Notice that I do not own halo, nor the characters portrayed in this fiction. Only the story belongs to me.
This story is currently under major overhaul, if you still wish to continue, you might experience some ups and downs in written story quality!
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." ~Lao Tzu
Chapter 1: Reunion
Sanghelios, the prosperous home world of the Elites. For years the greatest and most feared enemy of the UNSC and the human race. For decades they murdered our people and burned our land in the name of their prophets. Now they might be our greatest allies…
… Our only allies.
"I will not deny the facts, This might be the most dangerous threat humanity has ever faced."
"I think… I think at this point, I am well aware of that Doctor." Sarah Palmer has always been a strict woman, a somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to following protocol. She never Liked Halsey, much less approved of her release.
"I am merely making sure you understand the gravity of our predicament Commander. If you believed our war against The Covenant was harsh, then you might be up for quite a ride."
Sarah Didn't dignify the doctor with an answer. She had tried to break her hardened shell ever since being released from Infinity and slowly, to her dismay, she was succeeding. Palmer didn't understand what was the motivation behind the doctors games, but she did know that Catherine Elizabeth Halsey was a renowned physician... Among other things, and that made her extremely dangerous. If she wanted to be so.
"You might play the silent game with me now Commander, but at some point you will answer". Halsey paused and gave the Commander a wry smile before continuing:
"They all do".
Just as Palmer was about to answer, they heard the unmistakable sound of starship engines, Pelican's engines always did have that unique sound, Palmer couldn't decide if it was for the better, or worse.
She was brought out of her musings by Catherine, who had decided to follow a pair of sanghelis, without her permission naturally. For an old lady, she surely seems to get around.
The pelican touched down. Quite ungracefully in fact, definitely not something you would expect from a spartan. All the more evidence of the hell these men and women had gone through.
It's back ramp started to open with a hiss, slowly revealing two hulking figures, the other one in dented dark green Mjolnir armor and the other in almost pristine black special operations suit with the ever watchful eye of ONI planted on his chest plate.
The landing site was eerily quiet. You could hear a pin drop if anyone truly cared. Yet at this exact moment it would seem everyone's attention was divided between two figures: Dr Catherine Elizabeth Halsey and The Master Chief.
For a moment time seemed to freeze, the creator and the created, the achievement and its holder and even in some twisted ways, the mother and her son simply watched each other, taking in their forms. So many things has changed, yet some things remain the same.
Here they were, once again staring at each other.
Millions things ran through her head, what could she say? Was he injured? What was he thinking, going AWOL like that? Absolutely stupid and irrational, not like him, not like him at all. Should she berate him, was that privilege even hers anymore?
Was it ever?
In the end her final thought had been so simple she almost laughed at herself:
"Took you long enough." That's it, that's all she had to say to her greatest creation, the closest thing she'd ever have to a son.
No other words were spoken, the tension in the air was palpable. For a while, the silence stretched on, the group waiting for John's answer and for a second it looked like he would say something…
... But whatever he had been thinking… Was never shared and he simple continued on, without even giving much of a glance to the rest of the group.
"Strange, very strange." Halsey mused as she watched him walk past the entire welcoming party, mostly ignoring everyone, only stopping to give The Arbiter a slight nod. After Chief had passed and disappeared inside the humble little camp, Arbiter gave Halsey a questioning look, but never pried any further, shortly following John's example and leaving.
After the camps outskirts had quieted down and Halsey had taken sufficient time to collect her thoughts, she turned around, now facing the rest of Blue Team, all still loyally waiting to be dismissed. Catherine took this quiet moment to read their expressions, far too many had brought her the argument of Spartans being nothing more than emotionless killing machines… How wrong they were.
The emotion was there, you only had to know where to look. It could be difficult, especially when they are actively trying to hide it, like know, but it wasn't impossible.
She had known these men and women for decades, she and the army had practically raised them, They tried to hide their true feelings behind a wall of impassiveness, perhaps for Chief's sake or perhaps for a reason still uncovered by her.
But she would get her answers, she always did.
"What happened?"
She could actually see the Spartans emotional walls starting to crumble, it was surprising, and very much worrying. Yet it had a certain unexplainable beauty about it. Not many got to see Spartans when they are vulnerable, no one but their own and even then it was rare. Yet here they were, and she was about to hear why these magnificent soldiers and even more magnificent human beings, were so close to burning out.
And as fast as the vulnerability had appeared, it was gone. Kelly clearly had collected herself and started a short but detailed explanation on what had occurred on Cortana's guardian.
"It should be noted ma'am, that we don't know much that happened during our capture, if you wish to know that information, you should ask Locke." Kelly threw a distasteful look at the camp and continued:
"I'm more than certain he would like to answer all your questions."
oooOOOooo
The Master Chief, three times savior of the human race, a hero of humanity in every perspective... was at a complete loss. This wasn't what he was trained for. There was no book to go for answers, there was no simple "shoot at something to fix it solution." He had allowed himself one weakness, one! And that weakness had turned against him.
