Invasion
I do not own Halo
Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey sat on the bed in her room of captivity. The walls were an ugly gray, although it was (surprisingly) clean. Halsey just sat there, thinking. This is degrading, she thought.
Licking her dry and chapped lips, he pondered on what had happened that landed her here. She just had to say that, say 'the Liberian', loud enough so they could hear her. She wasn't the only one hiding something, they were too, the attack on Earth six months ago, they knew something and they weren't telling her.
She rubbed her hands together, in an attempt to gain warmth in this cold cage. She looked up to see, who else, the ship's AI, Roland. Curiously, he was dressed in his normal attire, which only Halsey could assume was a World War II American pilot bomber…odd choice of clothes. Roland looked up, looking Halsey straight in the face, "Can I ask you a question, doc?" He asked, then he scoffed, "What were you hoping to achieve with subterfuge? I mean…Captain Laskey put a lot of faith in you."
Halsey bit her tongue, a habit she was prone to when she was angry. The sound of that man's name made her blood begin to heat up, "Yes." She responded, sarcastically, "I can tell, his hospitality speaks wonders!" Halsey looked around the drab room, further sinking in her mockery
Roland tried to pry at her, "Come on, doc. What has ever keeping secrets ever really gained you?"
"What is hidden can be useful."
"Such as?"
Halsey smirked, "Such as the phrase…undid iridium?"
Roland tilted his head to his right shoulder. All of a sudden, he began to static up and repeat, "Un-un-un-did-did-did irid-irid-ium?"
A smile spread across Halsey's face, this was too easy. Roland looked up at her, in his usual calm appearance, "UNSC AI Override Instructions Active." He stated, "How may I assist, Dr. Catherine Halsey?"
Halsey got up off her bed, it was odd to hear her first name, she was always called 'Dr. Halsey' or sometimes just 'Doc', but very rarely called by her first name. "Roland," She instructed, "tell the guards outside that Captain Laskey has requested my presence in his ready room. And block all further communications."
"Yes, Dr. Catherine Halsey."
Halsey walked up to the door, brushing her short gray hair out of her face. She straightened out the collar on her lab uniform and readied herself for the door to be opened any second now.
The door opened, and there stood two soldiers, fully equipped in their armor and weaponry. One of the men, tall and buff (although that may have just been the armor) stood in front of the doorway, "Captain's asked to see you, doctor."
The soldier stepped out of the way, and Halsey walked through and in front of them as they escorted her. They took her around a few twists and turns, but they got to their destination within a few minutes.
They opened the door to the room where Laskey had (falsely) requested to meet her. Halsey walked into the room, breathing in through her nose. The room was large, a window stood there so you may look out into space. On the wall there was large screen mounted. Behind the desk on the wall, was a small shelf full of different books. And on the desk itself, was Roland.
"Sit here, doctor." One of the men instructed
Halsey sat in the wooden chair. It creaked as she sat on the cushions, the chair was comfy enough. "Thank you, gentlemen." Roland began, "You may go."
The two men nodded and left the room, Roland locked the door behind them. Instantly, Halsey shot up and went for the screen, "Roland, give me full access to the terminal."
"Yes, Dr. Catherine Halsey."
She touched the screen, which allowed a menu to pop up. Pushing one of the options, waves of data came onto the screen. "Didact's Hand?" She wondered aloud, was that who that Elite was?
She shook her head, "If people just shared things with me, I could solve all the world's problems."
Still processing the data, she took in a deep breath. The room smelled like bleach…too much bleach. It was starting to make her sick…and she hated being sick, distracted her from her work. She turned to Roland, "Send everything the UNSC has on 'The Librarian' to my data pad." She instructed
"Yes, Dr. Catherine Halsey."
Halsey picked up her confiscated data pad off the desk. She looked through it, "This is all my own research!" She said in frustration, "I need new information...anything that has been kept from me."
"Only one data point exists that is not your own research. 'Debriefing of Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan 117 Post New Phoenix Incident.'"
A gasp rolled out of Halsey's mouth as he turned to Roland, "John?" She asked
Spartan 117…John 117. It has to be him…has to be! She looked away, down on the floor. All of a sudden…anger grew in her. How dare them! How dare they don't tell me about this! I give up my entire life for the UNSC and this is how they repay me?
She looked back up on the screen, "Roland." She began, "Prep a pelican for immediate launch. And patch this terminal into the comm systems infiltrated by the Artifact."
Suddenly, violent static filled Halsey's ears, as she spun around to see Roland, violently twitching and changing colors, "Doc, whatever you did to me-! Aggh!" More twitching and static, "Yes, Dr. Catherine Halsey." He said, once again returning to his peaceful outlook
Halsey looked back out at the screen, where it was broadcasting wherever it was from when she was at the Artifact. Then he walked up, facing the screen, "Jul 'Mdama." She stated, flatly
He spoke in his alien tongue, "You are…Catherine Halsey?"
"We've played your game quite long enough, and we're both out of time. In our previous conversation, you mentioned assistance…"
The Elite looked at her in bafflement, "How do you know…?"
"But the Didact's Hand could offer me a Promethean soul?"
"What is it that you want?" 'Mdama asked
"What we both want, Jul…Liberian. A powerful name for me as well as you…" Halsey smiled, the ball was in her court, "and the Liberian is fond of humans…but you know that…"
"That was a dirty trick, doc!" Came Roland's voice
Halsey rotated to face him; he broke through the override system…how was that- "My turn now." Roland simply stated
In a snap of his fingers, the screen turned off, and the same two soldiers came through the doors, weapons ready. "Stay right where you are, doctor!" One barked
In those few seconds, it all made sense. He split himself into portions, and merged the copies to himself, therefore regaining control. That was clever…real clever.
They snatched the data pad out of her hands and ordered her out the room. They made her go through the usual, more twists and turns, until they were walking down a long hallway. On the other side, was Laskey with three more men.
Laskey shook his head, "Dr. Halsey, I've underestimated you long enough. A cryo-tube should hold you until-"
In a swift motion, Halsey swung her hand at Laskey's check, slapping him. The soldier to the left of her placed his arm around her, preventing her from swinging again. Laskey stood there for a second, caught off guard, and then turned back. Laskey opened his mouth to speak before the doctor cut him off, "John's alive. He was here, on this ship. Nobody told me he was alive!"
All of a sudden, the alarm went off. Red lights alerted soldiers of the attack. Everyone looked around in confusion. Laskey grabbed his radio, "Commander Palmer, report."
"Kinda…busy, Captain." She responded with the sound of gunfire in the background, "They must be trying to get to the Artifact! Don't worry; we'll keep 'em contained in the hanger!"
Down the hall the Prometheans teleported in, in their usual sense, brandishing their advanced weaponry. "No use! They're here too!" Laskey shouted into the radio
Everyone opened fire at the invaders. The man escorted Halsey was shot and killed instantly, falling on Halsey. Halsey's head hit the floor as the man's dead carcass fell on top of her. Halsey squeezed her way out and on her back to look around, to see Laskey shooting one of the invaders with a shotgun, killing it instantly in a ball of sparks.
Halsey grabbed her data pad from the dead soldier. Accepting Laskey's outreached hand, he pulled her up. They ran behind a corner, as Laskey pressed the button for the intercom, "Captain Laskey to all hands. Battle Stations, this is not a drill!"
"Laskey!" Halsey screamed
Laskey pulled out his shotgun in preparation for the Knight a few feet away from them, beginning to swing his sword…