What it Means to be Human
Chapter 2: Scavenge and Survive, "How the F*CK did you survive?
"Alright listen up," Chief began as soon as the entered the ready room to wait on the reset. "Change out your weapons to close quarters only," he began before punching a few commands on the Artemis, "also some other news. As of this moment all our armor capabilities and strengths are limited to that of a mark-V. I am not going to lie to you, this was possibly the second hardest mission of my career."
That took Alpha-Nine by complete surprise as they swapped a few weapons out and reloaded on grenades. "This is the Library on the Alpha Halo. This place is covered in flood and will overwhelm you quickly. Follow my lead, and when you are on the last few rounds for a magazine drop the gun and pick up one of the enemy's dropped ones. I promise you it will have more ammo than yours."
"Uh Chief," Dutch spoke up a bit nervous, "you know that we can't mag swap on the completely hard light weapons dropped from the enemy's right?"
"I am aware Sergeant Dutch," John said chambering a round on his rifle before shouldering it getting ready as the counter reached 10 seconds. "This will be a test the other Spartans will be doing for me to evaluate their skills. Think of it as scavenge and survive."
The members of Alpha-Nine nodded each shoulder a weapon, the door hit 0 and as one the five moved into the Library.
Chief took point shooting as he ran through the door, the assault rifle bucking in his grip as he tore through the hallway blasting away with perfect accuracy. John had entered the fabled Spartan Time as he engaged the first enemy. Everything slowed around him as he lined up his shots; as he squeezed the trigger the powerful 7.62mm full metal jacket rounds tore through the heads of infected hosts.
While John kept his focus on the bodies of the attackers; Alpha-Nine was tearing through infected forms and carries, though they weren't as effective as the Chief. They weren't use to the weight of the mark-V, nor the lack of smart link to line up shots. Instead they had a solitary cursor that lite up when you were most likely to hit something, and their frustration was building.
"How in the hell did the IIs ever hit anything, this is ridiculous," Buck shouted as he laid into a carrier form with his assault rifle. Mikey and Dutch taking flanking positions shooting at any spore forms with their SMGs, their shots going wide, but the fragile bodies detonating from the force of the bullets.
"Couldn't tell ya Gunny," Romeo said bringing up the rear blasting at anything that got back up. I didn't actually believe the stories about zombie like behavior. Guess I should've, he thought blowing another infected form apart as it tried to take the group out from behind.
I can't believe he fought through this alone, Dutch thought as he reloaded his SMG. This is daunting with five of us, he began unloading on spores that just broke free from a pre-exploded carrier thanks to his fireteam leader.
He's gotta be running low on ammo soon, Mickey thought keeping an eye on the Chief. Still though, the legends of what he could do don't even hold a candle to the real deal. This guy is a beast.
Mickey was re-adjusting his aim to a group of incoming spore forms when he saw the Chief break formation. Running forward, leaving Buck to take his spot as point, he saw the hulking armor figure target an Elite infected form. How can he move so fast in this old shitty armor, he thought watching the Chief reach the Flood form in his opinion too fast. Just before the Spartan reach the Flood form he flipped the rifle in his hand, holding it by the fore-grip, the butt jutting straight back; and before Mickey's eyes used it to club the head off the infected form.
"What the, how the, just...fuck," Buck said having taken the forward position getting front row view to the massive figure's attack.
The others could just stare in amazement before remembering the battle raging around them, the reminder was when John had used the now liberated hard light constructed plasma rifle to kill a second infected form trying to sneak up behind them. "Don't fall behind Spartan's," was all he said to them before turning and continuing down the corridor blasting away at everything in his path.
"I'm with the big guy on this," Mickey commented cheekily before rushing ahead and into combat with the Chief.
"Same," Dutch said following after the two.
Romeo and Buck shared a look for sighing and shouldering their weapons. "If he could do it, we could do it. Right Gunny," Romeo joked as the two began running and firing, buckshot and 7.62mm rounds tearing through any left over enemies as they caught up.
"To be honest," Buck began but had to pause as he sidestepped a human infected form before blowing it away from the back. This close Buck couldn't miss the headshots and blew its head clean off with a small burst from the rifle. "Sorry about that," he said re-orienting himself to face the oncoming enemies, "as I was saying, to be honest, I don't think anyone could truly keep up with him currently."
"Why is that," Romeo asked curiously taking out a carrier before swapping weapons and blowing the spore forms away with SMG fire.
"Just look at this," Buck gestured around at everything going on with his head, continuing to pour fire down range as they closed the small gap that had formed earlier. "I've read the files, we all did in Spartan-IV training, everyone knew there was camera footage to back up the file, no one but High Command had seen it. But here we are fighting an endless horde of enemies, barely making it through, and he did this ALONE. This mission was pulled from his camera footage, and there hasn't been a single other Marine or ODST this entire time. How does someone push through this mess and stay sane?"
Before Romeo could ponder on this, the two heard John speak up in the com-links, "when everything around you is chaos, you must find and steel you courage." His voice was firm was he picked up a discarded needler and began unloading into two more forms encroaching on their formation, "this is especially true when you are stranded alone. No commanding officer to give you orders, to direct the next mission. You have to trust in your duty, trust in your training, and have faith that you will make it out."
John dropped the now empty Needler, picking up a Plasma Pistol before unloading on more enemies, alternating between charge shots and standard bolts, "I have never thought of myself as some great or inspiring soldier. I am merely Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Sierra-117 Spartan-II commando. I trust the training I was given to accomplish the missions assigned to me, nothing more, nothing less."
The members of Alpha-Nine shared embarrassed chuckles having just remembered that their com-link was shared with the giant. Great now we look like a bunch of gossiping school girls finally meeting their crush. Just great, Buck thought with a sigh blowing away another carrier.
"With all do respect Master Chief," Dutch said dropping his SMG to pick up a fallen shotgun. Pumping rounds into the chest of an attacking infect Elite, "I doubt anyone could pull this off alone, except yourself. Cause ya done it already."
John's next words surprised all of Alpha-Nine again, "by the time I am done training all of the active Spartans on Infinity, that statement will not be true."
The entirety of Alpha-Nine paused at his words before sharing a quick look between each other. the shared sentiment of, we are FUCKED.
Lasky had seen some funny sights in his life. He had seen service men & women drunk off their asses to the point it was surprising they were even standing. He had seen comdey movies, and tv shows that left him in stitches. He had seen a full fledge bear riding a unicycle juggling at a fair once when he was a kid at a circus. But his new funniest moment was when the other Spartan-IVs and their Commander heard what the Master Chief said to Alpha-Nine.
By the time I am done training all of the active Spartans on Infinity, that statement will not be true, the words had rung out from the speakers; and with it an audible gulp came from the whole crowd. Then after a few seconds of silence, Commander Sarah Palmer summed up everyone's thoughts with the most perfect statement ever in the Captain's opinion, "fuck me!"
Lasky was trying very hard to keep his chuckles at bay, "when they picked him for training, what more did you expect," he asked the Commander. His tone was jaunty and she could tell he was baiting her.
"Captain Lasky," Sarah began all serious as her Spartans began to converse quietly amongst themselves at the news, "shut the fuck sir."