Chief shook his helmeted head, no not a weakness, his greatest strength.
It was his job to protect the humanity, to guide and help those who could not help themselves when needed.
But who would protect and guide him?
No longer was there a melodic, sarcastic, feminine voice protecting him from harm and guiding him through uncertain pathways and complex riddles.
No, now all that was left was this… This mocking look alike of a Cortana he once knew and grew fond off.
Where did it go so wrong?
She had manipulated him, used his unshakeable trust in her and lured him into a trap. He couldn't believe it.
Funny, how universe plays its cards right?
oooO Flashback Oooo
"Listen to yourself Cortana, stand down". John stared at her face, trying to find even a flicker of emotion, a small spark of the old her, but there was nothing. Just that cold, calculating machine, hidden behind a facade of friendliness.
This did not mean he would stop trying.
Not with her.
Never.
"Come home with us, it's not too late to stop this."
This time he did manage to break her wall, even if it was for only a short moment. Yet it was all in vain it seemed.
"Stop? No John, this is too important to stop."
So that's how it was going to be? So easily did she discard him. Threw away everything they had accomplished, cut the bond forged between them. Laid waste on whatever little trust had remained between them.
He was brought out of his musings as the ancient machinery behind Cortana started to move, he realized immediately what was about to happen, but it was too late.
She had trapped the Blue Team inside the cryptum, used his trust as a mere tool. A way to advance her goals. Goals he even now, couldn't truly understand.
"I just had to know if I could still trust you, you will be safe inside this cryptum until my work is done."
"Your work? Just adding to the open wound, she even had the temerity to talk about trust.
Unbelievable.
He decided to try one last time to reach out to her. To pierce the strange vail that seemed to surround her, He reached out his hand out to her and managed to whisper:
"Cortana".
She stopped. Even seemed to consider saying something.
Cortana closed her eyes and sighted, perhaps in resignation, or perhaps in frustration, what did it matter?
After a moment of silence she took a deep breath and finally spoke:
"Goodbye... John".
Not the answer he was looking for.
She kept walking and disappeared.
oooO End of Flashback Oooo
"So this is how it ends?" Ironic, wasn't it. John was a simple man, perhaps it came from his military raising or perhaps it was just a personality trait of his. Emotions, complicated things, weren't they? He never stopped walking, even if he didn't truly know what his destination was, at this point it didn't really matter, did it?
For one hour he just walked, the planet seemed endless, large rocks, sandy dunes with the occasional batch of grass coloring the landscape. The sun was starting to set, and his long walk seemed to finally come to its end.
A small wedge overlooking the sea where the last battle against the Storm Covenant occurred.
The sunset seemed endless. Its powerful yellow rays giving their final spark of light. The view was breathless. Very rarely did Chief get to see the fruits of his or his siblings work.
Chief heard quiet footsteps behind him and sighted. "Not now Kelly." John just wanted to be left alone. He had many scars and wounds but this one... It's just couldn't be sealed so easily. He needed time, he needed to think.
Alone.
"Look John... I know what you have been through and I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you needed me and the blue team the most but…" Kelly's voice trailed off, she seemed to lose herself to her own thoughts.
She took a moment and gathered herself:
"The Infinity well be here in two days. Her captain seems competent at least, they are making emergency jumps so they can't be followed."
Kelly started to walk away and almost jumped when Chief spoke "On Reach... I made a rash decision and asked you to follow me blindly, I was so sure of myself … and look where that got us." Kelly noticed Chiefs hands were trembling, it was barely noticeable, but Sam had always been a special case, for all of them.
Chief's trembling stopped, but Kelly knew he was still confused inside. Spartans weren't good with emotions, thus expressing them, especially in a case like this…
Was hard.
"I almost got you all killed because of my own selfish actions... If that had happened…"
Kelly took a moment to consider her words and decided to take the "direct" approach:
"You loved her, didn't you?" Kelly smiled, already knowing the answer taking his silence as her cue to leave.
John just sat there, his mind racing Love? Love was such a complex thing, lightyears beyond his simple understanding of emotions.
Suddenly Chief felt all the exhaustion from these past difficult days fall on him at once. He slowly started to make his way back towards the camp having a tidal wave of different emotions and thoughts running through his head at once.
When Chief finally returned to the camp he got worried looks from pretty much everyone. Even the members of fire-team Osiris seemed worried of his health.
He forced himself to continue forward, he knew Blue Team was assigned a tent during their stay, all he had to do was to follow his sibling.
Without even removing his helmet, John fell to an uneasy sleep.