"Dr. Reyes, you now have the floor." I stood within a circular room, the high commanders on the ship before me, each watching and waiting.
"As you all know," I began, making sure to look each commander in the eye, "I've been issued the task of upgrading Master Chief's armor. I've created a new blend of metals to create a khorium based material. This means that the heat resistance is increased, meaning more plasma shots before it's out of commission." I looked left and saw the Spartan himself, John 117, watching me as well. "I also took the liberty of placing cells within the armor, one that will eat off energy fed from his helmet."
"Why?"
"Let me show you." I drew a pistol from my coat and shot at the armor point blank five times. I pulled the gun away and turned the armor to face the officers. "As you see, the bullet has managed to penetrate the outer armor, but..." I trailed off, watching as the chestpiece slowly began to repair itself. "It has regenerative properties that will be highly useful in battle." I smiled at Master Chief. "Means more fun for you, sir."
******************
"Attention! All units to battle stations! Attention! All units to battle stations!" The cry broke into my sleep and I woke with a start. I had fallen asleep in my lab, something that I had done countless times in the past. I looked around and saw none of my aides, only the sleeping Dr. Halsey, who had helped me put the finishing touches on the new armor for John. "The hangar has been breached. I repeat, the hangar has been breached!" With that, I knew our residential spartan would be heading in that direction, and I stood from my chair.
"Dave!" I called out.
"Yes?" my computer answered.
"Pull up all cameras within fifty yards of the hangar." The huge screen stretched across the left wall and multiple screen angles popped up. "Track all hostile movement and create a map with their direction and an approximation of their headings." While Dave ran through the numbers, I went to a crate and opened it, revealing a pistol, shotgun, battle rifle, and assault rifle. "Dr. Halsey!" The doctor woke with a start and looked around, not recognizing her surroundings.
"We fell asleep, ma'am."
"Ah," she said simply straightening her lab coat.
"But the ship's been breached. We're currently under attack."
"I need to go-"
"Too dangerous, ma'am. You could be ambushed. Dave and I can protect you here."
"Ma'am," Dave interruped as I reached for the guns, "Please don't shoot anything unnecessary."
"Oh, stuff it, Dave," I muttered, picking up the shotgun.
"Shall I use my turrets?"
"The DNA ones only. The others aren't ready to be tested quite yet."
"As you wish, ma'am." I cocked the shotgun and heard the scurrying footsteps approach my door.
"They aren't going to get shit from me," I swore, aiming the shotgun at the closed door. Two turrents popped up beside me and a small bulletproof cover rose from between them, giving me a better chance of NOT getting shot.
"Of course not, ma'am."
"Dr. Halsey, come behind this," I commanded. She did as she was told and I handed her a small pistol. "It's better than nothing," I defended at her dubious glance.
"And Dave, remind me to program you with a less drastic sense of humor." With my last statement barely spoken the door burst open and a multitude of grunts burst in, each shooting off plasma pistols in random directions. The turrets kicked into action, demolishing their forces, causing blood to splatter all over my once clean office space.
"Two elites, ma'am. Both infiltrated the room. Shall I exterminate?"
"You don't need my damned permission," I ground out, firing my shotgun at a grunt. Dr. Halsey began to shoot the pistol, her aim nearly perfect. The turrets swiveled slightly and I concentrated on the ebbing flow of grunts. I heard the cries of dying elites and knew Dave had shot them.
"Machine guns at 50% ammo, ma'am." I shot once, then ducked back, allowing the turrets to take over once again.
"Send out the mayday," I commanded, reloading my now empty shotgun.
"Attention all units!" Dave's voice blared over the speakers. "Technical lab A is under heavy fire. I repeat, Technical lab A is under heavy fire. Please assist." With his brief announcement, I cocked my shotgun, preparing to use it once again.
"40%, ma'am," Dave stated in his ever so calm voice.
"God I wish I had gotten more ammo."