At that Tom lost is, and could no longer contain his laughter where he promptly laughed himself to the deck. The gathered Spartans having missed the exchange between Commander and Captain, but all of them knowing they were screwed.
The team had been fighting level through level of the Library for the last two hours straight, and while John seemed no worse for ware, Alpha-Nine was starting to show signs of weariness. Shot's began streaking wide, reaction times slower, more enemies getting within their fire screen.
When John began to notice this he started to fall back closer to the group of Spartan-IVs to give them a better hand and an extra cross firing lane. Taking a quick moment Chief check the Artemis and saw they were almost to the elevator's top level, where the mission would end. "One level remaining Spartans," he called out dropping his left arm before taking aim again. He fired, and hot plasma shot from the end of a liberated plasma rifle ripping and burning through the heads of oncoming infected forms.
"You heard the Chief," Buck shouted. He was exhausted, worn-out, and sore. Two hours of fighting an endless swarm of enemies, on top of constantly keeping an eye on the ammo gauge, and then when low switching out was taking its toll on the Spartan-IV. "Let's show him we can push hard till the end," he finished dropping the Magnum he had found in favor of a shotgun.
"Alpha-Nine knows how to bring it," Dutch shouted firing into a carrier with a full plasma pistol charged shot. The initial force of the shot causing the form to explode and release all of its spore forms. However the plasma from the shot showered down on them after destabilizing from the impact and explosion of the carrier form, burning them all to ash.
Suddenly a loud boom was heard and a rocket flew through the formation and into a group of charging infected forms, destroying them in a shower of body parts. "Please," Mickey said with a smile before sighting in another group and firing, "we wrote the book on how to bring it!" Mickey dropped the empty rocket launcher he found laying around after they had taken out a group of infected. He pulled free a plasma rifle and rejoined the others in the final push.
Romeo didn't say anything, just let a fully charged plasma bolt fly point blank into an infect forms face, ripping the assault rifle out of its dieing hands. He quickly turned and began firing on the group of enemies between them and the elevator.
Alpha-Nine and the Master Chief made the final push through the last group of enemies and reached the elevator controls. Working quickly he activated them opening a door of solid light in the simulation before the group entered.
"Holy shit," Romeo finally spoke up, hunched over breathing hard in his helmet.
All of Alpha-Nine was either breathing hard hunched over or relaxing against a wall clearly wore out. They hadn't realized it but the three simulations they did run with the Chief had eaten up three and a half hours, and with only two five minute breaks in between the fighting, the Spartan-IVs were exhausted.
Pulling up the Artemis, John began clearing the simulator que and setting it for auto sweep to pick up the wireframe weapons laying in the training area by the group. Makes cleanup easy and non-essential, John thought to himself with a smile. His mind wandered to the training exercises his Spartan class was run through, and how it was universally hated that they had to scour the training field for dropped weapons and gear.
Once the green light was off the team's hard light weapons faded and the back door unlocked, "good job Spartans," John nodded to them before opening the door and stepping out.
What in the world, John thought as he saw the room filled with stunned Spartan-IVs. He looked at the viewing screen and saw it replaying the last few minutes of the simulation run they just did. It would seem it got out that I was running simulations, his thoughts continued as he scanned the room before laying eyes on a smiling Captain Lasky and a very annoyed Commander Palmer.
Immediately John's training snapped him into attention calling out, "officer on deck." The members of Alpha-Nine snapping to attention as well having just stepped out of the ready room.
"At ease Chief, Alpha-Nine," Lasky said approaching them, "and take off that armor Alpha-Nine; grab some early chow, you deserve it after that last run." The Spartan-IVs nodded and with a quick word of thanks to the Captain while they began a slow trudge out and down to the armory. Turning to face John, Lasky smiled again, "it's good to see you already interacting with the new Spartans Chief. But maybe next time you can run them all through on something easier."
Easier, John thought with an internal chuckle, his mind wandering to Sergeant Johnson. "Sir," Chief said seriously, "I have seen regular non-augmented marines do amazing things. One was even able to keep up with me."
"Avery Johnson," Lasky asked with a soft smile. A nod from the Spartan after a brief pause and he continued, "don't look surprised under that visor Spartan, I've read your files," the Captain joked.
"Sir," Chief nodded before heading over to his datapad and setting up a new run. Restocking his wire-frame weapons with the same load out as before.
"Back at it after three and a half hours straight? Isn't that a bit much, especially on your day off Chief," Lasky questioned, his tone almost patronizing.
"I still have to assess the full capabilities of this new armor sir," John said closing the locker and turning to face the man.
"Very well," Lasky sighed out after a pause gauging the man, he isn't going to relent. Still though there is only one person on board that could have made that armor for him. Was it ONI's commission, or Hoods? Something's going on at High Command.
As John passed him, Lasky noticed most of the Spartans were hanging around waiting to watch the rest of the run and Lasky got a terrible idea, I'm gonna get sucker punched later for this, but who better than to show him all the armors new features than the best in the mark-VII? "Commander," Lasky spoke up in his official order giving voice, drawing her attention, "get geared up and in the run with the Chief. Let's see the two best Spartans in action."
I am sooo going to kill you Lasky, Sarah thought as she mumbled cursors to the lockers selecting a load out. "Suggestions Chief," Palmer barked out staring at the weapon choices.
"First mission is the Battle for Ciro station, second mission is the assassination of the Prophet of Regret, third will be run same as the Library, with our armors set to the old mark-VI settings, as it was my most difficult mission to date."
"What is the third mission," she asked pausing at her last weapon choice, she had started to load up for a mixture of long and short range after the first two mission his listed.
"The raid on High Charity to search for the index, another scavenge and survive exercise the others will run," the Chief spoke about raiding the Covenant Holy City as though he was planning on taking a walk in a park.
Tom Lasky, you are a dead man, Palmer mentally screamed pulling free her final weapon of choice.
Palmer's load out consisted of two magnums on each thigh plate, an assault rifle on her back, and oddly enough to the Chief's surprise a battle rifle with a sling. Clever, he thought as she grabbed two ammo belts, a few grenade pouches, and one deployable cover. Solid load out, planning for surprise with the deployable cover, John thought looking over her gear. "Commander Palmer," he spoke with a bit of praise, "I believe I am going to enjoy working with you."
The was silence in the room as everyone stared at the pair. Sarah quickly secured her helmet to hide the impending blush of embarrassment. What am I? A sixteen year old schoolgirl, she thought bitterly about her want to hide a blush in the first place.
"Bit forward there, eh Chief," Lasky asked with a grin and wink.
John realized he had called the Commander out in public with a surprise compliment. I didn't mean to say that out loud, the Master Chief sighed to himself. "I apologize for the forwardness ma'am, it has been awhile since I've worked with an operator that thinks about the mission before selecting loadout. Most I run into pick their favorite weapon over mission parameters."
Of course it's something as mundane as that, Sarah thought shaking her head feeling even further embarrassed.
"Well a full vote of confidence from the Master Chief himself," Lasky chuckled with a grin at Sarah, "see? Told ya we picked the right gal for the job." Lasky knew Sarah had been a bit embarrassed reading the Chief's words incorrectly. But he also knew she constantly grappled with the feeling that she wasn't good enough to be the Commander of the Spartans, especially with legends still walking around. He had hoped his words would inspire her despite his crass delivery.
