CASTING PREREQUISITES; Young Adult, Male, North American Accent, African American.

NOTE; Script and budget are WIP, and as such are not listed at final values.

This is a long-term role, as the ARTIFICIAL FAULTS story will be told over multiple seasons. If you have any questions regarding the role or the project, just let me know!

Halbert-012 is one of the lead characters in the ARTIFICIAL FAULTS story. Serving as one of the Petty Officers within supersoldier unit Zero Team, Halbert is an angsty, yet determined hothead. Primarily looking to be left alone most of the time, Halbert seeks to complete his given mission as fast as possible, usually to his own detriment and well-being.

Like his flawed compatriots, however, Halbert masks his inner workings with a facade of being uncaring and disinterested. Afflicted with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), Halbert regularly suffers from episodes of lashing out and rage-filled bursts. During these moments, his deeper thoughts of feeling unsatisfactory, ignored, and useless come to light, in which he looks to solve in a violent manner.

Despite this, Halbert does have very small moments of concern for his fellow teammates. Though regularly clashing with his commanding officers and authority figures Raimundo-035 and Valencia-086, they do share unique experiences together he doesn't find with many others. Though usually involuntary, he does also take part in a playful rivalry with fellow Petty Officer Frida-097.

These are the following audition scenes, you only have to read Halbert's dialogue;

HALBERT-012 AUDITION SCENES;

SCENE 1: HALBERT AND HIS COMMANDING OFFICER, RAIMUNDO-035, ENGAGE IN AN ARGUMENT FOLLOWING HALBERT'S INDEPENDENT ACTION OF ELIMINATING A PERSON OF INTEREST WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION TO DO SO.

Meanwhile, Halbert gathers himself back within the facility. Raimundo and Cyro ‘Hazam reach the ground level, and cut behind Valencia and Frida, before turning a corner in the decrepit, overgrown facility and come across Halbert. He turns his back to them, contemplating.

HALBERT

You know... I had them. Three Elites ain’t exactly a picnic, but I didn’t need you to invite more chefs in the kitchen. I don’t know why you did that, but we’re in it now, so we might as well put together a plan, or whatever it is you’ll come up with.

RAIMUNDO

Cyro ‘Hazam, cover that exit!

As he rambles, Raimundo approaches intently, stopping directly in front of Halbert. Cyro ‘Hazam kneels by the exit, assisting in the battle.

RAIMUNDO (FURIOUS)

You stupid son of a bitch, what the hell is wrong with you?!

HALBERT (OFFENDED)

...Excuse me?

RAIMUNDO

I gave this unit a direct order to observe only! And you, for some reason, took that as an opportunity to showboat, execute a person of interest, and engage the entire unit in a firefight!

Halbert and Raimundo stare each other down, as the battle rages on outdoors, the trading gunfire swallowing the ambience. 

HALBERT (NOTIONING)

You see him out there?

Halbert nudges towards the outside. Directly in front of their view lies the motionless corpse of the commanding Elite officer, remaining exactly where he was struck down by Halbert.

HALBERT

That’s their commander. The head honcho. I identified him as such, and eliminated him. I completed the mission.

RAIMUNDO (STERN)

You disobeyed orders, and blew our cover. 

HALBERT (RISING IN ANGER)

You heard what Duncan said, this guy moves around quick. If I didn’t take the chance to end it all now, when would we get another shot? After him and his buddies decided to stop playing campfire boy scouts and start causing real trouble?! Is that what you prefer?! 

RAIMUNDO (IN RESPONSE)

Obviously not, goddamnit, but there is a time and a place for decisive action like that, when I make that call! This wasn’t the time, this wasn’t the place, and it wasn’t your call to make! Now, Spartan, lower your tone.... and stand. Down!

Halbert continues to lock vision with Raimundo. He turns his back, frustrated in silence.

