Intelligence, now the primary intelligence service of the UEG with nearly uncontested power, began to commence "clean up" of their "loose ends" during the war. This included the "neutralization" of individuals that did pose a threat to the stability of the UEG and ONI. Franklin was considered to be such an individual. Franklin had disappeared, which made it difficult for ONI intelligence agents to track him. They had to rely on faint rumors and chatter from their assets in the Outer colonies to find possible leads that could find the veteran ex-spy. They even went as far as to "interview" Riley's former ORION teammates, Karina Liberatore and Daniel Contreras, in a desperate bid to locate him. However, Franklin did well to cover his movements, and any leads quickly dried up.

Intel reports speculated and tried weave a cleared pictures of Franklin's motivations and actions. There was a spattering of murders of high-level criminal and Insurrectionist figures on various Outer worlds, such as Gao and Gilgamesh. These actions were not sanctioned by Naval Intelligence, and speculation became rampant. These murders matched the modus operandis of Riley Franklin, but those findings remained inconclusive. There was also the suspicious sabotage of Insurrectionist outposts and installations, which were blamed on ONI agents. However, Naval Intelligence doubted that some these actions were taken by their own. The chatter and scuttlebut in the criminal underworld and Innie circles was also rampant with talks of the rise of mercenaries who specialized in combat skills. These "mercs" were now doing jobs for corporations, private security companies, criminal organizations, Insurrectionists, and even the UNSC. One of these mercenaries, "Zero", was considered to be among the elite, running solo ops and leaving bodies in his wake without a trace. Once again, the profile matched Franklin's and ONI made it point to track down this "Zero". Naval Special Warfare operators and even Spartans would be sent on missions to find "Zero", but their effortless were fruitless, with the target giving them the slip, or even outclassing them in combat if they were lucky to chance upon him.

Personality and Traits[]

Mental and Physical Overview[]

Riley Franklin was known for being a charismatic, philosophical, and observant individual. Franklin takes great pride in his lineage of soldiers, and he believes that every soldier must fight for the greater good. Riley has no interest in glory. If he fights, it is because he believes he is capable of provoking positive change. Franklin loves a good challenge, any kind of challenge whether it is risking his life as usual or trying to convince a lady for a date. Franklin is regarded as being "laid-back" and can settle well in most social situations, as he can meld well with a wide range of people. Riley also demonstrates leadership qualities that instill confidence in those that served under him, and he is not above a rogue move or an unholy alliance in the name of getting the job done. To those that know him, Franklin is known for being driven by the roots of his moral fiber in doing what he believes is right. This pushes him through even the toughest circumstances.

In combat, Franklin is a peerless special weapons expert, known for excelling in a fluid and volatile environment. Riley is versed in a wide range of fieldcraft and tactical capability. Riley also proved to be a capable intelligence analyst, specializing in information ops and unconventional warfare ops. Though fully aware and confident of his abilities, Riley understands that his survival has often been a gift of chance. He knows he is human and fallible, and he is careful. Riley often takes a methodical approach to most tasks - planning first before action. Franklin's skills and calm temperament, as well as his dedication to duty, ensured that he kept a clear head under pressure and was always prepared, regardless of circumstances, while thriving on the battlefield. Franklin became known as one of ONI's legendary scalpels, who used the latest high-technology and espionage techniques to infiltrate sensitive locations, retrieve information, and execute black operations, thus distinguishing himself with acts of gallantry and intrepidity.

ORION Spy

Riley Franklin in action, circa 2546.

Physically, Franklin was well-built and gifted a tall frame. Franklin is described as having piercing green eyes, and darkish brown hair. Riley knew how to keep himself in excellent shape with a strict diet and a borderline-obsessive workout routine. The ORION augmentations that Riley underwent would enhance his physical talents. Franklin is measured at 180.34 cm. (5'11) and he weighs about 89.3 kilograms (197 lbs.). As Franklin aged, his hair began to gray and the side effects of the augments began to take their toll on his mental and physical health. Even so, Riley Franklin would continue to operate well as a covert warfare agent in the field. Riley would be seen as an instructor and mentor for the younger field agents in Naval Intelligence in the latter years of his career, due to his experience and skillsets. The slowdown of Franklin's physical abilities would force the operative to adopt alternative methods of combat, to remain functional at the highest level in the field.