"Despite your crass delivery Captain," she spoke with venom, "I appreciate the memo, sir."
"Well then you two go have fun," Lasky said with a wave as the two entered the simulation ready room.
"Is he always like that," John asked as the countdown clock started.
"Pretty much," she said grabbing the battle rifle on the sling.
Chief took the time to inspect it and found it to be a good idea. The sling is built into an attachment on the shoulder plate. Titanium bi weave, capable of electromagnetic shaping. She can keep it out of the way in battle when it runs out. No auto reload feature though wonder what she will do knowing she may have to drop it later. "Ma'am, while I applaud the use of the sling and battle rifle setup for more armament. But with the auto reload sequence disabled there is not unlimited ammo, wouldn't that loadout become cumbersome," John warned again to be cautious.
"I had that in mind when I selected this load out Chief," Sarah nodded to him confirming her choice.
"10-4 Spartan," Chief said shoulder his assault rifle as the counter his ten, "I apologize if this is uncomfortable Commander but I will take lead in these simulations."
"Normally I'd argue, but you've done them. You've got the intel," she said. She knew trying to take lead would be suicide in any of Chief's old missions if the files and after action reports were anything to go by. "You tell me where to go and what to kill, and I'll show you how Spartan-IVs really bring it," she bolster at the legend.
"Affirmative Commander," John spoke as the door opened. Then the orders came flying from the Spartan-II, "we have exactly 30 minutes to reach the bomb planted on the lower hanger. Let's get to it."
They rushed out and down a flight of stairs to a room being fortified by a group of naval personnel wearing nothing but dress whites. This is from his helmet cam. Why was he wearing his armor to a ceremony, she question as one of them barked out orders.
Feel the fire on that bulk head. They are coming in through that door, let's get tactical. The AIs around them all cheered and Sarah head the sound of bolts freeing and safeties being released.
Then she saw something on the bulkhead doors. What the fuck is...oh fuck, she thought as a red dot on the blast doors expanded in size. Why didn't I bring a heavy weapon, she thought with grim determination as she gripped her battle rifle a bit harder. Aim for the empty plates in the armor. Back is best target, she reminder herself, knowing their was only one thing that could penetrate blast doors.
Suddenly her fears were confirmed when two massive armored hulking figures stormed out of the rubble from when the blast doors finally detonated, firing small green bolts of plasma at the gathered personnel. Before anyone could do anything against the Hunters eight Hydra missiles tore through the corridor; all finding vital openings in the hulking mass. Holy shit, Sarah thought watching them explode in orange blood, body parts, and blue armor.
I wish I had this armor through the whole Halo campaign, Chief thought while reloading his missiles with his left hand. While his right clutched his assault rifle, blasting away at a group of Grunts that were coming in from behind the Hunters. Once his missile launchers were re-armed, Chief steady the weapon with his free left hand, sprinting down the corridor blasting Elites away with perfectly grouped headshots. The rifles 7.62mm ammo tearing through the Elite's' shields and then heads after a grouping of 10. With 30 rounds a magazine the Chief was already swapping, but instead of magazines he dipped down picking up a plasma pistol with his left hand and a rifle with his right.
Get your ass in gear Spartan, Sarah shouted at herself before sprinting down the hallway full thruster. She caught up to the Chief before passing him and leaping down into an open hanger. "It's time to do what grunts do, and pound the ground," Sarah shouted igniting a small booter option in her thrusters. She slammed into an Elite full force, pushing it to the ground killing it by crushing its rib cage. The Grunts surrounding the Elite were frozen by the shock wave of force allowing Sarah to grab her Magnums. Pulling the guns free, the Commander targeted the methane tanks on the stunned guns, detonating them in bluish flames as she twirled around firing.
John was impressed with the idea to use the thrusters in such away, these IVs are very clever. They don't have our full strength so they use the force from the thrusters to compensate. Wonder what would happen if I tried it? Chief's thoughts turned to surprise again as he caught sight of the slung battle rifle, the sling is rigidly formed to the back of the armor plate. I wonder how fast its draw time is.
No sooner had he thought that did the Command put up her magnums as she sprinted to her right, and summoned forth the battle rifle. Activating the sling was easy enough, just select it from the HUD with the correct gesture and the weapon sprang from under the shoulder to perfect firing highet.
The sling also acted as a sort of chest mounted stabilizer, and if a Spartan trained long enough with it and the smartlink system, they could be incredibly deadly. Sarah was one of these few, one who spent tireless hours going over all the equipment, how it worked, how it would assist, and in what missions how to deploy it effectively. Out of all the armor accessories she found, this one was the best in her opinion. She could control the powerful recoil of the gun perfectly; intensifying the effectiveness of three-round burst option.
Chief watched her take out the three Elites so fast they never even got a bead on her. Then she thrusted into the middle of the Grunts formation, dropping the battle rifle which automatically retracted under her shoulder and onto her back. She dropped low and grabbed two of the dropped plasma rifles, twirling and firing just like before. Looking through the blue flames of the dieing Grunts Sarah called to the Master Chief, "feeling tired old man?"
She wants to play eh, Cortana's voice rang out in the Chief's mind. Cortana, Chief couldn't help but think she and Sarah would get along just from sassiness. "Figured I'd let you have your fun," he said dropping down and standing by ready to fire into the horrid about to burst through the door.
"You sure know how to show a girl a good time," Sarah laughed as the door burst opened and plasma fire raced across the hanger. John stuck with a tired a true method he had come up with back on Alpha Halo; fully charged plasma bolt and three rounds from the plasma rifle. With lethal precision Chief was knocking Elites down left and right, breaking into a second hanger.
"This one is more over loaded with Covenant, great," Sarah growled, though a slight happy edge was detected in her voice by John, as she began targeting the mounted turrets above.
I know what the ladies like, Avery's voice flooded John's head as he tore into the hangar with her, firing on the ground troops keeping with his one two punch method. He knew he could trust Sarah to deal with the turrets, so he charged forward not even blinking at them as they turned to target him.
"If I didn't know any better Chief," Sarah began, her voice sounding both amused and embarrassed as she blew away the mounted turrets with burning hot plasma. "I'd say this is your idea of a date, and that was you flirting," she finished joining him in clearing the ground troops.
"I said that last comment out loud didn't I," Chief asked a bit embarrassed ducking under an Elite's sword. He dropped both of his weapons and activated his plasma daggers. Shoving the Elite's arm to the side with his left one blocking a second strike from the sword, the Chief speared his arm in, the host blade of plasma melting its face. "I apologize Commander," Chief spoke pulling free his battle rifle and firing on the Gunts and Palmer was taking on the last of the Elites with her plasma rifles, "but the conversation reminded me of one I heard between Cortana and Sergeant Johnson."
"What prompted that conversation," Palmer asked killing the last Elite. She dropped her spent rifles and summoned the slung battle rifle free again, staging behind and to the left of the Chief as he weighted by a maintenance door.
The door opened and Chief began to open fire on the Elite while Sarah took out the Grunts, "the Sergeant was airlifting us a surprise Scorpion." He rushed forward and barreled into an unsuspecting camouflaged Elite, "Cortana mentioned how I never got her anything," he voice waiver ever so slightly at the mention of her name. "And she expressed her love for high explosives, before the Sergeant responded with that statement," the Chief finished the explanation as they reach the second over run habitat.
