Message from the general: If you didn't guess from the description this is a Halo/NCIS crossover... it can work. But if you readers have never watched NCIS then I can't help you.

And don't forget to leave a review, Thanks.

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo or NCIS

chapter 1: back to the future 101

October 2, 2552

location: Sol system, Earth, Australia- HIGHCOM

Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, encased in his MJOLNIR armor, descended in the elevator into the deep facility known only as HIGHCOM. In the elevator with him were the other three Spartans in armor that comprised Blue Team, Fred-104, Will-043 and Linda-058. They had returned from Reach only a couple of weeks ago and the UNSC decided that even Spartans needed down time and granted extended leave. For the Spartans that meant sitting in their barracks, most of the time in their armor, doing nothing but sparing and target practice. Their 'vacation' was cut short just a a day ago and they were ordered to report to HIGHCOM without explanation.

"What do you thing is going on, Chief?" Linda asked. "You don't think the Covenant have arrived?"

"if the Covenant was here do you think we'd be ordered into a bunker?" said Fred

"good point" said Linda

The elevator finally stopped and the Spartans got out. A Marine guard saluted and assessed their identities before allowing them to proceed. The hallway was decorated with paintings of famous battles, George Washington crossing the Delaware, Admiral Cole's last stand, the battle of London and may others. The whole hall was like a museum. The Spartans eventually arrived at the doors to the secure briefing room and were shown inside. There was a table behind a large UNSC seal, seated at the head was general Nicholas Strauss, one of the chairman on the UNSC military command council.

"Sir" said John as he brought his team forward and saluted.

"thank you, Chief" Strauss said. "Please be seated"

The Chief and Blue Team took the four chairs in front of them.

"Chief, how much do you know about the Spartan II program?" Strauss asked.

"sir? I don't understand the question" John replied.

"let me rephrase it" said Strauss, "could you tell me how many Spartans there are left?"

"sir, including myself there are four Spartans left" John replied. Technically there were five, but Kelly was MIA with Doctor Halsey. John still held out hope that his friend, someone he cared for a great deal was still alive out there.

"What if I were to tell you that there was another class of Spartan IIs" said Strauss

"that's impossible" said the Chief, "we would have herd about them when the program was made public in 2547".

"I'm afraid you're wrong about that, Chief" said Strauss, "another class of Spartan IIs graduated in 2537".

"sir, why weren't we told?" said Linda.

"because only five survived the augmentations, out of 60" said Strauss.

"how is that possible?" Fred asked, "the mortality rate is only forty-five percent"

"there was a malfunction with some of the equipment on the station where they were undergoing the procedure. The doctors were able to save only five of them. ONI decided instead of using the five in a full company format they would instead be used for black ops. That's why you weren't told. But we lost four of them on a recent mission. There's only one left".

"Sir, if I might ask, why does this concern us?" said John.

"because this is a rescue mission for that one Spartan" said Strauss. "Lets get on with the mission brief".

A holoprojector came to life and displayed a standard orbital defense platform.

"this is Nassau station" Strauss continued.

"sir?" Will interrupted, "isn't that the station who's reactor melted down a few days ago?"

"you're technically correct" said Strauss, "but that's not what happened. The station up and disappeared three days ago, we only found out why a day ago. The Spartan I mentioned earlier was on board the station".

"What about the crew?" John asked

"I'll get to that" said Strauss.

"sir?" said John again, "where did the station go if it didn't explode?"

"I'll explain that now" said Strauss, "three days ago a prowler was preparing to dock with the station but it suffered some kind of mechanical failure and exploded. Most of it crash landed on the moon, but the really interesting part was the radiation surge given off right when it exploded. It was powerful enough to shutdown communication in the entire solar system for only seven seconds. This surge intersected Nassau station and caused it to disappear".

"Sir, do we know where the station is?" John asked

"the question isn't where the station is, Chief, it's when it is" said Strauss. "From what we can tell the station was pulled through time".

"What!?" said the Spartans in unison

"the prowler apparently retrieved some kind of artifact in space that we believe was created by the same race that built the Halo you encountered, Chief. It survived the prowler's crash and we believe this is what triggered the station's time jump".

"Sir, what exactly are you asking us to do?" said John.

"I need you and your team to go through time to wherever the station ended up and get it and the Spartan back at all costs. But, Chief, I must make myself clear right now. Under no circumstances are you to attempt to alter the course of history in any way shape or form, that includes leaving humanity a message warning about Harvest".

"Sir, why don't we just do that instead?" said John. "we could save lives"

"believe me, Chief, I'd like nothing more, but the ONI scientists tell me that if we do that then we'll just run into the covenant further down the road" said Strauss. "My orders stand. You are to protect the timeline at all costs".

"Yes, sir" said John.

"good then, Chief" said Strauss as he stood up. "there's pelican waiting on the surface to take you to ONI's chawla base outside Boston. Good luck"

"sir" said John as he and the other Spartans stood and saluted the general.