Skills and Abilities[]

ORION ONI Spy

Riley Franklin operating in the field, circa mid-2530s

  • Augmented Physical Abilities: Riley had undergone ORION physical augmentations, which significantly improved his strength, speed, stamina, and endurance. These traits enhanced physical abilities would enable Franklin to overcome and endure harsh combat environments and increase the scope of his capabilities as a soldier. Even with some of the mental and physical side effects that became more prominent with time, these augmentations would help maintain Franklin's durability and sustain a long military career.
  • Special Weapons Expert: In part to his special warfare training, Franklin became an expert in various weapon systems, especially when it came to rifles and small arms. The operator possessed adept marksmanship skills with the MA5 series, BR55 and BR85 rifle series, and the Designated Marksman Rifles (DMR). Franklin is also skilled with the M7 SMGs and the series of M6 sidearms. Franklin also learned to utilize weaponry that was used by hostile forces in the field, whether it be human or alien alike.
  • Specialized Reconnaissance Specialist: During his time in the ORION project, Franklin would learn to obtain, distribute, and share vital combat and battlefield information on the enemy and combat circumstances and environment, and weather conditions. Riley would refine his understanding of special reconnaissance with the help of his friend and an ORION operative, Daniel Contreras, as he learned from Contreras the nuances of special reconnaissance tactics.
  • Unconventional Warfare Tactics Expert: Franklin became a guerilla warfare specialist, known for utilizing hit-and-run ambushes and quick raids on enemy strongholds and encampments. Franklin was also known to utilize local, independent militias and bands of mercenaries in his operations. Franklin was also not afraid of seeking assistance and resources from human criminal enterprises, as well. Franklin has even worked with Insurrectionists in rare situations.
  • Counter-Terrorism: Franklin underwent various forms of Counter-Terrorism training during his time in the UNSC Army Special Forces, the ORION project, and Naval Intelligence. Franklin specialized in techniques and strategies that are used to combat terrorism. Franklin would also specialize in counter-insurgency tactics to complement his counter-terror tactics and techniques in the field.
  • Clandestine Tradecraft: As the nature of Franklin's job relies on stealth and non-detection, he is highly adept at blending into shadows and moving silently. With expertise in fieldcraft, Franklin proved capable of infiltrating hostile areas without raising an alarm. Franklin utilized techniques, methods, and technologies for espionage and generally, as part of the activity of intelligence assessment. Franklin specialized in black bag operations, wetwork, and surveillance.
  • Information Operations: Undergoing training at the ONI Training Farm on Earth, Franklin specialized in the integrated employment of electronic warfare (EW), computer network operations (CNO), psychological operations (PSYOP), military deception (MILDEC), and operations security (OPSEC), in concert with specified supporting and related capabilities, to influence, disrupt, corrupt or usurp the adversarial decision making while protecting his own.
  • Interrogation: Franklin proved skillful in eliciting useful information during Interrogations. During his training ONI training on Earth, Franklin learned various interrogation techniques. However, some of his skills were obtained during his time in ORION and Army Rangers. Franklin also underwent resistance to interrogation (RTI) testing, and Riley was the only candidate in his class to escape the facility and evade capture. Routinely subjected to physically and mentally uncomfortable scenarios, Riley prides himself on high tolerance and tactical awareness.
  • Extreme Environment Survival: Franklin trained in hostile conditions during his time in ORION and Naval Intelligence. He became skilled in navigating such treacherous environments. Franklin also learned how to adapt to changing environments in the field during his service, as well.

Gallery[]

Advertisement