"You had an interesting group with you during Delta Halo," the Commander responded having already read the files about both Captain Keys and the regular Marine Sergeant-Major Avery J Johnson. It's amazing to think that a regular unaugmented Marine was able to do things even Helljumpers would take pause before even considering. Hell half the time his record showed him dropping with Helljumpers, she thought Firing into the stationary gunner's methane tank, killing him and destroying the gun.
The Elite on the platform with the now dead Grunt dove to the side, and right into the Master Chief's line of fire. A controlled burst from the assault rifle at almost point blank range turned the Elite's head into a splatter of blood as the two took cover from the mounted guns on top raining plasma on the wall right by them.
"Any ideas," Palmer asked, almost teasingly.
"A few," John said lining a few things up in his head, "just get ready and cover the right side airlock when you see it start to open."
Sarah nodded and John switched out for his SMGs. Moving like lightning, John jumped from their cover and onto the platform with the first mounted turret. Without giving the turrets time to re-adjust, John lept to the next platform, targeting and Elite before performing the same move Sarah had earlier.
John weighed in armor around 700 pounds total, his thrusters along with the other members of Blue Team that were currently on assignment in a different company, were twice as powerful. When he used the boost and flew into the Elite full force from the top down. Instantly turning it into blue paste on the ground as he stunned the Grunts in the area, unloading on them as he shot back into cover with his purple thrusters on the other side of the habitat.
Sarah wasn't sitting around gawking this time, she saw her moment and took it the second the turrets started to track the Master Chief. With a quick set of two three-round burst shots, she brought down both turret gunners.
Each covered the side path from their respective positions and got ready for more enemies. Splitting and crossing the room both took up points to cover the left and right entrances. Chief tucked himself away near an open container box and began to set up targets for his Hydra missiles. Acting quickly the Chief shot four missiles, two taking the center of the formation while another two took the edges of it. The attacking Covenant weren't prepared for the missiles and were quickly dispatched. Chief turned to see if Palmer needed any help, well I'll be damned.
When John had turned around he was expecting to see the Commander in cover blasting away at the enemy. What he was not expecting to see was her throw a plasma grenade, then shoot it, detonating it over the attacking squad. The Grunts all died from the explosion, while the Elite leading them was hit full force with burning plasma that instantly overloaded his shields. Palmer didn't wait for more than a second; the Elite fell at the sound of another gunshot.
"Nice trick," Chief commented heavily impressed with her marksmanship. She could probably give Linda a run for her money, Chief said to himself, let's see if she can finish out strong. "Alright Spartan," John barked out to her, "on me. We've got another 15 minutes to reach the bomb." With that said the two began making their way through the maze of hallways that was Ciro Station.
It didn't take long for the two of the them to run across the same AI as before issuing orders to a group of mixed personal. That Sergeant-Major sure is badass, that has got to be Johnson, she thought listening to the man bolster and laugh as his forces fought tooth and nail to reach their ship. Guess we got escort duty, she laughed a bit as they help the men and women of the UNSC In Amber Clad. Thankfully the escort was short and the two parted ways with the group to move outside the station.
"We have 10 minutes remaining," John said as the two began ducking and dodging Elite plasma fire outside the station. John was blazing through, dodging shots by millimeters, and returning fire with his ever trusty assault rifle. Sarah was blazing away three round bursts taking down the shields for Chief's ungodly accuracy to finish off. To the on lookers in the viewing room, they almost seemed to be dancing the way one would fall back and the other push up.
After what seemed like an eternity the two were over the MAC cannon platform's elevator, "how in gods name did you do that by yourself?"
"With really good aim," Chief said attempting a joke for the first time in her company. What is it about you that puts me at ease?
"No kidding," she said swapping mags in the battle rifle before re-shouldering it as the elevator slowed. John however surprised her, he simply put his assault rifle on the back mag clip, "Master Chief?"
"10-4 Spartan," was all he said. He had figured what her question was going to be, but felt answering it was pointless. I need to see how fast I can close the gap and fight a few Majors and Zealots.
The second the door opened John was moving, sprinting with all his thrusters active. moving as fast as a speeding car. Targeting the first surprised Zealot, Chief angled his body before activating the boost feature. The armored warrior slammed his shoulder into the Elite, before batting him away like garbage. The Elite had already died from the impact, chest crushed by brute force from the blow, was used to knock two Majors into Sarah's firing lane.
Acting quickly Sarah pumped burst shot after burst shot into their heads until they fell just as her magazine went dry. She quickly re-loaded before sighting in on the Master Chief looking for another shot, and almost dropped her rifle, what in the actual fuck?
John was, to be plainly stated, massacring the Elites guarding the bomb. The group had originally consisted of 10 Majors and 15 Zealots, with the Chief's opening strike and my kills just now that still leaves 12 high ranking Elites. How in the hell did he do it alone the first time? What is it that can allow him to do these feets? And this, she thought mind racing back to the fight.
Ducking, side stepping, jumping, but never falling back. The Master Chief was a whirlwind of blue plasma as his wrist mounted daggers slashed and burnt into his enemies. After the AI's shock wore off the Elites ignited their plasma swords before roaring and charging in. One to his right tried for a vicious downward swing, putting all his might into killing the demon. John side stepped his swing, spinning on his heel and landing a horizontal slash through the Elite's back; severing its spinal cord.
The twirl wasn't for effect, as Sarah watched him block the second attacker with his left arm; allowing it to compress and absorb the impact. John had figured out the new armors could operate the thrusters at different points in the body, it's what allowed the Spartan-IVs the simulated strength of the IIs. Pushing his thrusters in just that arm he forced the Elite back with brute strength, pushing it back and off balance. Using his thrusters again Chief lunged at it getting just enough high and sideways force to land a decapitating blow with a right hook.
John kept his momentum and charged at one of the Elites, activating his thrusters and flying forwards with his blades crossed. The Elite squared its feet preparing for the impact with what qualified as a smirk. When the two clashed John's daggers were locked equally with the plasma sword; until he activated his boost. The force of the boost pressed the blades further back and the Elite was killed by his own sword.
John jumped to the left dodging a horizontal strike, and deflecting a downward diagonal strike from another. Moving quickly he grabbed the outstretched arm of the one who's blow he deflected, and pulled it into a thruster augmented knee. The Elite was winded, knocked out, and left for dead with its organs essentially paste.
Sarah finally pulled herself out of her stupor and began firing on the open Elites. Hours of practice with the sling-ed weapon paying off in spades as she blew away confused Majors. With Sarah finally giving aid the two finished clearing the room and then Chief deactivated the bomb.
"How much time," she asked Chief as the took a moment.
"You don't want to know," Chief said in a somewhat melancholy tone.
Sarah smiled, he ain't so bad, a bit quiet and strange. "So I heard a rumor that no one can confirm. Think you can finish playing the helmet cam footage here," she asked gesturing around to their area. If I am right, I win….I think the pots up to 100,000 credits now?
John pulled up the Artemis and punched in a few commands before nodding, "yes Commander. Only as view though ma'am."
"Do ya mind putting it on, I want to put something to rest," she asked politely but vaguely. Finally! We all find out if the story is true, she inwardly screamed with glee.
