The Fight for John
Chapter 1
John-117. That was his full name. John-117. Normal people had a first and last name, at least. But the Spartans' names consisted of a first name and a serial number.
John-117. Just a name and three numbers to describe the savior of mankind.
How intriguing, thought Commander Miranda Keyes.
The Master Chief had just returned to Earth a month ago after destroying an entire Covenant armada and a ring world called "Halo". This was the first time Miranda had ever seen John, even if it was while he was wearing his full suit of Mjolnir armor, which was all but pulverized from battle. She was saddened by the news that her father had died on Halo, but proud of his courage.
Miranda saw John's face only once: this was at a meeting with the UNSC top brass. He looked lost without his armor on, and maybe a little awkward. She thought it was charming. His face was pale, but rugged and striking. He was definitely handsome by Miranda's standards. Yet something about him was so mysterious.
She was determined to find out more about this man who wore the armored suit.
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During this short lull in the war, it was the Master Chief's "nightly" routine to wander the corridors of the Cairo Space Station before returning to his room to sleep. Maybe it was the restlessness of having nothing to do for once; after fighting a war non-stop and destroying a fleet of Covenant ships, the Chief had to sit still at the Cairo for a decorating ceremony. Maybe it was because his new Mjolnir suit hadn't made it to the station yet, and he missed the feeling of armor surrounding his body. Or maybe he was just trying to stay in shape. Whatever it was, the Spartan could be seen walking the station every night. It was the perfect opportunity to catch him alone.
Tonight Miranda decided she would do just that. It was a quarter to 11 and she knew that the Spartan would be passing by the hallway near her quarters soon. She had put on a very pretty business suit with a short skirt, which sadly was the best she could come up with out here that might stand a chance of drawing a man's eye. Her hair was let down, which she thought was attractive and flowing. After a quick look in the mirror she stepped outside and waited. When she saw his large frame turn the corner Miranda began to walk toward him, pretending, of course, that she was on her way somewhere.
When John got closer Miranda turned and smiled, trying her best to seem surprised to see him. He stopped and saluted crisply. "Why hello, Master Chief!" she greeted him. "At ease, no need to salute me at this hour of the night. Where are you off to? In a hurry to be somewhere?"
"No, ma'am," John answered awkwardly as he lowered his hand to his side, still standing stiffly. "I'm just walking for a bit before I head to my barracks."
Miranda smiled to her self, thinking it charmingly humorous that the Master Chief had his own quarters here and still referred to them as barracks. "Your walk can wait, perhaps? I was wondering if you'd like to join me in my quarters for a drink so we can talk, and I can get to know you better. I'd also love to hear about your time serving under my father; you served with him not long before he died, so it would be nice to know more about how he went."
John wasn't sure how to respond. A woman had never asked him to her quarters before, so he didn't know what this meant. Was he supposed to have one drink, talk for a few minutes, and leave? Or did she expect him to spend the night and… "I- I'm sorry ma'am, but I don't drink," was all he could come up with.
"Well that's fine, you don't have to drink," Miranda said in a reassuring tone, touching his shoulder lightly. "But you must be lonely and needing somebody to talk to. After all, you just spent your last few weeks alone on a ring full of Covenant and flood, not to mention that you're probably still grieving over the loss of your fellow Spartans. Don't tell me you don't need to talk. I'm giving you an opportunity to open up to somebody, John." She wasn't sure if using his first name was appropriate, but she hoped it would set him at ease.
The Spartan shuddered slightly at her touch. It was unfamiliar. His first reaction when she called him John, coupled with the physical presence of her hand on his shoulder, was to get out of the situation. Luckily he managed to keep his self-control, withdrawing his shoulder slightly. "Sorry, perhaps another time, Commander Keyes," he said with a hasty salute, and walked past her to continue his walk.
It seemed to Miranda that the Spartan had practically run away from her. She was truly baffled, and he still remained just as mysterious.
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John's sleep did not come easy that night. Thoughts floated around his mind – about the past few weeks, the loss he had experienced, the eventual triumph at great costs, his lost brothers and sisters, but mostly Commander Keyes. Had she been coming on to him? If so, had he done the right thing by politely declining, or would she take it as a personal insult? Perhaps she was just being friendly, and if so, perhaps he should have taken the offer. He wasn't sure about any of this, but above all one thing continued to surface to the forefront of his mind.
Spartans were not sexual beings. They were human in every other capacity, even superhuman, but they were incapable of feeling sexual arousal. It was a side effect of their physical enhancement many, many years ago, and no Spartan gave it a second thought. It was a small price to pay to serve humanity. However, after replaying his short encounter with Miranda over and over, John began to wonder if his shudder at her touch was in fact arousal. Was he sexually attracted to her, or was he just surprised that she had touched his shoulder? Sure, he could admire that she was a physically attractive woman, as anyone could, but there was a difference between admiration and attraction. One touch could not undo the fact of his surgical side effect. He was incapable of sexual urges, and that was the end of it.