"Enemies exterminated." Dave stopped his turrets, but kept them training on the door. "More enemies en route."
"This just isn't our day," I muttered. "Where's the nearest marine?"
"Within 30 yards and closing, ma'am. It seems to be Master Chief leading."
"Good old John," I muttered.
"Elite sighted-"
"Terminate him! Don't ask!"
"But you-"
"I said it then, I don't care now, shoot the mother fucker!" Dr. Halsey just kept shooting, ignoring our antics, but I knew that she would be amused if we weren't in such a dire situation.
"As you wish." The turrets whirred to life again and the elite hit the floor, dead. I peeked my head up to see the carnage and I winced. I was going to be cleaning for weeks.
"Incoming Covenant, ma'am."
"Shoot to kill, Dave." The turrets whirred to life once again, causing screams of pain and death to pierce the air around us.
"30% ma'am."
"Fuck," I muttered. "Master Chief better hurry his metalloid ass up." As if I had summoned him, I heard gunshots fired nearby and the turrets stopped, alerting me to the presence of human DNA.
"Dr. Reyes!" I stood up, holding the shotgun on my shoulder.
"Took you long enough," I scoffed. The marines with Master Chief looked around in awe at the mass of dead bodies on the ground.
"All enemies in the hangar have been destroyed, ma'am."
"John," I asked as Dr. Halsey stood up to stand beside of me, "Where there any elites in the hangar?"
"No ma'am." I frowned thoughtfully.
"Then why send them here?" I wondered, tapping the shotgun absently on my shoulder. "What did they want?"
"Do they know about your armor?" I shook my head.
"Only my lab techs did until today. I did have a grenade prototype in the works."
"They wouldn't launch an assault for just a grenade," Halsey rejected. I shrugged.
"I can't think of something they would break into the ship for to be honest, ma'am. I haven't created anything of that magnitude in a while."
"We'll talk later," Halsey promised, turning back to John. "John, scout the ship for stragglers."
"No need, ma'am. Dave!" I barked.
"Yes ma'am?"
"Scan the ship."
"As you wish ma'am." It was silent for a few moments. "All enemies have been exterminated."
"How can you be sure?" A marine asked.
"He uses DNA scanning compiled with a heartbeat algorithm I installed. Plus he's a know it all computer with a sense of humor."
"You did not program me with a sense of humor."
"You're killing me, Dave," I shot back sarcastically. I could sense Dave's sigh and I snickered.
"But he's just a computer," Dr. Halsey argued. I smiled mysteriously. What she didn't know couldn't hurt her.
"Yeah, you're right."
***********************
"I fucking told them not to launch the assault! It's too heavily guarded and they won't even consider using my new mortars!" I threw my clipboard at my desk in a fit of rage and it sailed past its target and imbedded itself into the wall. "They aren't approved yet," I mocked. "They should know better than to send John and the marines and a stupid suicide mission just to grasp another damn star for their uniforms!"
"It went badly, I take it, ma'am?"
"Worse than badly," I raged. "Scan the compound and see for yourself." It was silent for a few moments and I pulled the damage clipboard out of the wall.
"The probables don't look good, ma'am."
"What is it, Dave?"
"Odds are that more than half the marine forces will die. Too many probables for a true estimate, but past battles lead me to believe the casualties will be high." I sighed and took off my lab coat.
"Then its time, Dave. Time for Project Archangel to make its first appearence in over 50 years."
"Yes ma'am," Dave said. A small terminal popped up in the wall beside of a small desk and I punched in the 10 digit security code. The desk opened to reveal an old, sleek armor set, vaguely reminiscent of the MJOLINOR armor. The newer armor was built for sturdiness and durability, but mine was built to enhance my flexibility and speed, my greatest trait as an archangel. This meant I was always given the assassination jobs instead of fighting on the front lines.
The terminal lit up and a small hologram of my A.I. Dave appeared. "I've missed fighting with you, ma'am," he said, dropping the computer act. I began to don my armor and smiled at him.