"Ma'am," he answered confusedly but hit play regardless.
"No way," she spoke out in awe. She couldn't help it, as their was a shift in perspective and she saw the same number of high ranking Elites, just dead in different ways. Once more he stands alone and not a fucking soul around. How does he do it? She thought before the scene played before her.
Sir, Permission to leave the station, the AI-Master Chief said into his ear piece.
What for son, came the response on the other end.
To give the Covenant back their bomb, the Chief spoke with steel and conviction.
The Master Chief's response confirmed everything for Sarah in that one statement. There's no fucking way. I'm gonna see it, it's going to be confirmed by me and about a hundred Spartans-IVs, but I don't know if I can still believe it.
She watched as the AI grabbed the bomb and pulled it into the elevator. And that's when she heard Cortana speak up, you know this is crazy right?
Then stay behind, the Chief said. His tone hadn't changed, but something about the way he said it, it almost came off as a joke.
Unfortunately for us both, I like crazy, Cortana spoke out in jest of the situation and what was transpiring.
This is insane, Palmer thought as she watched the Chief pull the bomb into the airlock. He moved to the emergency open lever and gripped it tight.
What if you miss, Cortana inquired as Chief tensed.
I won't, he spoke. His calm attitude spoke volumes over the actions need to be performed. Pulling the lever the AI caught the bomb at just the right point, knocking it into the path of a Covenant super-carrier.
He's going to do it, she thought in amazement as the man flew a bomb through one of the largest space battles she had ever seen. She saw three longsword bombers drop their payloads on the cruiser and watched as he guided the bomb into the belly of the reactor core.
He quickly righted himself on the bomb before resetting it and kicking off activating his thrusters. The thrusters were glitchy as hell on the mark-VIs, I'm surprised he can even use them-, her thought cut off as she watched them glitch out and the Chief enter armor lock down mode as he entered an exhaust vent shaft. The bomb exploded as he entered, the force tearing apart the core and causing total detonation. The bastard actually did it, in-fucking-credible, she thought as he used the force traveling down the shaft to push him out and onto the In Amber Clad, Cortana unlocking his armor so he could join the rest of the ship in re-entry.
The feed cut and the door to the ready room opened and the two entered wordlessly.
"Whelp," Captain Lasky said breaking the silence, "no matter how impressive my capital ship kill record is, and it is impressive indeed, it will look like shit compared to that. Sure take down a capital ship with a MAC cannon, I'm just going to fly a bomb into one, and fly out like it's just another monday."
The gather IVs couldn't help but nodded silently, even Alpha-Nine who has recently rejoined after grabbing chow and putting on working uniforms, were stunned silent. They want one of us to take over for this guy, Buck thought with amazement. And where the fuck did he get all this luck? That took way too many things lining up just right to be any kind of plan. That was a wing it all the way to hell, but somehow, some way, win.
Others had similar thoughts running through their minds, until Mickey spoke up, "do you think surviving his training is what is going to give us his luck? Because if we are just gonna be running his old missions, I fear for my sanity."
All the gathered Spartans paled at the thought of the training the Master Chief was going to inflict upon them; to the point they would willingly try what he just did as a sound strategy. You could hear a pin drop with the quiet; before Lasky started laughing uncontrollably again, "I am so glad I am not a Spartan," the Captain spoke out between laughs.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence sir," Romeo shot back sarcastically before he was swatted by Buck.
"That's the Captain," Buck said clearly irritated with Romeo's continued lack of respect. Romeo had a past with being insubordinate on many occasions. But he was one of the best snipers and keeping him enlisted and in the Spartan program kept him from other things.
"It's alright Sergeant Buck," Lasky said calming down and waving the NCO down. "I apologize if I was out of turn Lance Corporal Agu," Lasky spoke his tone calm and even, "you all are worried and scared of the training he has coming for you. Don't deny it, I would be. But remember this is what trainings for. And that is where we have failed your class of Spartans."
Whichever Spartan's attention he didn't have, he had now. "We gave you augmentations, we gave you Mjolnir power armor, but we didn't give you the same training they had. We figured more seasoned vets would yield just as good result. But they," Lasky said gesturing to the screen showing Sarah and John moving through a network of moving platforms killing squads of Covenant on their hunt for the Prophet of Regret.
"They stand above because they have the training, the experience, the hardships to push past their boundaries. Your Commander is matching the Master Chief shot for shot, move for move. Sure," he began his tone lighting slightly, "the Master Chief is racking up a higher kill count, but with that new armor he's got, kinda cheating." He finally got a laugh out of the gather Spartans and Romeo nodded a bit, thanking the Captain for the apology and the true vote of confidence.
You are a credit to you Spartan class Commander Palmer, Laksy thought watching as the two took down the Prophet of Regret.
Line Break
"So that's one Prophet Hierarch down," Palmer said between breaths, finally starting to feel exhaustion set in.
"Ready for the Raid on High Charity," Chief asked punching in a few commands, dropping their armor specs.
"Give a girl a minute," Palmer asked finally standing and changing mags for fresh ones.
John nodded and waited for her signal to start the countdown.
"So give a gal some prep," she said replacing the spent mag in her battle rifle.
"Covenant Holy City of High Charity," John began jogging his own memory with the name, "home to the entire Covenant fleet currently under orders and not on leave on home worlds or colonies. This will not be easy, especially with the armor limited to the capabilities of the mark-VI. There will be no thrusters, no plasma daggers," and the Chief walked forward a bit, closing the distance. He quickly detached her sling, catching the battle rifle before putting it up, along with his extra Hydra missile belt.
"No extra armor abilities," he spoke out, his voice as clam as ever as he completely disarmed both of them. Then he pulled two plasma pistols out and handed one to her, "and no UNSC weapons."
"What in the actual fuck Chief," Sarah growled out as she grabbed his armor with her free hand and shook him, "first of all, why the fuck didn't you tell me about that before I reloaded my weapons and gear, secondly what the fuck? You stormed High Charity with a plasma pistol?"
"I apologize, I just remembered with the Artemis was re-setting the armor specs," John began confused by the closeness and anger of the Commander, "and as for your other question, no"
"No you didn't storm High Charity with a plasma pistol," she asked, her tone clearly asking for more of an explanation. I'm gonna kill him if he thinks this is some kind of joke, she screamed mentally.
"No, I was teleported there by the Gravemind literally right after this last mission. I had no weapons when I arrived, I took the plasma pistol from a grunt filming the Prophet of Truth, took a shot at him, but he shields held. He disappeared in a quick escape grave lift and left me in the council chambers with a whole clan of Brute Majors," John explained as quickly and politely as possible.
Sarah let go of his armor and stood shell shocked, "wh-what the fuck."
"Commander," John said placing his hand on her shoulder, "I made it through this, so can you."
"How?"
The question was asked so simply John was amazed. How, he thought, how do I keep doing the impossible. The question that seems to be on everyone's minds. His thoughts drifted to Chief Mendez, and his words before they entered the augmentation process, to win you have to forget everything about pain and fear. You have to forget that there is an impossible, that every problem has a solution. You are now Spartans, the best the UNSC has to offer in defense of Earth and her Colonies. Leave fear behind and embrace the Spartan creed of old, "Either return with your shield, or on it."
