Chapter 1: a story by two best friends
Cortana laughed uncontrollably at Mike's joke as she sat on John's lap. Kelly was snuggled up next Mike on their couch. The two women looked at each other and giggled. Mike and John looked at the love of their lives.
"What's so funny, I mean besides my jokes" said Mike grinning. Kelly looked at Cortana then at John and finally at Mike.
"You know I'm the only one who hasn't known how you two became best friends" said Kelly gesturing to Mike and John. "I mean even your guys kids know". Mike laughed.
"I'll tell you this. We hated each other with a passion at first" said Mike holding Kelly. Kelly looked to Cortana, Cortana nodded and smiled.
"Two assholes almost killed everyone in the galaxy with there bickering" said Cortana punching John and gave Mike an evil glare.
"Don't look at me look at hubby over there" said Mike. They all laughed and Mike nodded his head. Alright we'll tell you sweetie.
Many years ago
Mike walked down the hallway of the Autumn. It was the same cold metal floor and walls as always. He felt it weird to be on the a ship captained by the father of the women he was seeing, Miranda Keys. They met on Reach before its fall before the Covenant came...before it all fell apart. He didn't even know where she was now and he pained to be away from her.
They met by accident, he was at ONI filling out paper work for Carter and Kat. She was there visiting her mother, doctor Halsey. Not like she visited her much the times they were together they debated about Halsey. Mike defending her while Miranda accused her. When he found openings in his schedule he'd run to see her, not telling a soul. Their love was forbidden Mike knew Spartans weren't aloud date or have sexual intercourse so they stayed quite.
But they couldn't help it they'd sneak out of the city and head into the mountains. Where they would lie in open fields and talk. It was when she kissed him for the first time that he actually saw her beauty and truly loved her. It had been two weeks since they started seeing each other when they first made love. They were in a field up in the mountains of reach they were fighting over something. Then out of nowhere she moved forward and kissed his lips. They sat there lips locked for two minutes before she pulled away.
They sat there in silence before she leaned against him and rested her head on his chest. 'I'll always love you' Mike remembered her words from that day. Those words would keep him up at night during the fall of Reach. He remember the last time they saw each other before she left.
They sat under a pine tree holding each other close. Stealing kisses from one another as they sat on a log. She slid her hands down to his crotch at one point and rubbed it for a while before seeming frustrated and giving up. Mike still never knew what that meant He opened to find out someday. When it was time to leave they nuzzled noses and kissed each other goodbye.
Mike lifted his hand up and went to touch his lips only to be stopped by cold glass. His visor he had totally forgotten that he was wearing his armor. He sighed and looked around. Great...I'm lost thought Mike leaning against the wall.
"Prepare to exit slip space" said a man over the ships coms. Mike looked up and stood up straight he needed to get to the bridge fast.
JOHN
John opened his eyes slowly his eye sight slowly coming back. He'd been in cryo sleep every since Reach but if he was being woken up them must have left already.
"Chief" said a technician standing in front of the pod. John shook his head and got out of the pod. The technicians started talking but John was still trying to recover from his sleep. He think he heard the technician say something about freezer burn. He just ignored him and followed him, 'Is Linda okay' he thought doing as the technician said. The last time he saw her she was being put into cryo he should go see her after this. John was finally brought out of thought by a loud explosion.
He looked up at the upper room to see a technician be hit by plasma and a group of elites flood the room. "This way!" yelled the technician before heading towards the door. John quickly followed him and went into the hallway. John followed the man down the hallway before the door in front of them exploded John ran up to the man and checked his vitals he was dead.
John looked for around for a way to the bridge.
MIKE
Mike ran into the bridge and up to captain Keys. "Warrant officer" said Keys smoking his pipe.
"Sir!" said Mike standing up straight. A little blue AI popped up from the counsels in front of him.
"Glad to see you me again?" asked the AI putting her hand on her hip and smiling.
"Do I.." Mike was interrupted by the sound of metal boots.
"Captain Keys" said John walking towards the captain.
"Master chief" said Keys smoking his pipe. He looked to Mike and took his pipe out. "I need you to rally up the Marines get as many as you can to the escape pods".
"Sir" said Mike turning on his heal and hurrying out of the bridge. Mike couldn't stand Master Chief Petty Officer 117, the Master chief as everybody called him was viewed as a god like being even though he was just a soldier like everyone else what gives him any right to be held up higher than others. What made him so amazing? Nothing that's what. They should be honoring the Spartan's who died instead of him. Keys turned to John now.
"And that's where you come in Chief, get Cortana out of here" said Keys looking at John.
"And what while you go down with the ship" said Cortana not liking what she was hearing.