"You know I've missed it too. They bred me for war..." I trailed off. "It's been too quiet as a doctor."
"At least you were taken out of cryo," he stated, his hands folded over his chest. "I never thought it would allow to wake up."
"I'm glad you stayed around to watch over me," I said genuinely. "I didn't know where the hell I was." With my chestpiece securely fasten, I reached for my helmet.
"What's the odds of survival, Dave?"
"For us, 80% off the record." He shrugged. "But someone hasn't been in hardcore training-"
"Oh knock it off, smartass." Dave laughed as I placed the helmet securely on my head. I reached for the small data cord within the terminal and plugged it in to the back of my helmet. I felt the slight rush from the connection to myarmor , but it was nostalgic all the same. I felt when Dave entered my helmet and touched the side lightly, as if caressing him. "It has been way too long, Dave."
"Data transfer complete," I heard and smiled. Good old Dave never let me down. "Let's go kick some ass, ma'am." I reached for my trusty shotgun and battle rifle, placing both on my back.
"You damn straight," I agreed, walking towards my desk of fun playtoys. I began to stuff prototypes and different approved and non approved items into a bag, which I strapped to my back. When I was ready, I walked out the door, a smirk on my face.
*************************
"How close, Dave?" I asked, driving the Mongoose at breakneck speeds.
"Within sniper distance, ma'am. At the top of the hill, you'll see the compound."
"Got it. Where's Master Chief?"
"Inside, along with the other marines." I gunned the motor and crested the hill, catching air in a dramatic entrance. I saw the marines turn toward the noise and some raised their weapons, but didn't fire. With my newly increased hearing, I heard the whispers and bafflement, which made me grin.
"I didn't know we had another Spartan," one brave marine commented as I spun to a stop beside the small platoon.
"You don't," I said simply, swinging my leg over the side of the vehicle and grabbing the shotgun from my back. Ever the one for flair, I cocked the shotgun with my next statement. "You have an Archangel." I turned my back and could literally feel Dave rolling his eyes.
"Do you have to do that every time?" he asked as we entered the building. Without me telling him, the enemy scanner popped up on the side of my vision and I saw no red dots to alert to the presence of enemies.
"You would too if you were in cryo for years at a time."
"You think it's easy being a computer for years at a time?"
"Touché." A small red dot entered the scanner and Dave and I fell silent. Dave activated my armor's camoglauge, which changed my armor's color to reduce the chance of being seen. Of course, it could never make me completely dissapear like the newer elite invisibility, but it was still helpful.
"One elite, ma'am. Stragler, from the looks of it."
"Good. Then lets see how long its been." With an efficiency borne from years of training, I knelt into a crouching position and slowly moved my way past the running elite. Once he neared me, I jumped and grabbed him by the neck and twisted, snapping the bones instantly.
"Lucky shot."
"Stuff it, Dave," I muttered, my favorite comeback when dealing with my irritating, sarcastic A.I. "Where's Master Chief?"
"He's leading the marines in the assault against the Covenant armory. Map is operational." A small map appeared on the left edge of my screen, an upgrade I had built into my armor. I began to run as I saw little green dots begin to fade, knowing that marines were dying because I wasn't there yet. It wasn't far and within a minute, I saw wounded marines ducking out of a room, each bloody. I ran towards them and they all stared in awe. It was the same reaction as the platoon outside, except this time, I ignored the whispers and jumped straight into the armory and therefore into the thick of the battle.
It was a battle to be sure. The area was swarming with elites and grunts and with our supply of marines dwindling, I knew it was time to use the first of my playtoys.
"Incoming frag!" I yelled to no one in particular and launched a basic grenade into the elites. I jumped behind cover with another marine, who took one look at me and grinned. He began to fire again, this time with more energy and I felt happy again. A battlefield was where I belonged.