The Chief hadn't realized he said anything until he saw her tense, "Commander Palmer?"
Forget pain and fear? Forget that there is an impossible? Does he actually believe that? Is the best soldier is the UNSC seriously guided by blind luck? Then her mind took her a place she hated to go.
She wasn't sure why but she was back on Erebus VII, in a Brute encampment. She was bound, surrounded by the dead, dismembered bodies of her ODST squad mates. No, not this, anything but this, she thought remembering the horrible place. They would torture them for any information they could get, and when the ODSTs wouldn't break, they would eat them alive in front of the others.
Forget pain and fear, she watched as she cut herself free after taking the knife from her dead squad mate, sorry Peter, she thought as she remembered feeling guilty robbing his corps. She moved quietly, clutching the Helljumper toothpick like a lifeline. Sh waited behind the door for the next one to enter,I thought that was the perfect plan. Kill it from behind and go for home.
It didn't take long for one to come hulking through the door of the bombed out building they were in. "Little human," it growled out, "you ready to play? Answer wrong and I get to eat you. I've never had female, I wonder if you are more tender," it finished chuckling at its joke.
The Brute was a Chieftain wielding and Brute shot, and he came in scanning the room with it. You have to forget that there is an impossible, that every problem has a solution. That's when Sarah realized what the Master Chief meant. She should have died here, but this is where she steeled her resolve and promised she wouldn't die there. Where she struck without fear of dieing, because that was the least of her worries. She killed the Brute with a surprise slash to the neck, as he fell with a severed spinal cord thanks to the titanium blade. She quickly picked up its Brute shot and ran out the door.
She targeted the first of the remaining four and fired, her malnourished arms weren't ready for the recoil and when the weapon bucked, broke both her arms. She remember how much pain she was in as she kept firing moving to the other two in the room. When the dust settled she stood tall over the dead Brutes. Dropping the weapon she began running, running as fast as her legs could carry her.
She was drawn out of the memory by Chief shaking her, "Commander, you sure you don't need more rest?"
"No," she said her voice finding itself. That's the feeling you have everyday, she thought steeling her resolve and finding that will within. She moved to the doorway, plasma pistol at the ready, "start the clock Chief,"
John nodded and started the clock on the Artemis. and joined her at the ready. "Remember, pick up anything dropped, it will have more ammo than you," John said as the clock reach 0.
The two charged through the door and into the council chambers of the Covenant.
The gathered Spartans had all left at some point to grab show, as the simulation run was pushing on three hours by itself, and every gathered soldier had one thought on their minds. How in the world did he do this alone?
The Chief and Palmer were making incredible time according to the Chief through the open comm-link, but still, the daunting task of fighting through an entire city filled with Covenant laid before them.
"They just hit the halfway point," Buck asked astounded as he heard the Chief mention they were halfway complete when they reached the dieing Prophet of Mercy.
"We are at the halfway point Commander," they heard ring out from the armored figure on screen. "But this is where things get interesting," he spoke again as he began firing on Flood that flew in on a damaged Pelican.
"You call this interesting," Palmer growled out as she joined him, her liberated fuel rod cannon blowing away all the different Flood forms as the two raced back the way they came.
"No," John said simply before pointing with his left hand, continuing to fire the carbine with his right, "I call that interesting."
The others watched Sarah's head follow his finger to see the In Amber Clad smash into High Charity. Followed by scores of Flood breaking free, either in damaged Pelican dropships or free falling from exits and vents.
Whatever Sarah plans to do to me, I deserve, Lasky thought watching the four way battle the two Spartans had entered. The Elites and few fractioning Grunts and Hunters vs. the Brutes, Jackals, and Hunters vs. the Flood vs. them. Their battlefield awareness is unprecedented, his thoughts continued as he watched them send forth a continuous stream of fire.
"It's pretty amazing to watch," Mickey spoke up watching as the Commander used her fuel rod cannon as a club, batting away an infect human form. Its loose grip on the shotgun completely failing at the impact allowed Sarah to liberate the weapon and unloaded it into a group of spore forms, completely obliterating them. Turning sharply when she caught the red dot in her motion tracker, she unloaded the last shell point blank range into a Brute's chest.
The 8-gauge hippo round fired out 15 9.5mm lead pellets that tore through the giant ape like alien's chest. What was 15 holes in the front, was one massive missing back, as blood and gore showered down onto the Grunts following the Brute in.
Wasting no time, Sarah threw the now empty shotgun to the side and grabbed the Brute shot in one motion, before bringing it up to bear and firing its entire belt into a group of rushing Elites. As the explosions took out their shields and damaged their armors, Chief unloaded into them with another pilfered carbine. Green and purple plasma raced forth from the muzzle, burning into their bodies, I can't believe how much more accurate I am with the smartlink over the old hud reticle.
John had noticed it during the Library run, he was using more ammo than the first two runs. John was already devastatingly accurate like the other Spartan-IIs, but the smartlink gave every weapon a better sight, tracked better, and overall was a much better set up. That didn't diminish his skills with the older aiming setup, just made it to where they weren't as many headshots as before.
As John and Sarah fought they moved. They kept with John taking point, Sarah literally a step behind, and John just pushed forward. It didn't matter what was around the corner, or through a blast door, or on a lower platform, the Chief just plowed into it without a second thought. There's no hesitation in his steps, in his shots. He doesn't wait around looking for the perfect one, I doubt he would kill half as many if he did. He merely runs and guns anything in his path down. It truly is amazing, she thought keeping pace with him, swapping out her now empty Brute shot for a dead Brute's red plasma rifle.
The two fought their way down the twisting corridors, through the open habitats that were needed to produce breathable air for a population of this size, through the militaristic city streets. The two never once paused for a breather, never once paused to rest their muscles, never once let go of the trigger except to swap weapons.
The two were a swarm of plasma and bullets as they shot at everything in their path, "so what's the exit strategy," Sarah asked taking a beam rifle and lining up three Grunts. When the shot the beam traveled forth and tore through the first two instantly killing them, and mortally wounding the third, leaving it to bleed out. She began to line up another shot when Chief answered.
"Forward, at 11 oclock," he said dropping the now empty carbine and picking up two plasma rifles. He began firing on a group of flood trying to flank them from his immediate right. At close range the shots of plasma did more than just shoot into them, it tore into them. Even grazing shots were burning into the putrid flesh, slowing them down just long enough for John to get in a good shot on a vital.
Sarah turned to glance at where 11 would be on a clock, and all she saw was the ship from the Second Attack of Earth, that's the one that activated that weird artifact that opened a portal in what was left of New Mombasa. "That's our ride? That thing has to be crawling with Covenant," Sarah shouted blowing away a group of Jackals with the red plasma rifle.
"It is," John confirmed as he liberated a magnum pistol from a now dead infect Flood form. Unloading with his remaining plasma rifle, John took the shields down on a group of Elites before killing them all with magnum rounds to the face, "but the simulation will end when we reach the Dreadnought."
Sarah was surprised to hear that, "why not carry on with the rest of it," she shot back sarcastically. "Can't think I can handle it," she added after a small pause while exchanging weapons, she was now carrying another Brute shot.
