I made a short story of what Cortana could have thought about during John 117's cryo sleep after being stranded in deep space after Halo 3. Here goes nothing.
A.I. Cortana's memory log: Date unknown
"Wake me…When you need me," he said.
It has been many weeks since then. I play those few precious words over and over again in my head as I check on his vital signs. I tell John "Ah! Looks like you need some more recycled oxygen!" It takes me less than a second to reorder the ships cryotube air recycle mechanisms.
"Done, well that was easy-"
"Wait a minute, why am I talking to him? He's in cryo sleep after all. Pull yourself together Cortana, he can't here you!" I yell into the silent room as I sink to my knees and hold myself in despair.
I know now that humans dream in cryo, thanks to John telling me after the fall of Reach. I wonder, does he dream about me? Yes, he must! A sense of happiness overcomes me for a moment. However, what if he does not? A strange jolt in my system tells me, that I should not think about that. So, I will not.
But, I wished we talked more about silly things like dreaming before this, like other friends do even during a time of war. Well, he wasn't much of a talker to begin with anyway and I guess my feelings for him would not be so deep if he were. I giggle to myself, that statement makes me a girl who likes the strong silent type.
On the other hand, why do I find myself thinking about him and all we have accomplished together? I am A.I. and not somthing that humans would even call "alive" because I can't really see or feel anything beyond a certain point of view. That gives me an idea, I will try to prove them wrong.
Here goes nothing, maybe literally. I laugh out loud at my inside joke as my system readies to become a life sized avatar holo (a semi-hard light) of me. I step off my platform and walk towards John's cryotube. To me, it seems to take forever to get there, even though my programming says otherwise.
I see my nude blue body reflecting off the long, heavily misted window. I come closer and poke at the cryotube, but I feel nothing.
No, that is not close enough. I must not give up," I tell myself as I press my avatar holo body closer to the glass.
Now I am laying full length along the window with only half an inch between me and the glass.
I am glad my holo body can produce some heat. I clear the mist off the glass around John's helmeted face with my hands so I can see him better. It is hard to believe that so much separates me from him. I am so close yet so fare, even the glass barrier seems to mock me.
"I am here John! Can you hear me?" I say out loud to him with a little hope. A few minutes pace with no response from John.
"John please, say something! I miss you so much!" I yell at him pounding the glass with my fists.
I soon stop my protest to rest my head on where his chest would be located in the othe side of the glass. I can almost hear his strong steady heartbeat. Who am I kidding? I still can't feel anything and in my frustration almost missed the fact that my holo avatar keeps me a half inch from the glass. That was stupid of me, how can I hit the glass when I can't really touch it?. I must remember this day, for the first time in my life I have done something truly stupid. What is my world coming to?
Should I even have any feelings? Why do I seem to be the only A.I. to have what humans call a "heart." Wow, I think can see a sun setting over that unknown planet over there. Birds chirping in room and they are all blue. Blue, my favorite color and John's eyes are blue. Pretty… Yeah, my mind is wondering. That's weird, I never do that. Well, I have lived long for an A.I., all most seven years going on eight. Does this mean I am descending into rampancy? Nah...
I must get back to the point. I prop myself on my elbows and still float above John. I wish I could see his face again.
"Why am I trying to touch you, John?" I ask him, tracing a heart on the glass around his face with one finger.
Do I love him? I sigh as I start to float back to my platform. I stop when I am a two feet away and think about that question.
Wait, is that a tear I "feel" running down my cheek?
I quickly reach out my hands and quickly close the distance between us. As I place one hand on my heart and the other kind of on where his should be.
I look deeply into his orange visor and I say the words I should have said long ago even though it will be just a whisper, no one will hear but me.
"Oh John, I love you."
A.I. Cortana's memory log: Ended-Date unknown.
John-117 otherwise known as Master Chief let one of his own tears fall as he put this recording the mini-disk back into a secret compartment in his new armor. He had found this file back in his old armors memory system. It was probably an imprint left by Cortana before she "died." The shadows of the room concealed his face as he put on his helmet.
"I will find you again Cortana, I promise."
Well, that's all folks. Hoped you enjoyed reading this as much I as did writing it. I tried to keep this story PG rated. Any coments/advise/questions are welcomed. I really liked the strage friendship between Cortana & Master Chief and ended up crying when she died at the end of Halo 4. All I know is that the creators of Halo 5 should…GET CORTANA BACK. That's just my humble opinion. Chow!