RAIMUNDO (SCOFFS)

I can only imagine what she would have to say about you acting like a child. You weren’t good enough to pull this lone wolf nonsense back then, and you aren’t good enough now.

Halbert immediately straightens himself, and turns back towards Raimundo. 

HALBERT (MENACING)

She told me... to always complete the mission to the best of my ability. You think I’m not good enough? Let me show you the best of my ability.

Halbert, angered, immediately reloads his weapon, and charges deeper into the mangled facility’s twists and turns. 

RAIMUNDO (CONFUSED)

012? 012?! Where are you going?!

HALBERT

To do some of that “lone wolf” nonsense. And then, we can go home...

RAIMUNDO (FRUSTRATED)

Just what I need, to play babysitter in the middle of this...

SCENE 2: HALBERT AND FELLOW PETTY OFFICER FRIDA-097 DISCUSS THE STATE OF THEIR NEW BASE OF OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS RECONVENING AFTER AN EXTENDED SEPARATION PERIOD.

Meanwhile, Halbert and Frida explore the remainder of the facility, patrolling and getting familiar with their new base of operations. 

HALBERT (SCOFFING)

Look at this place. This is what the Marines were using? No wonder we were getting our ass kicked for three decades straight.

The two armor-clad soldiers come across an exposed wind turbine, its blades rusted by time and spinning rapidly as it emits an ear-piercing whine. Directly next to it is an observation tower. Halbert and Frida glare at the turbine blankly.

HALBERT (TURNING)

Yeah, this thing? Not gonna work out. I’ll have to ask the “Commander” if we can be transferred to a different facility, assuming whoever he talked to will let us. Then again, top brass usually seems to take care of stuff like that when we need it.

As Halbert rambles, Frida observes the turbine and the polluted, yet vibrant and strong gusts of wind produced by the blades.

HALBERT

I mean, we’re a Spartan unit, aren’t we? I’m not asking for the red carpet or anything, but this just isn’t standard protocol compared to what we’ve gotten in the past. That makes sense, right, Frida?

Halbert turns back around, waiting for a response from Frida, who is absent.

HALBERT (CURIOUS)

Frida?

Frida exerts herself as she jumps directly into the turbine’s path.

FRIDA (LAUNCHING)

Hup!

Suddenly, she is lifted high into the air from the polluted wind, and lands directly on top of the observation tower.

FRIDA (IN AWE)

Woah… Halbert… you gotta give that a try!

HALBERT (CALLING BACK)

I can think of a very long list of things I’d rather do. Can you come back down here?

FRIDA (LOW)

Heh, party pooper.

Swiftly, Frida pounces from the observation tower and lands with a powerful thud next to Halbert, her armor impacting the concrete below. A cloud of dust is kicked up, staining Halbert’s armor. As Frida recovers, he brushes it off in an annoyed fashion.

HALBERT

I couldn’t care less about you messing around, but don’t do it near me. You get caught and we’ll both be running laps for days. At least until the next mission, which doesn’t seem like it’ll be a long wait.

FRIDA

Yeah, they didn’t wait around to put us back in the saddle. What do you think they got us ready for?

HALBERT (SHRUGGING)

It’s just the same nonsense in a different time, Frida. We fight, go to sleep in the icebox, wake up, repeat. Just gotta do the mission better each time and get it over with. That’s all ONI and the UNSC care about, that’s why they’re keeping us around.

FRIDA

I wouldn’t say that. They’re keeping us around because what we do matters. We matter. Not everyone can say that.

HALBERT

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

FRIDA

You’ll come around sooner or later. In any case… it’s good to see all of us together like this. It’s… been a while, after all.

HALBERT (LOW)

Yeah.

A moment of silence between the two. Frida awkwardly looks around, before pointing out one of the nearby target practice boards on display in front of them. She begins to walk over.

FRIDA

Anyways, I saw some of the target practice boards this place has while I was up there, come take a look!

Halbert follows in suit, curious at what Frida is focused on. The target practice board is covered with the silhouette of a Brute solider, weapon raised in a battle stance.

