Dear reader,
I do not own halo. This is also not a part of the halo universe so thing will not match up. I know that this chapter gets a little on the romantic/awkward side but that is not the direction I want the story to head. On that note I would like to release these once a week depending on my school and normal life goes. Please review and send me some feedback. Thanks.
The last mission pt 2
"At ease, take a seat Spartans."
A man said sitting behind a desk. The room had minimal lights and a window that looked into the bark space with stars sprinkled over the void. The man sitting behind the desk wore a grey UNSC officer uniform and judging from the gold bars on his shoulders he was obvious a high ranking officer who failed to mention his name. Jake knew what this was all about; UNSC scouts had found what they were looking for.
"Well I suppose that you already know why you are here. Thanks to UNSC scouts we have the location of a critical covenant refueling and regrouping base codename: Badland. It is your job to do anything necessary to take it out of commission whatever way you do that I will leave to you. This mission is delicate so it must be handled that way, so there will be no contact or communication outside of the UNSC California and you'll be confined to your quarters until the mission starts, you know the same old stuff your understand, Understood Spartans."
"Yes sir."
Jake and Jackie said in unison
"Good, you leave at 0100 tomorrow. Pack your gear Spartans. Dismissed."
Both Spartans stood up, snapped to, saluted, and turned to leave when the officer said
"A word 099."
Jackie looked at Jake and was surprised when cocked his head to the door for her to leave. It wasn't that he was telling her to leave, but when his eye had a look of absolute fear and his right eye started to water.
"Better get going."
Jake said wiping the water out of his eye then giving her a smile. Leaving the room a pilot walked up to her and saluted then said
"Ma'am my name is Cali, but you can just call me Gunny. I'll your shofar for now on."
"Thanks, but I've already have a pilot."
"Not anymore, he was promoted and now flies the UNSC San Andreas."
"And who gave him this promotion might I ask?"
"I did"
"You did?"
Jackie asked eyeing the pilots rank: Major grade four. How was it even possible for a pilot to have such a rank? Jackie was about to salute when Cali said
"And don't even try saluting me Spartan. I'm not about to having every ODST and Spartan kissing up to me for a promotion just because I'm a pilot and I don't see much action."
Then looked down at her flight suit and removed the rank.
"Seem like you experience."
"Yeah, back on the UNSC Dakota. When my rank got out everyone was climbing over each other to meet me. So I moved away keeping a low profile."
There was a hiss as the door slide open. Turning around Jackie saw Jake immerge from the dark room. Jake looked down to hide his red eye but Jackie caught sight of it. Jackie could hear Cali catch a breath, annoyed Jackie knew there were about to have a fan-girl as a pilot. Jake slid on his helmet and asked
"How's this?"
"I'm Gunny, your new pilot"
Gunny said shyly with her hand crossed in front of her. Jackie gave a resentfully look at the pilot how wasn't acting shy a second ago. Jake saluted and noticing the gold insignia in her clasped hand, nothing got by him.
"Ma'am."
Jackie waved her hand lazily and said
"Never mind her, what happened in there?"
Jake body went ridged for a second then he started too turned away but Jackie grabbed his arm, hunched over, pulled his helmet off, and looked into his red eye. His chin started to tremble and for the first time Jake showed emotions: sadness. Tears slide down his face and he hugged Jackie hiding his face in between her arm and chest. Jackie stood there for a moment, in shock not sure what to do, then handed the helmet to Gunny and hugged the little Spartan back. She stood there holding Jake when some Spartans walked into the corridor. They all stopped, stared, and started to talk to each other. Instinctively Jackie moved her hand to her sidearm but all the Spartans had quickly moved into the next corridor over. Stroking Jake's hair Jackie brought her head down and kissed the top of Jakes head. She stopped herself what was she doing. *I can't do this, this isn't-* but Jackie lost her train of thought and the only thing on her mind was *that officer in there hurt HER Jake.* No, what was she thinking, *he's not mine* she said to herself *that's not to say I don't want him, no, no, no this is all wrong I can't like Jake, he my teammate* but the knot in her stomach told her otherwise. Jake pulled away looking into her face with wide, innocent eyes and all Jackie though about was how bad she wanted him. Jake smile said
"Thanks I owe you one."
-
Back in Jackie quarters she sat on her bed thinking about was the incident outside of the office they had got there orders from. After Jakes breakdown Jackie didn't push about what had happened inside. Jackie knew it was hopeless for anything to happen between them and it was against protocol for to Spartan in the same squad to have relationships, not only that but Jake sex drive was suppressed. Falling back on her bed she changed her thoughts to the mission at hand. Jackie knew what was riding on this mission, if it was a success the UNSC would blow a fatal hole in the Covenant frontal assault, but if they failed the covenant would post me creeps on the base and the UNSC would have to launch a full assault on the base taking UNSC ships into enemy held space and cut off from the main fighting force. Sitting up Jackie looked over at the door she changed her thoughts about how much she hated being confined to her quarters and how she'd rather be playing ping-pong in the Spartan rec room. She knew that if she went out it would send out an alarm to that officer's room, but from her experience with high ranking officers that lived on the inner colonies where everything could wait till the morning she might get away with leaving her room. Walking over to the door Jackie used a passcode cracker that Jake showed her back when they first meet in a situation a lot like this. Tapping the last number the keypad changed from red to green and the doors slide apart and light poured into her dark room form the corridor form outside.
