The year is 2552 and the battle for Reach rages on. Despite the overwhelming odds against them, the UNSC continues to fight valiantly with each passing day. Among these unsung heroes is Kat, a member of the Spartan special operations unit, Noble Team.

As she walked through the carnage that was once a city, Kat suddenly sensed a strange and unfamiliar presence nearby. Her senses and intuition told her to be on guard, so she paused in her tracks and began to scan her surroundings carefully.

Her visor's display cycled through various visual modes, revealing nothing. No enemy hostiles. No friendly personnel. No visible signs of danger. Yet the feeling wouldn't dissipate. The presence was still out there somewhere close by. Was it a Covenant stealth unit?

As Kat continued to search with ever intensifying suspicion, a sudden movement in a nearby alleyway caught her attention. She froze and slowly raised her weapon, her heart pounding. The alley was dark and hard to see into, but her enhanced senses made it easier to make out what was hiding in the shadows.

It was a figure in armor, but it wasn't Covenant or UNSC. The suit of armor was a unique blue, and despite the obvious enhancements, it seemed less advanced than the standard UNSC issue.

The figure emerged from the darkness into a sliver of light, revealing more details. They were shorter than any standard Spartan...

...and they seemed younger. The armor looked like it had been put together from spare pieces and scraps, leaving gaps in some places. It wasn't nearly as protective as hers. But what really caught her attention was...

The symbol engraved on the chest piece.

It was the number seven.

A sense of realization hit Kat like a truck. It was the unofficial “seventh” member of Noble Team. The one who had fought with them for months but never revealed themselves, despite countless close calls.

She lowered her weapon, but her guard remained up. This was their first time meeting face to face...