As the ship approaches orbit above the battle zone, Jeff prepares for his first launch. Check out his Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST) battle armor, brand new and without a single dent or battle scar. He holsters the silenced M6S pistol and readies the silenced M7S submachine gun. Around him the rest of his team prepares for battle as they always have. The sergeant comes on the intercom: "Give five." All ODSTs head to their respective Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle, or SOEIV for short. Jeff climbs into his SOEIV and does a quick systems check as the sergeant approaches his pod and yells “Helljumpers! How do we get into battle!?" All of the ODSTs respond in unison, "Feet to hell first!" Good motto, Jeff thinks, considering what they do. Even though he's a little scared of the unknown, Jeff looks forward to this moment since he was in basic training. “Enjoy in 30 seconds.” Jeff hears over his radio As all the SOEIV hatches close and the pods come out ready to launch, he does his final checks frantically trying to make sure. that everything is fine; he wants to die. "5... 4... 2... 1... Drop!"Jeff has run all the simulations but nothing is like reality pods release one after another; when he gets a sudden rush of heat and feels a slight tingle down his spine, his own heart drops initial, for a short time there is incredible peace, the beautiful starry sky of infinite space in front of him, visible only through the small picture window in front of him, and he feels nothing but his own breathing. He thinks back to his childhood, jumping down from the high cliffs near him... in the center of the card... a diamond blade slashed his side as he collapsed to the ground. All he can hear is his own breathing and heartbeat as bullets whiz past his head and tear through the Sangheili's shield and shred his armor to pieces. The Sangheili then falls to one knee and is demolished by gunfire until he falls onto his back. All Jeff can think about is his family, who were vaporized when his homeworld was hit by the Covenant while he was in basic training. All he can feel is that his whole body feels like it's on fire. His sergeant then kneels above him without his helmet, but Jeff cannot make out the words he is saying. One of the other team members takes off his helmet, while the rest of his team stands around him trying to comfort him until the medic arrives. Jeff manages to reach up to his neck to take off his dog tags and grab his sergeant's hand. And then... the darkness.