October 3, 2552

location: chawla base just outside Boston

None of the Spartans talked on the ride over to the base or when they were being shown to one of the outer hangars. Time travel and other Spartans, it was enough to make John's head spin. The marine showed them into the hangar and sitting in the middle was a black cat subprowler. Several technicians were performing maintenance and two scientists stood near a makeshift work station along with another woman, or what appeared to be a woman.

"Cortana?" said John as they arrived

"its good to see you, Chief" a full sized Cortana replied. John could see a portable holographic emitter set up behind her.

"Welcome I'm Doctor Hyer" said one of the scientists. "If you'll come with me"

He led the Spartans over to a table where a small cylindrical device was placed.

"This is the artifact found in the prowler's wreckage" said Hyer. "we think we've figured out how to work it. Cortana has all the specifics".

"So I guess I'm going with you" said Cortana.

"wouldn't have it any other way" said John.

"Anyway, the prowler behind you has been modified for the mission" said Hyer. "everything you'll probably need is on board".

"What can you tell me about the time surge created from the artifact?" John asked.

"well it emitted a type of radiation that we've never scene before" said Hyer. "its also fatal at those levels".

"then wouldn't everyone on Nassau station be dead?" said Linda.

"yes" said Hyer, "but there are parts of the station that we believe people could have survived the radiation levels, and from our test so could MJOLNIR armor".

"So the only survivor could be our Spartan" said Cortana.

"that's what we're going to find out" said John. "everyone get on."

Cortana disappeared and Doctor Hyer grabbed the artifact and took it aboard the prowler followed by Blue Team. The inside of the prowler had been modified, the cryopods at the front had been removed and replaced with an ops center. And the ship's miniature Shaw-Fujikawa slipspace engine had been removed.

"The ship has been modified to suit the mission" said Cortana from the ships speakers.

"We've also been able to narrow down the time date where we believe Nassau station ended up" said Hyer "it should have come out somewhere in the year 2004".

"can you get more specific?" John asked.

"its probably mid June to July, but there is some chance that you could end up several days or weeks before station arrives or after it arrives. We can't be certain".

"We'll just have to take the risk" said John.

October 3, 2552

location: Sol system, black cat subprowler in orbit of Earth

"are you sure about this, Cortana?" John asked from his position in the pilot's station, Fred was in the seat next to him and Linda and Will were occupying the two set up behind them. Cortana was displayed on the console in front of the Chief.

"I'm positive" said Cortana, "the harmonic frequency is calibrated and the device should take us to the specified date".

"Then lets get this over with" said Fred.

"do it" said John.

"hang on" said Cortana.

The device sitting in the reactor compartment of the prowler began to glow and even with all the radiation shielding the Chief's Geiger counter still fluctuated, well within safety limits. But is suddenly spiked into the red and a blinding white light filled the prowler.

--

"Chief, Chief!" Cortana cried

John was slumped over in his seat having passed out from the transition. He slowly got up and checked his team's vitals, all were strong but they were unconscious. He looked out the viewscreen and could see the planet Earth getting bigger.

"we're in a decaying orbit" said Cortana. "Give me helm control, quick!"

The Chief punched in the commands and Cortana was able to bring the prowler out of its decent and into a stable orbit. She took the prowler out of orbit and held position on the dark side of the moon. The Chief got up and checked on the status of his team, one by one they slowly got up and were examined by the Chief for any injuries. When they were finished they went down to the ops center for Cortana's briefing.

"I have been unable to detect any UNSC signals coming from anywhere in the solar system. And according to my astrometrical readings we're in the early 21st century".

"Did we arrive in the right year?" Fred asked

"according to local signals I've intercepted from Earth the date is May 20, 2004" said Cortana. "so its safe to assume we're early".

"we're we detected?" John asked.

Cortana's holographic face turned to a frown. "That's the bad news, Chief. The photoreactive panels on the ship's hull were disrupted by the time jump. I've only restored them now, and while you were unconscious this passed over us on our orbit".

A picture of a satellite appeared on one of the displays, it's big, fat spy lens was pointed straight down at them.

"I detected radar emissions bouncing off our hull and back to the satellite" said Cortana. "and I remotely accessed it system. It was defiantly given a command to take a picture".

"So we've been detected?" said John.

"it looks like it."

John leaned back against the wall of the ops center. He never disobeyed an order before but Strauss had told him not to interfere. So technically the course of action he was deciding on wasn't technically violating orders.

"Do we know where the information was sent?" John asked.

"yes, the satellite is a Navy intelligence satellite. I traced it's signal back to the Washington Navy Yard in the united states" said Cortana. "what are you thinking, Chief?"

"We need to destroy the data" said the Chief, "before they have a chance to look at it".

"Are you nuts!?" said Will, "the general's orders..."

"they've been violated already" said John. "We have to pick up the pieces and quick. Cortana, formulate a plan of entry, we're going in".