I whipped out my shotgun and began to fire as I ran to closer cover. I spotted Master Chief firing from above us and realized that he had taken out two turrets to allow the marines to enter the room. With a silent "hoorah!" I jumped forward and took down a few grunts before I slipped back into cover. I unloaded the empty shotgun and placed more bullets inside. Instead of popping out and shooting, I reached into my bag again and pulled out a prototype I'd been working on. I launched it and the bright flare activated when it hit the ground, causing the enemy to shield their eyes, if only for a brief second. Dave activated the filter on my headset, allowing me to see through the bright light and I used the opportunity to jump into the thick of the covenant forces.
I shot an elite and picked up his energy sword, knowing it was a valuable weapon in such close quarters. I hacked and slashed, taking down many foes before Dave warned me of the grenade's light charge dissapearing. I jumped back and ducked into cover and a few seconds later, the light waned, allowing the enemy to see again.
"How about the smoke bomb?" I asked Dave, reaching into my bag.
"Perfect time, ma'am." I shrugged and pulled the pin, lobbing the grenade over the tall metal box I was using for cover. I peeked out around the coner and waited for the smoke to billow out. When nothing happened, I swore underneath my breath and glared.
"Of course it'd be a dud."
"I told you the release wasn't sufficient."
"Stuff it, Dave." I shot my gun at a grunt who tried to get close and managed to kill it. "No one listens to you."
"Apparently not." Using my last frag grenade, I launched it into another pocket of enemies and the resulting explosion caused a chain reaction of dropped grenades. I watched in fascination as it took down the remaining forces on the left flank, then blinked owlishly.
"That...was unintentional."
"But highly effective," Dave countered.
"Better watch it, Dave. You could be complimenting me for a change." I turned back to the right flank to look for more enemies, but lo and behold, Master Chief stood on an elite, shooting it in the head. He had killed the whole right flank just as I had destroyed the left. He was such a remarkable specimen, from a scientist and a woman's perspective.
"He is good," Dave agreed. "The Spartan project was definately more successful than Project Archangel."
"Yeah, no doubt."
"Who are you?" Master Chief asked, walking over to me. "You're not a Spartan."
"Smart man," I replied sarcastically. Dave lifted my visor, revealing my eyes and the upper part of my nose. "Dr. Amelia Reyes, at your service. And I was in Project Archangel, not your Spartan program."
"Project Archangel?"
"Ask Dr. Halsey when you get back. We're in the middle of a battle, soldier." He held out his hand, and I shook it, immediately feeling a stronger comraderie than before. We were more similar than he had imagined, and his approval was important to me as an Archangel operative.
"Yes ma'am." As my visor lowered, I smiled. I loved it when he called me that.
**********************
"You left the ship without our permission," the general stated. I stood at ease, in the middle of my very own court marshall hearing. "Without any orders, you put yourself in danger to help a battle Master Chief would have won anyway." Master Chief and Dr. Halsey were to the side, in front of the tribunal, but I didn't glance their way. "Do you disagree?"
"No sir. I had no orders to leave, but I did anyway."
"And why did you do so?"
"Because of two reasons, sir. First, I knew the marine casualties would be high. I alone could cut that number in half and I did so, sir. I carried out many of the seriously wounded, saving their life." It's not that I was bragging, but I had to do something to get out of this mess. "Secondly, I was created for war. Project Archangel morphed me into the perfect killing machine. I belong in the field, not stuck behind a desk."
"You will work where we tell you to work."
"And I have, sir. For 150 years I've slept in cryo, only to be awakened to kill or to work for the marine corps. I have done my duty without fail or complaint, and I don't expect to do so now. I merely did my job above the call placed on me today, and for that, I am guilty." I stood proudly, my chin high and my eyes steady. I wasn't about to get in trouble for saving lives.
"Permission to speak, sir." I looked to John, who had stepped forward.
"Granted, Master Chief."