"In a matter of speaking, yes" said Keys smoking his pipe. Cortana sighed then looked at the Captain.
"Give me a minute" she said, her AI disappearing. She quickly came back at spoke again. "I set up some landing zones to the ship".
"Master chief get her off this ship. Destruction or capture of the ships AI is unacceptable" said Keys pulling Cortana's chip and handing it John. John quickly put her chip in the slot on the back of his helmet.
"Your structure isn't that different from the Autumns" said Cortana.
"Don't get any funny ideas" said John. Captain keys handed him a magnum.
"I don't keep it loaded you'll have to find some ammo along the way" said Keys. John took the magnum then headed out of the bridge.
Later
Mike fired a multiple rounds from his assault rifle at a grunt killing it. Its blue blood spilled out onto the metal floor. He was leading a group of Marines through the halls picking up any survivors along the way to the escape pods. Mike looked back at the young Marines. "Come on" he said quietly leading the way. Mike turned the corner to see a group of grunts.
He quickly pulled out his magnum and fired one bullet into each grunts head. The Marines went into the room ready for a fight to see it was over.
"Leave some for us next time Satan" said a marine. This marine must know of his reputation and nickname, a marine Mike would be glad for the Covenant to kill. He was trying to destroy that reputation and not to be known as a heartless silent killer but as a exciting adventurous person who laughed and felt. He needed to destroy the old reputation for her, for Samantha that's how he was going to remember her death. He missed her, she was a good marine, a good person.
Mike walked forward Prepared for any Covenant to attack. The marine from before ran up to him.
"So I heard that your a Warrant officer now huh. Moving on up eh Satan" said the marine looking up at the green and gold Spartan.
"How do you know that name marine?" Asked Mike looking down at the soldier.
"A couple guys heard about a yellow and green Spartan always seen on planets heading into ONI bases days before the planet fell" said the Marine looking up at Mike. "They called him Satan because his Tags read 666".
"Yeah well call me Lucifer it's more...elegant" said Mike still looking forward. The marine cocked his head in thought.
"Yeah I guess so...isn't it Spanish or something" said the marine looking at Mike.
"Its Latin and means 'bringer of light'" said Mike turning another corner of the ship. He heard the tiny footsteps of grunts ahead. He held up his magnum up in front of him. "Get ready Marines". Mike looked and saw the hooves of an elite come out of a door. He threw down the handgun and grabbed his assault rifle.
As soon as the elite turned to fire Mike shot several burst of bullets at it's chest. The elite fell backwards and indigo blood leaked from its wounds. Mike gestured for everyone to move along as he walked forward past the body.
"Warrant officer" said a man's voice from up ahead. Mike looked to see a BLACK man smoking a cigar walking towards them.
"Sargent" said Mike looking at the man's rank. The Sargent looked over the battle scared Marines then shook his head.
"Johnson" said Johnson holding out his hand.
"A-666" said Mike extending his hand and shaking Johnson's.
"Nice to meet you but we ain't got time for chit chat. Got Covies crawling all over the place" said Johnson. Mike held his assault rifle up high.
"I'll help you clear some of them out but then I got to help these Marines get off ship" said Mike looking down at the Sargent. Johnson looked at the Marines.
"Let's move" he said as he spun around and headed off. Mike followed along with the Marines.
Present day
"There you happy" said Mike looking at Kelly a grin forming on his face.
"What?! No I'm not come on!" said Kelly a bit angry.
"Look it's late and I told you tomorrow's a big day for me tomorrow I'm actually going to see my whole file find everything about myself not just about my clone and parents" said Mike looking at Kelly.
"Okay" Kelly said a bit sad she looked at John and Cortana. "You guys going to stay over here or are you going to ditch out on your vacation".
"Don't worry where not going to chicken out. We need time away from the kids anyway so yeah" said Cortana taking a sip of hot chocolate she had made while John and Mike we're telling the story. She was surprised how much they made up. John had heard every word that technician said. Well Mike was telling the truth at least but he still left out details. John quickly looked at his phone at brought up the babysitter's number he sat there wanting to check up and see how everything was going and he almost did before Cortana grabbed his hand. "Quit your worrying... their fine".
"Look I know you love your kids and all but sometimes you gotta just trust that their fine" said Mike looking at John.
"You'll eat those words once you become a father" said John with a soft smile.
"And when will that happen anyway?" Asked Cortana with a devious grin. Mike and Kelly then looked at each other both feeling a bit awkward.
"I don't exactly think we're ready yet" said Kelly.
"Trust me you two are ready" said Cortana taking a sip of hot chocolate.
"Well I'm going to sleep" said Mike getting up trying to avoid this conversation.
End of chapter one