A/N: I don't own Church, RvB, or anything from Halo. Please bear with me on some of the details. I know it seems a bit unlikely but this is the RvB world.

Chapter 1

Church still couldn't believe what had happened. When the EMP went off, the pulse destroyed all the AI stored in the facility—that is, all that the Meta hadn't already grabbed. Main had apparently made a stop at one of the storage banks and, judging by the number of AIs that Church found in the Freelancer's head had cleaned it out. But on the AIs inside the Meta's armor, it didn't' have the desired effect. The EMP shut down the base but it didn't destroy the AIs in the Meta as Wash had expected. To this day Church still didn't fully understand what had happened. It had all happened in a flash, as it usually is with AIs. But it seemed that when presented with the Alpha the fragmented AI couldn't help but try to fuse with it. Before Church could stop them the AI were trying to rejoin with him. He tried to retreat away but he couldn't just get out of the Meta's armor. He was desperate to get out and, without even knowing he was doing it, he used the Meta's radio to escape, taking the other AIs with him. The sudden shock of all those minds leaving his head destroyed Maine's mind.

By the time the EMP went off, Church and the AIs were gone.

When Church came back into consciousness, existence, awareness, whatever you would call it, it was all over. The thing was he didn't feel any different. It seemed that the AIs' attempt to fuse with him hadn't worked. Instead Church was left himself, separate, while the other AIs had fused into one.

After about a month of leaving Church and the combined AI in waiting they had decided what to do. From what he understood he didn't really hold any use for the Freelancer project. The decision had been made, supposedly by the highest rankers of the Freelancer program. Church always wondered if he had been a part of the decision.

Now Church sat marveling. He held up his hand and looked at it. It was real, solid, and his. He had been given a body cloned from the Director, whose mind he was made from. They had officially given him the name Leonard Church, and named the fused AIs Alpha.

They had given Leonard full freedom to decide what he wanted to do. It seemed that without his computer skills as an AI he wasn't as much use to the military, and since he was considered completely human, he was given that choice.

He had thought about it for a long time and had come to one conclusion. He didn't have a home or any reason to leave. He decided to stay and fight. The problem was he didn't have any real training. Whatever training the simulation soldiers had gone through didn't count, and he couldn't even remember going through it. He'd probably just been dropped into a unit without any training at all.

So here he was on his way to basic training. The security straps pushed against him as the pelican moved through the sky. It was hard to even hear himself think over the roar of the engines.

The marine beside him looked at Church, confused. "Why are you staring at your hand?" he asked. "You look like you've never seen it before." He asked.

"You could say something like that," Church replied as he looked over at the marine. His black hair was freshly cut to regulation length and his green eyes had a hint of warmth to them. "I'm Leonard Church."

"Steve, Steve Fisher," the other marine replied, holding out his hand. Church shook his hand. "Are you excited?"

Church frowned at the question. "Excited isn't the word I would use." Fisher just looked at him confused as their pelican landed.

For the next six weeks Church and the other marines were drilled in all forms of combat. They learned to use all kinds of weapons, learning all the protocol for every situation. The sergeants even took the time to teach them a few stealth techniques.

Leonard threw himself into his training full force. He spent extra time exercising, at the shooting range, and could be found reading up on the strategies of some of the military legends. He and Steve became good friends over the course of their training , forming a healthy rivalry. They would try to outdo each other, though Church seemed to win most of the time. After two weeks of extra practice on the range Church finally mastered the aiming on the sniper rifle. The effort showed and the sergeants took notice. He found himself as team leader often and as long as he wasn't competing against Fisher he was usually the victor. After what seemed like an eternity of drill after drill the soldiers officially finished their training.

Church had just finished packing up the rest of his belongings. He stood in the empty barracks looking around at all of the neatly made cots. Just hours ago the room had been filled with soldiers packing up. Church had hung back, just enjoying the good feeling of having finished his training. Once everyone had cleared out he had packed up his own things. He turned sharply as another person entered the room. Leonard snapped to attention and saluted the figure. "Sir."

"As you were, soldier," the sergeant ordered. Church relaxed. The CO looked around the barracks before looking back at Leonard. "Packed and ready marine?"

"Yessir," Church replied. "I just got my orders a moment ago. I'm being sent to a base on Chi Rho. It seems there are some loyalists hiding there."

"I'm sure you'll be able to handle it," the sergeant assured him. "It was a pleasure training you, soldier. When you came here you were weak, undisciplined and a poor excuse for a soldier. Now, I'm proud to call you a marine." He held his hand out to Church.

Leonard smiled and shook the Sergeant's hand. "Thank you, sir. I was just lucky to have soldiers like you to teach me." He looked down at his hand as the sergeant pulled his hand away. He looked at the object that the CO had passed him.

"Good luck, Corporal. I hope you won't need it," the sergeant said before he left the room.

"Thank you, sir." Church looked down at the corporal insignia in his hand and smiled. He slipped it into his pocket and grabbed his bag. He headed out to the waiting pelicans with an odd feeling of accomplishment for his new rank. He was to board Pelican-66, which would take him up to the ship called Bloody Blade. Church spotted his pelican and smirked at the sight. A soldier had painted a third 6 on the side of the ship along with a crudely drawn devil.

Steve stood outside the pelican motioning him to hurry. Church picked up his pace. "What took you so long?" Steve aksed, grinning. "We've been waiting."

"I'm sure that this bird would wait for me," Church said as he and Steve walked to the back of the ship. Leonard tossed his bag up to the waiting soldier, who stored it away. Leonard and Steve then boarded the ship.

A marine in flight gear who was standing inside the entrance to the ship motioned to them when they entered. "And you are…?"

"Private Steve Fisher," Steve replied.

"Corporal Leonard Church," Church answered.

The soldier nodded and motioned to the seats inside the ship. "Take a seat, sir, and strap in." Church and Fisher sat down and strapped themselves in as the other marines closed the rear doors of the ship.

"So, Corporal, does this mean I have to call you sir?" Steve asked.

Church smirked at him. "Depends on my mood, and our CO," Church replied with a slight laugh.

Steve leaned back against in his seat. "Twenty bucks says our new CO is going to be a hard-ass."

"I'm smart enough to know that is not something you bet on, that is fact," Church replied as the pelican flared to life and rose up out of the atmosphere.

~End Chapter 1~

A/N: Well there is chapter 1. Please read and comment. Your feedback matters to me.