"She is a good soldier, sir." I felt a warmth spread in my stomach. Praise from Master Chief wasn't come by often. "She did in fact save the lives of many marines. She should be commended, not punished." With that, the generals looked at one another, then nodded at me.
"You are dismissed. Our sentence will be decided in ten minutes." I heard the message. Be ready. I saluted and walked out of the room, plopping down on the bench outside of the conference room. To my surprise, quite a few marines were suspiciously loitering in the hallway and inwardly, I grinned.
"Nothing yet, boys." I heard them sigh and just sit down next to me, waiting for my sentence. Their loyalty was staggering. I was used to walking and fighting alone, but now, I had people to sit with me. Master Chief and Dr. Halsey came out next and Dr. Halsey grinned at the men and women waiting outside.
"It seems you have an audience," she commented.
"When you're popular..." I trailed off with a shrug. A few chuckles ensued, but it became sober again, each of us waiting for the decision that could make or break my career.
"What exactly is Project Archangel?" John asked. It was still odd to look at his armor, but I guess it was his comfort zone outside of the battle.
"It was the first experiment with human augmentation," Dr. Halsey explained, looking forward and closing her eyes. "The introduction to the Spartan program." I nodded.
"It was much more crude back then. We operated with doctors instead of machines and ran calculations manually. Many of the DNA matches were in fact, incompatible because of the indecent technology. But a few of us survived the first set of augmentation. The second augmentation took even more lives. And the third...even more. Only five of us survived all of the augments. We were the highlight of the program, the huge sucess the higher ups had been looking for. Before we were trained proficiently, we were thrown out into battle. We lost two."
"Then, it got to the point where we learned how to fight and went on higher class missions. It was satisfactory for a while, then, we were put into cryo after the war had ended. We were taken out to fight, then put back to sleep to wait. Over the years, everyone but me was killed. After the loss of almost all of Project Archangel, the Spartans were introduced to take our place." The marines now looked to Master Chief. "You are more proficient and higher class than we ever were." A few scattered "hoorah's" broke the silence and I grinned at Master Chief.
"And well liked, too."
*********************
"We have come to an agreement." I stood, my hopes high as I looked each general in the eye. "You will not be punished. Instead, you will be called to serve when the time arrives." My shoulders straightened even more and I nodded.
"Yes, sir!"
"Dismissed." I turned on my heel and walked out of the room, into the pack of waiting marines.
"I'm clear." Everyone smiled and congratulated me and once the initial meet was over, the marines dispersed, leaving Dr. Halsey and John at my side.
"John, your armor is ready. Would you like to try it on?"
"Sure, ma'am."
"Dr. Halsey?" She shook her head.
"No, I think I should get back to my own lab. I'll stop by and see the results later." I nodded to her and she walked off, leaving John and I alone.
"Shall we?" I asked, gesturing forward. He nodded once and we began to walk side by side.
"How long have you been in cryo?"
"On and off 150 years. It has some side effects, but they're mild compared to the worst case scenario."
"What are they?"
"For me, memory loss. I lose gaps of time and have to regain my memory once I wake up. Dave's been good at helping me remember, though. He's my A.I."
"Like Cortana?"
"In a sense. She's much more sophisticated than Dave, but I could never let him be destroyed for a newer version. We go back too far."
"Is that why your armor is so old?" We reached my office and the door shut behind the two of us.
"Yes. The prototype for my armor is still in the works. I do it myself, so its taking longer than what me and my lab techs build. Dave? Pull out the MJOLINOR armor."
"Yes ma'am."
"He knows, Dave," I said, rolling my eyes at the computer like tone.
"Why did you tell him?"
"So he'd be prepared when I told him you have a crush on Cortana. Now. Armor." With a silence that I attributed to a blush, Dave raised the armor from the wall where it was hidden.
"Do you need me for anything else? If not, I will go under maintenance."
"No, go ahead. Do a hard reboot while you're at it. I've installed new algorithms to help you function better."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"No problem, Dave." I heard the whir of his shut down and turned back to Master Chief. "Need help with the armor, John?"
