He didn't react in the face of all off that terrible, bottled up bitterness and resentment that poured from Matt like a wound that desperately needed to be lanced. In a way, he didn't necessarily disagree with what his brother said either.
But then, that was at its core, his major issues with Catherine Halsey summed up neatly. Her wastefulness and willingness to write off those who didn't meet her strident criteria out of hand.
"That is Catherine Halsey's short-sightedness. She is the one with the obsession with perfection, not me. You might not meet her exacting standards of what a Spartan is supposed to be but she's a civilian living in a perfect, self-created bubble. You and I have seen this war in all of its gruesome messiness. Yes, I think it's a complete waste that you've spent the past twenty years not being used to your fullest potential but the fact that you spent twenty years on the front lines and are still alive and kicking while plenty of our brothers and sisters have died says more about your skills than you give yourself credit for."
Kurt said with a deadly serious look on his face. "That armor does not make a Spartan. My III's have as much guts and heart as we ever did. Maybe even more so because they volunteered for this rather than being hijacked into this life. But they have given everything including their lives to stand between humanity and the Covenant. Which is what Spartan is at its core. And it hurts me to hear you dismiss your value so easily because you're just as much of a Spartan as me or any of my III's. Fancy equipment and perfect genes don't make us who we are, Matt and twenty years ago, if I'd been in the position I am now I would have snatched you up in a heartbeat because you have all the same training and ability as any of the other II's even if your hands shake a little and your hearing wasn't as good as it should have been."
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But then, that was at its core, his major issues with Catherine Halsey summed up neatly. Her wastefulness and willingness to write off those who didn't meet her strident criteria out of hand.
"That is Catherine Halsey's short-sightedness. She is the one with the obsession with perfection, not me. You might not meet her exacting standards of what a Spartan is supposed to be but she's a civilian living in a perfect, self-created bubble. You and I have seen this war in all of its gruesome messiness. Yes, I think it's a complete waste that you've spent the past twenty years not being used to your fullest potential but the fact that you spent twenty years on the front lines and are still alive and kicking while plenty of our brothers and sisters have died says more about your skills than you give yourself credit for."
Kurt said with a deadly serious look on his face. "That armor does not make a Spartan. My III's have as much guts and heart as we ever did. Maybe even more so because they volunteered for this rather than being hijacked into this life. But they have given everything including their lives to stand between humanity and the Covenant. Which is what Spartan is at its core. And it hurts me to hear you dismiss your value so easily because you're just as much of a Spartan as me or any of my III's. Fancy equipment and perfect genes don't make us who we are, Matt and twenty years ago, if I'd been in the position I am now I would have snatched you up in a heartbeat because you have all the same training and ability as any of the other II's even if your hands shake a little and your hearing wasn't as good as it should have been."