Ch. 1
"My God, Abby. Relax, I'm alright, really I am. House just shook a little when the cruiser passed over," I reply to my friend's frantic questions. I now lived all the way across town and the only way we could talk was either through the phone or video cameras on our computers. "But Lynn, you're sure you're okay? It was hell over here. Explosions are popping up all over the street," Abby complained in a whiney voice.
"I'm sure it was. I'd start packing if I were you. Get ready to leave when evac heads your way and keep your damned head down. I'm gong to hang up and go take a look outside." Without waiting for her to answer I hang up.
Sighing heavily, I look at the unlit holo-tank where my AI, Song, was supposed to be. I grumble again and get up to turn it on. The AI glowed softly, stretching gleefully as if she had just gotten up from an hour long nap. Her avatar was that of a 21-year-old woman with a jean jacket, a navy blue under shirt, and denim jeans.
"Good afternoon, Lynn," she says stretching a little more.
"Where have you been all day? Watching old reruns?" I ask, teasing her old habits. Song shoots me a glare, flips on the TV and projects the updates the latest crisis.
"Oh come on. You know I was just kidding," I say, flipping on the t.v to the news channel.
"There have been hourly evacuations the past 14 hours," Song tells me in monotone. I had landed in such a big mess. Last week, I told my parents that I was going to New Mombasa, Africa to help a few of my archeological-obsessed friends out with a project that gone underway. My friends told me that they thought that they found a Forerunner artifact and that, for now, we should sort of keep it quiet from the UNSC. We stayed on it for a few weeks, gathering whatever data we could. When the next week arrived, all hell broke loose. Covenant ships have been wreaking havoc in Mombasa and our research was instantly "postponed" for a time. The Covenant have found Earth. I should have felt scared, anger even, but I really wasn't.
I continue to watch the news and soon grew bored, wishing that some of my friends were here. I stand and turn off the t.v.
"Watch the house while I'm gone, please," I ask Song.
"Where are you going?" she asks.
"Just out," I reply, slipping on a sweatshirt over my short sleeved shirt and pulled up my long hair in a loose ponytail; today was planning to be cold and rainy.
"Alright, keep your secrets," Song teases slightly,"Just be careful. And don't tell me that you're always careful because you're not, okay?" She tinged last part with concern.
"Okay, okay." I laugh at her remark. AIs were such an amazing thing. I was lucky to be able to get a 'smart' AI; seriously, not many civvies get AIs.
I'm not saying I'm special, just lucky. I head out the door to my apartment and curse under my breath: I almost forgot my laptop. I normally use it to monitor my friends' project and today... the data charts were off the scale. Some things even I or my AI didn't truly comprehend. I run to my room, snatch up my satchel, book, notebook, pencils, and laptop and shove them into the bag, along with a sandwich and pepper spray that I habitually put in, and speed walk out the door.
Be careful!" Song yelled after me.
I will!" I call back. I sigh and walk out towards the area that out project was held. So far, no Covenant activity. My own guess was that they were lying low, waiting for the right time to pounce.
I finnd a large enough rock near the construction site, sit down and open up my laptop. As I run a few diagnostics on the "Ark", as it was called, I look out onto the construct and settl into my studies. I gasp as soon as I find confirmation that it is a Forerunner artifact. I could not believe it. I match the Forerunner glyphs from the Ark to the ones Cortana's database held(courtesy of Song's amazing infiltration skills) and they were an exact match. I am also surprised that there was no Covenant around. They were here when they launched the first attack on New Mombasa but were possibly pulled back before they got here, near the Ark. I keep wondering about that as I resume my work, occasionally hacking into some of my colleagues files to look around to see what they had to offer and left as soon as I was finish; Song covered all hacking trails that I left behind.
"Song, will you monitor all air and space traffic controls please," I ask.
"Expecting trouble?" she inquired.
"I don't know what to expect," I mutter more to myself than to her.
I continue monitoring the Ark's structure, creator's, glyphs, and anything that would be Covenant worthy. I look at my watch; it was already 3 'o' clock p.m. I grumble and run a continuous analysis of the Ark to past the time. I told Song to bypass anything that would stall the progress. Startled by my order, Song did as she was told. I take out the hair band that held up my hair and balance my laptop on my knee as I redo it when a sharp ice cold tingle ripples up my back. My heart starts racing as I feel someone else's unwanted eyes on me.