Katara sighed as she sat back in Appa's saddle. She glanced to the side to see her new friend and guide staring up at the cloudless starry sky. "What are you thinking about?" She inquired softly so not to wake her brother.
"I've seen a lot of the world, but one thing I've always wondered… is there more?" He asked, not taking his eyes from the sky. "Are there other people out there… looking up… looking at us?"
Katara blinked in thought before lying on her back beside him. "I've never really thought about it…" She replied as she settled close to him. "Wonder what they'd be like?"
"I don't know," Aang said with a curious smile.
"Think we'll meet them someday, Aang?" She asked with the same adventurous look.
"I hope so." He smiled brightly. "Look at that…" He said pointing upward.
"What is it?" Katara asked, following his finger. "Wow…" she said noticing a small, yet bright flash so very far away.
Meanwhile, light-years away, a warrior pushed his vehicle as hard as he could across exploding metallic terrain. "We'll never make it, Spartan!" a strange, armored, humanoid insect cried out, as it fired on hordes of plant-like creatures.
"We'll make it," the armored warrior said calmly as he dodged an explosion.
"The frigate's just ahead, Chief, and HALO's about to fire. GUN IT!" a feminine voice spoke in the warrior's helmet. The AI Cortana and the Covenant's Arbiter were beginning to worry, yet SPARTAN-II Master Chief John-117 showed no fear. This was what he was born to do, bred to do, and no overrated space bomb was going to stop him.
"JUMP IT!" Cortana yelled into his ears as the Warthog assault vehicle hit a steep incline and took to the ear toward the frigate. The vehicle slammed into the unforgiving metal and broke into pieces, sending its two passengers flying across the floor. Master Chief glanced up from where he landed to see the Arbiter rising from some overturned supply boxes. Words weren't spoken between the two former enemies. A simple nod sufficed as the Arbiter shot into the main part of the ship, and the Chief shot across the floor to the closest computer terminal.
The soldier slammed Cortana's chip into the interface, and the familiar blue hologram appeared over the monitor. "We're out of here!" She cried out as the frigate's engines roared to life. She didn't anticipate the sudden change in the ship's angle and watched in horror as the Master Chief fell backwards toward the hatch. "CHIEF!" She called, reaching out in spite of the knowledge that her holographic body could do nothing to help the man.
A relieved smile crossed her face when she saw him climbing the grilled floor of the hanger bay. They remained silent as the Chief climbed to the other end of the computer panel and leaned against it for cover. "We're… we're not going to make it, Chief…"
"We'll make it," Master Chief replied in a confident tone.
"If we don't…" Cortana said softly, looking down at her armored friend. "If we don't… I just want you to know… It's been an honor serving with you, John…" she said as the incomplete HALO began to give off a blinding light. Cortana sighed softly as a hibernation pod began to rise from a containment bay in the hanger. The Chief glanced to the pod then to the hologram.
He gave a small nod before pulling himself to his feet. "Wake me if you need me," He said as the pod opened and he climbed in.
"Goodnight, Chief…" Cortana whispered as the pod closed. Just as the frigate began to jump to light speed, the shockwave from HALO hit, tearing it in half, the front part of the ship going on its designated course to Earth.
The other went … elsewhere.