"No ma'am." I turned back to the armor to hide my delighted smile. It was different when John called me ma'am. It was more friendly to me than my name, which he never could say. The chain of command was just too ingrained into his system. With that, he pulled off his helmet and my eyes widened, amazed.
"Geez, John," I muttered, eyeing him.
"What is it, ma'am?"
"You're different than I had imagined." He had short hair with serious eyes and his face was angular, sharp, and just oozing of manliness. Even his face was devoid of all fat and his skin pale from wearing his armor all the time. Yet, even through all of that, the Chief was more of a man and even more delicious than I had imagined.
"You hold a few surprises yourself," John replied. I found myself smiling at him with a tint of a blush on my cheeks. The gravely voice now matched a face I had so long been denied, but I wasn't about to get all mushy over a hot guy...even if he was the hottest thing I'd seen in years.
"Here. I'll help." I undid this leg armor as he removed his chestpiece.
"Where do I put this?" he asked, holding it out in one hand.
"Oh, I'll take it." I took the chestpiece from him and saw the surprise flit across his features. "I told you I was augmented as well. Don't look so surprised, John." I placed the heavy chestpiece in front of my desk, to take apart and disect later, well after everyone went to bed. It was a little hobby of mine to take apart, then put back together. When I turned back, John was completely devoid of his armor, and...I saw him as human. Not as Master Chief, not as John-117, but John.
"What is it, ma'am?"
"I like you better without your armor," I said truthfully, before turning back to the new MJOLINOR armor.
"That's odd. I like you with yours better." I laughed, blushing from the tips of my hair to my toes.
"Lucky me," I replied, holding out John's new chestpiece. His mouth elongated slightly and I pegged it as his version of a smile. John held up his arms and I placed the chestpiece on him, brushing his shoulders in the process. "Sorry, sir."
"No apology necessary, ma'am." As I fastened his armor, I came to a realization.
"You knew all along, didn't you?"
"Knew what, ma'am?"
"See? That's what I mean!" I said, pulling away from his to grab both armpieces. He slipped his left arm into the arm guard. "You knew it all along." I pulled as he pushed, causing him to slip into the armor. I latched it with my free hand. "I thought I was being clever too." He held out his other hand and I slipped it into the armor.
"Ma'am?" he asked again. Once I had the armor latched, I looked into his eyes and saw a small twinkle.
"You know I liked being called ma'am. That's why you kept saying it over and over again." I went for the leggings and began to fit the left one on his leg.
"How could I possibly know that?" he asked. "I know of battles and of war, but not people."
"They teach you to gauge people, I know it. I don't want to hear that 'I'm a soldier' card."
"Yes ma'am." With a laugh, I fastened the leg and began on the other one.
"Aren't we a respectible little Spartan?" I stated more than asked, causing John to laugh slightly.
"Always ma'am." I stood after I finished donning the last of his body armor, hands on my hips.
"I knew I liked you for a reason." I turned back and grasped the helmet, holding it to him. John took it, his hands overlapping mine. We held the helmet between us for a few moments, then I released it, allowing John to take it from me. He tucked it under his arm and I stepped forward boldly. I ran my hand down his cheeks, smiling when he flinched, and lightly skimmed his mouth with my first finger.
"Ma'am?"
"I'd like to see that face more often, Chief."
"If you command it, ma'am."
"Oh, I'll do more than command it, John." With a light smirk on his features, he donned his helmet, taking on the persona of Master Chief once again. This time, I knew what was underneath the helmet, and now...he didn't seem as aloof to me. He swiped his finger from one edge of his visor to the other.
"What's that?" I asked.
"A Spartan smile." I shot him my own smile back. "And I'll be counting on your commands, ma'am." With that, he walked out of the room, leaving me with my self satisfied smile and my hopes for the future.
"Oh, I will too, John. Have no doubt about that." I started to put away John's old armor. "None at all."