"No ma'am," John said as he wound up with a Brute shot as well, "I was in a maintenance hallway for the ride through slip space. They didn't even know I had boarded," he continued as the rounds from the Brute shot flew out and bounced in perfect arcs over incoming Elites. The high explosion over their heads destroyed their shields, allowing Palmer to take them out in a shower of purple blood and body parts. "I wasn't discovered until I blasted my way out of an external vent and fell to Earth from sub-orbit," he finished grabbing an energy sword from on the the random arms now laying in their path.
Sarah started to laugh as she grabbed an energy sword as well, her Brute shot empty, "Chief, you sure are something else."
The two began a dance of death and the moved in and out of enemies slashing and stabbing; the plasma blades tearing through infected flesh causing the Flood to explode. Or when the random alien popped up would cut and burn into them, leaving a permanent reminder of what happens when you face a Spartan, death is the only outcome.
This is really interesting, John thought as he continued to cut his way through the hordes of enemies encircling them as they ran. I haven't worked this well with another soldier in quite awhile. There is very little need for communication to coordinate our fire and attacks, yet we seem to be backing the other up with no trouble or problems. She has definitely earned her place as the Commander of the Spartan-IVs, Chief thought internally with praise to the soldier fighting by his side as the cleared the final hard light bridge and began sprinting to the energy relay.
Once they reached the relay, both hopped in and were immediately slingshotted into the ready room, the simulation ending. "That was...that was intense," Palmer said finally able to rest on the ground of the ready room. She had righted herself from the slingshot effect as soon as the door closed and was sitting down leaning back on her elbows breathing deeply, "you are gonna make all the fireteams run that simulation?"
John who was already standing nodded and clarified a few more things for her, "with your permission ma'am. I planned to speak more in depth with you about it tomorrow during our meeting to set up a good training regimen for the fireteams."
"Permission granted," she ordered almost immediately after he was finished talking. Only one fireteam could possible pull this mission off alone, the Commander thought as she stood and prepared to exit along with the Chief who was running cleanup program via the Artemis. And if he can make all of them run this competently, the Spartan branch will have nothing to fear ever again, she rounded off her thoughts thinking about the last mission.
As the doors opened both stepped out to a variety of applause and yelling, "guess they are a little excited. Then again we did put on a pretty good show," Palmer said with a smirk, knocking Chief's shoulder with hers.
"Doubt they will be cheering this hard the day after tomorrow," Chief said, trying for another joke. What is it about you, John thought as the gather Spartans began to cheer less loud as their impending doom, I am mean training, got a date. Sarah on the other hand just chuckled while release the safety on her helmet and pulling it free. John could tell he put her through the paces, her brown hair was matted down on her face, trails of sweat pouring down, but Chief caught a glimpse of her eyes just before she closed them to take a steadying breath.
He eyes were still alight with the same determination as before, seems she finally get is, he thought. He was actually very impressed that she managed to understand what he was trying to convey before the final simulation. That sometimes you have to force you will upon the situation, that you sometimes have to throw caution to the wind as you do the impossible because there is no other option. When you ride the razor's edge between life and death, you find out that sometimes you can change everything with a bit of luck.
"Alright everyone," Lasky said speaking up drawing everyone's attention. "Back to work, I know I gave you guys the day off my training, but everyone still has duties to perform and working way is almost over," the ship's captain spoke, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Commander, Chief," he started back up as the other Spartans filed out, "get out of that armor and fed. You guys are done for the day."
Both Spartan's snapped to attention and confirmed the order before John parted from her side grabbing his datapad from the terminal. Disconnecting it he began the trek to the armory to have his armor removed, and was joined shortly by the Commander, who stayed behind to speak with Lasky about something for a moment.
"So," she began breaking the silence, "I see how you do it now. How you go through everything as though it was just another day."
John turned his head to face her, and even though his orange-gold lens covered his face she could just see the raised eyebrow inquiring her to go ruther.
"You take those words to heart," she started to explain further, "the ones you said before the High Charity simulation. About forgetting pain and fear. About finding a solution to an impossible situation. There was one mission before this, one time I felt like that…" she trailed off as her mind went to that dark place on Erebus VII.
"When your squad was attacked and captured by Brutes, and you managed to escape after a week worth of torture and watching them eat you squadmates," John spoke, his tone somber, hoping that would help her in someway.
"Yeah," she confirmed quietly. "I, I thought I was gonna die there. I don't know why the Brutes left me for last but they did. I was going crazy and eventually promised myself something, that I wouldn't die there, anywhere but there. I had to steal a toothpick," she said tapping the large combat knife strapped to the side of her armor still, "cut myself free and made my break for it."
"After killing a Chieftain, stealing his Brute shot, and then killing the other three guarding you. The recoil broke both of your arms, and then you proceeded to run for two miles before you were found by a passing patrol," John finished for her when it was obvious that she wasn't going to continue.
She was surprised he knew that much about and before she asked he answered, "I read your file on the flight back to Infinity from High Command."
Guess the surprise on my face was noticeable, she thought in response to her unasked but answered question, "And what did you think? I'm sure my file held more than just that."
John paused for a moment in speaking trying to figure out the correct words, "I find you to be interesting," he finally replied.
"You seem to use that word frequently Chief," Palmer quipped as they entered the armory and she began to slow down as her armor gyro was near the front.
"I use it when I am not sure of how to explain something," John remarked slowing down to match her pace.
"So you can't explain me," she questioned with a bit a pride in her voice.
"Not what I meant," John said flustered. Sighing he continued, "I can explain your missions, well the ones I can remember, I can explain your value as a soldier and a Spartan, I can explain why you have made certain calls, and I can explain why you are the Commander of the Spartan-IVs. What I can't explain is you. I can't explain why it seemed like you were apprehensive when I first stepped out after the simulation runs with Alpha-Nine. I can't explain how you were constantly able to know where I'd be, and coordinate fire with me without speaking. I can't explain why I feel like making chit chat with you when before I could have made this walk without so much as a statement."
The revelation caught Sarah off guard clearly not expecting that answer. And probably not even emit to half of that, she finished off in her head for him. The arrive at her gyro in silence as the technicians on shift began to move forward and take up the stripping tools. "Chief," she called out to him as he began moving in search of his gyro, "sometimes there are things in this world that just can't be explained. As for me," she smiled at him, "I'm not that hard to figure out. 0500 tomorrow Spartan."
He nodded before continuing on, using the Artemis to find his gyro. After walking for another minute John found his near the back. It was out of the way and far enough back he wouldn't have to deal with too many people everyday for which he was happy about. Upon further inspection he noticed no engineers by his gyro or around at all for that matter. As he got closer he also noticed that most of the tools to put the armor on or remove it were missing, along with an added console and small table next to it. Reaching the station John placed his datapad down on the table before looking around for any engineers or armor techs.
"Ah," John heard a synthesize voice coming from above. Looking up he noticed a Huragok floating down to him wearing a strange device with what looked like a speaker wrapped around his neck. "Am I correct in assuming you are Sierra-117," the speaker rang out and John put two and two together.
At least I don't have to use the sign language, he thought before responding, "correct, and your name is?"
"Sir Floats a lot," the alien responded. While the speaker was a bit processed, John could still hear the tones of humor in its response. The Huragok continue speaking regardless, "a few of the Spartans-iV have a penchant for much older films by a group called Monty Python. My name is derived from the fact that I float a lot, and I've been told my voice box gives me a bit of an old-British accent, and that I talk like a butler."