FRIDA

Check it out, they’re life size! Up top we got some Jackal Sniper practice, and over here we got... wait a second...

HALBERT (CURIOUS)

The hell… a Brute?

FRIDA (CONCERNED)

...Why? I mean, I get it, know your enemy and all that, but they aren’t exactly hard to hit, being the size of a damn car. This should be… you know…

HALBERT

Them. It should definitely be them. 

FRIDA (CURIOUS)

I mean… do you think they’re not around anymore? What if something happened to them while we were under?

HALBERT

You and I both know something like that isn’t on our side of luck. Got a feeling this has to do with why we’re being kept around. Valencia is probably knee-deep in this facility’s archives by now, I’m going to ask her.

Halbert turns around swiftly, back across the ramp and towards the control center of the facility.

FRIDA (PLAYFUL)

Ah, ah, ah! You mean you’re going to ask the Lieutenant!

HALBERT (CALLING BACK)

Don’t get cute.

SCENE 3: HALBERT AND HIS LESS-THAN-IDEAL TEAMMATE ADDITION, CYRO 'HAZAM, DISCUSS THE RESULTS OF A MISSION DEPLOYMENT, WHICH ENDED IN FAILURE.

Halbert turns to exit the main control room, as Cyro ‘Hazam watches. As Halbert makes distance between the two, he begins to follow. 

Halbert enters the outer facility, walking down the ramp leading out of the main control room. At the top stands Cyro ‘Hazam, who calls out.

CYRO ‘HAZAM

Human.

HALBERT (GROANS)

I’m not in the mood to play footsies with you right now, hinge-head.

CYRO ‘HAZAM

I will pretend I am aware of the meaning, and ignore it. In any case, I wish to speak with you.

HALBERT (TURNS)

What is it?

Cyro ‘Hazam begins to walk down the ramp, towards Halbert, before stopping in front of him.

CYRO ‘HAZAM

You are aware of the danger your actions placed us in, correct? The immediate execution of this “Provocateur” and the ensuing combat could have been avoided.

HALBERT

I’m aware, I’m very aware. I’m aware that I failed. I’m also aware that I’m finally back home, it’s finally quiet, and I can finally be left alone. And right now, that is all that matters to me.

CYRO ‘HAZAM

...I see. I bring this to your attention to warn you of committing these actions. Whether our alliance sits within your favor or not, we are still a unit, and we must act as such.

HALBERT

Yeah, I was kinda part of it before you became our new roomate.

CYRO ‘HAZAM

However, in your place... I may have done the same. You are correct in the belief that if there would have ever been a time to strike at their leadership, it would have been then. A shame it did not go according to plan.

Halbert looks off to the side, briefly, before back towards Cyro ‘Hazam.

HALBERT (SCOFFS)

Plan is a strong word. But at least we agree on one thing, I guess.

CYRO ‘HAZAM

Agreement aside, you must control yourself, and these actions. I fear we have not seen the last of the Blades of Rebirth. These are soldiers that have seen as much combat as you and I, and fight for a cause that sits deep within their mind, unwavering. 

HALBERT (THREATENING)

I can control myself just goddamn fine. My job as a Spartan is to solve problems, split-lip, so these new guys are just another one on the list. But don’t forget what I promised you before we left. If you become a problem, I won’t hesitate to solve it.

CYRO ‘HAZAM (STILL)

I hope you are correct, human. The task that lays ahead of us will be one of hardship. 

HALBERT

I’ve been telling myself that my whole life. This is just that. Another problem.

Cyro ‘Hazam gives no response. He turns, walking away from Halbert.

Halbert stands idle, watching outside the chainlink fence surrounding the facility, as the view focuses on The Pit as a whole. He crosses his arms, silent.

These are scenes that encapsulate the range of Halbert's character and the expectations to set within his role! If you have any further questions or thoughts regarding this, please let me know!