-
Sitting in a couch drinking a beer in a rec room populated by ODSTs, Jake laughed at himself sneaking into that UNSC officer sleeping soundly not realizing what Jake had done. It was an old ODST gag that you would give the new recruits a haircut. Jake had completely shaved off the top of his hair making it look like he was an old man and he also drew a swirly mustache on his face with a permanent maker. After Jake had finished he went to the lower half of the ship where the ODST usually held parties to reward himself. In the rec room the light were turned off while strobe lights scanning the room and music blared out of speakers that were installed into the wall. All around ODSTs were parting, drinking, and dancing. It was crazy but it was home. Sitting on the couch next to him was his best friend Ryan. She had jet black hair, grey eyes, a small nose, and two black rings earing on her upper left ear just like Jake. Only a few people had them even though it was against UNSC regulation. It was Jakes old ODST fire team logo when he worked on the frontlines, but after he was recruited for the 'duo project'. After that Jakes fire team was split up and most of them killed. Hitting Jake's arm Ryan said
"So, is it true tiger?"
"Is what true?"
"Don't act like you don't know, everyone is talking about it?"
"Stop beating around the bush and tell me."
"You kissing Jackie!"
Jake drew back at the thought and was surprised when he felt his chest tighten and his heart rate accelerated. A smile spread across Ryan face and she said
"You're blushing."
"No, I dint kiss her."
"Really then what did you do?"
"We just hugged that's it, nothing more and nothing less."
"Then tell me why you where hugging."
Jake shifted his wait uncomfortably in his seat and averted his gaze form Ryan's. They sat there in silence for a few seconds as Jake twirled his thumbs, then said
"I was crying."
"You where what?"
Thankfully Jake didn't have to answer as another ODST in full armor walked up to Jake and said
"Hey Jake, I got you a present."
Jake stood up, nodded, and said to Ryan
"Sorry Ryan looks like we'll have to have to pick this up later. Nice talking to you."
And with that Jake walked away following the ODST. After exiting the rec room the ODST pulled off its helmet reveling a woman's face she was in her late twenty with dyed blond hair trimmed on the side and the top was pulled back into a ponytail, small blue eyes, a small pointed nose, and two black ring on her upper left ear. Jake was glad to see Kate.
"Well, where is it?"
"Follow me Fun-size."
Jake always hated that nickname, but didn't say anything about it and followed Kate down a corridor into a small janitor's closet. As the door closed behind them Jake typed in a passcode and the keypad and it started eliminated a red light with a lock symbol on it. Turning around Jake saw three HAVIC nukes lying in an open duffle bag. Jake picked up one and examined it then put it back in the bag and zipped it up. Kate put her arms on her hips and said with a smirk
"The HAVIC nukes just as ordered."
"Thanks Kate, but there one more thing I need."
"And that would be?"
"I need your drop pod."
"My drop pod, for what?"
"Because these are illegal HAVIC nukes and if we don't want anyone finding them we need somewhere better than a janitor's closet."
"Fine but I want something from you."
"And that would be?"
"I want all your sniper rifle scope."
"Sure you can have it, after this mission."
And with that Jake turned around and typed some commands on the keypad as the light switched from red to green. As they walked out Jake turned left towards the drop pod bay.
"Hey Jake forgetting something."
Turning around Kate threw something at Jake. Catching it in midair Jake looked at it and saw that it was a access card to the drop pod. Jake tilted his head in a nod, turned around, and walked to the drop pod bay. Jake was not apposed as the loaded the drop pod with the duffle bag. When Jake was finished he decided to catch some Zs before the mission and started heading back to his quarters.
On his way back he thought about how he had reacted when Ryan mentioned the rumor going around about him and Jackie kissing. Jake started to get butterflies just thinking about it. *What the hell* Jake thought, *what are these feeling I have? I'm probably just shaken up by that talk I had with that Officer*. Lost in thought Jake didn't even realize that he had was about to walk into a Spartan rec room. The doors slid open and a Spartan walked out of the room just as Jake walked into it. Both of the two walked into each other and there was a loud thud as Jake fell to the deck. Rubbing his head, Jake looked up at the person he had just walked into and his heart skipped a beat. Putting his head down, Jake was hoping that Jackie didn't see his face turn red. A hand shot out in front of his face and a familiar voice said
"Need a hand."
Jake accepted her hand and got up still keeping his head down. Jackie notice the irregular heart beat emitted from Jake and questioned him saying
"You alright there Jake."
Jake nodded and saw out of the condor of his eye a couple go Spartans pointing and laughing at them witched made jakes face even more red that it was before. Seeing the expression on his face and the Spartans Jackie felt bad for the small Spartan and said
"Come with me, I want to show you something."
Taking Jake by the hand she led him down some corridors and into an empty observation deck. The room was a nice size with furniture spread and a window that spanned across the apartment. Moving to the center of the room Jackie put her hand on the window and said.
"Isn't this amazing, the black backdrop and the stars twinkling? Sometime I come here when I want to clear my mind. It's so calm and peacefully."
Jake, was standing off to the side at first came and stood next to her.
"This is a nice place you have to come and clear your mind."
Jake looked up into Jackie eye brown and said
"Your eyes are calming."
Jake's early training that made him lack normal conversation educate that other people would have. But in a way it also made him cute and sort of innocent. The thought made her heart flutter. Jake reached up and put his hand on the side of her face and said
"you also have nice skin, not like mine though mine, cover with scars."
Jake started to drop his hand from her face when Jackie caught it and said
"I don't mind your scars Jake."
Their eye held each other's gaze for a moment then Jackie started to hunch over and Jake pushed himself closer with his toes. They lips were less than an inch then the coms buzzed on and the UNSC officer voice filled the room.
"Spartan 901 and 099 report to hanger bay two in ten minutes."
Both the Spartans drew back and stood there in awkward silence form moment then Jake said
"Guess we better get are gear."
"Yeah you're right."
And with that the Spartan left in different directions.