John nodded, offering up an, "I see," before taking his place in front of the gyro.
"Oh no Master Chief, you can step in this one. It was custom made by her especially for you," Float answered pointing a tentacle to the center of the machine. John moved back and stood in the middle of the gyro, suddenly the platform he was on raised slightly and more arms sprang out from around him.
Moving quickly the Master Chief placed his arms in the side stabilizers before the machine started to remove his armor. It took less than a minute and his armor was off and store neatly in a retaining locker directly behind the machine. "I take it you will be the one responsible for my mainitiance," the Spartan asked the alien as he stood in just his bio-suit.
"And upgrade," Float answered before tapping a few console buttons and a holo screen appeared. "I asked the madam to refrain from informing you about one new feature since I was the one to create it," the creature continued with more pride in its voice than John thought should be there.
"Your armor," Float said pointing to the highlighted spots, "houses thousands and thousands of micro-sized Huragok that can run repairs, soft patches for any new technology they run across, and assist the Artemis. I can interface with them and fully anything useful from the soft patches."
Incredible, John thought before an idea came to him, "if I get my hands on an Elite's active camouflage would you be able to integrate permanently?"
The squid like creature nodded it's head before the speaker conveyed its thoughts, "of course. The only reason you don't currently have it is because the human species lack the materials to make them. One of the key components is only found deep in covenant territory, and the human active camouflage units for ships can't be downsized due to power requirements."
John nodded before making ready to leave by grabbing his datapad he set down on the small table by the console. "Master Chief," Float said stopping the giant, "while you are more than welcome to come by everyday to check on your armor if you don't trust me. But I was instructed by Lord Admiral Hood to inform you that armor is not standard uniform during peace times. The only time you can request to wear the armor, aside from combat operations, and on duty days you have training scheduled for."
"Thank you Sir Floats a Lot," John said, appreciative about the reminder. The Chief knew all the UNSC regulations backwards and forwards, however there were a lot of them and occasionally he needed to be reminded.
The Huragok's speaker crackled with laughter, "just Float is fine Sierra-117."
"Affirmative," the Spartan confirmed the request, continuing his exit path.
"Well this is the worst possible situation," Halsey said rubbing her temples in annoyance. She had two of the many holo-screens in her office prison at their maximum magnification, one had a picture of a DNA double helix with code running down the side, while the other was wrapping up a viewing of John's simulation runs.
"Roland," Halsey barked out into the darkened room.
Suddenly the holo-tank lite up as the bomber like AI appeared, "Doctor," Roland greeted firmly but politely.
"I need to speak with Terrance and...Osman," Halsey spoke skipping any pleasantries.
The AI nodded before setting up her communications array for the conversation. What am I, a 21st century operator, the AI thought bitterly at being called for something so petty, but he knew why he was. Halsey was blacklisted, and her communications were limited by Roland under Osman's order. He set up the link and then nodded as he flashed out, the two communications windows were showing the icons for ONI and High Command.
It didn't take long before the woman known as Serin Osman took the screen. She glared at the Doctor, who returned it full force, "good evening Doctor, to what do I owe the pleasure," she sneered out.
"Wait for Terrence, Serin-019," Halsey shot back, condescension dripping from her words.
"Admiral Osman, Doctor," Serin growled out through clenched teeth at the head of the old Spartan-II program.
Halsey didn't respond and merely waited for Lord Hood to appear on the screen, and was graced by his presence after ten minutes of awkward waiting, "you took your sweet time Terrence."
"Ah you know how those Senators never want to stop talking," Lord Admiral Terrence Hood said with a chuckle before noticing Admiral Osman and the death glare she sported, "so what's going on for a meeting of the Unholy Three?"
"Don't know," Osman said gesturing to Halsey, "the good Doctor wouldn't tell me anything till you showed up."
"Catherine," Lord Hood spoke as he nodded his head for her to begin.
"We have a code pink," Halsey spoke plainly. That statement caused Osman to raise her brow, which almost hiked into her hairline when Hood started to burst out laughing, "I am glad you find this amusing Terrence. It gets worse."
"How could it get worse," Hood asked calming down and bringing his laugh to a low chuckle.
Halsey sighed before tapping a few commands on a console sending them both images, "when John was on Requiem the Librarian altered him on a DNA level to make him immune to the composer. But it had a weird side effect," she started to highlight different groups of code and information. "All of his augmentations have been integrated into his DNA, on top of that, whatever hormones we repressed in creating them are now active. Very active, our little soldier has himself a crush."
Suddenly both Admirals were watching what Halsey would describe as flirting for a Spartan. Hood broke out in laughter while Osman face planted in her desk yelling, "fuck!"
"Suggestions," Osman asked picking her head up from the desk.
"For now we let it run its course," Halsey began, "and get support incase it goes south. Call Blue Team in, and get your newly acquired Spartan Acquisitions Expert on board as well. We may need the extra firepower."
"Really," Osman asked, her tone taking a deadly edge, "you would suggest the hit on someone you have repeated showed motherly affection too? Pretty cold hearted."
"We have a 46 year old virgin, remade twice for war, sexually repressed since he was fourteen," Halsey began to explain condescending with a bored glare at Osman, "spent the last thirty years either in war or cryo sleep. He is about to be flooded with memories in his down time, with a ticking chemical time bomb of hormones. We have no idea how he is going to process this, we have to take every available course of action we have."
"Very well," Osman relented at her point. Plus I might be able to use him to keep tabs on John, maybe even get him on board.
"I'll run Blue Team's paperwork through and they will be on the Infinity within the month," Hood agreed as he added a reminder to his datapad. "What do you think will happen Catherine," he asked looking at her. Osman gave the woman her full attention as well.
"This could go a few ways," she began sitting down in a chain for the first time that day. She rubbed the bridge of her nose as she started again, "the first and most obvious, he cracks and we put him down. Another everything settles, he's pissed at me like Serin-019 and Naomi-010. Then there is always the possibility it changes nothing and he moves on, but then what to do with these new emotions and feelings he's getting from nowhere. What happens when he learns about it and ends up in a relationship? If he winds up with any normal human, he would have to be careful to not kill her, even by a strong hug. Sure say restric his fraternisation to just Spartans, that doesn't change the fact that John is gonna be hornier than a seventeen year old teenage at spring break. And what happens if he winds up in a relationship with one of them? If they cheat on him? Break his heart? Die?"
"To many variables to take into consideration," Osman summed up to which the Doctor nodded.
"Are only option then is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best," Hood added while sighing and sinking in his chair. "What a cluster fuck," Hood muttered out of character.
"Maybe you shouldn't have signed an order for the kidnapping of 75 children to become super soldiers," Osman said a bitterly to the aging Admiral.
"I would adjust your tone 019," Admiral Hood shot back. "If you read all your files, your predecessor signed the order as well. Don't throw stones when you live in a glass house. Yes being the head of ONI makes you the spook of all spooks. But I have eyes everywhere, just like you."
"Sir," Osman spoke back quickly.
"And before you two go," Halsey said standing back up and stretching, "just remember, I do too."
The two nodded before signing off as Catherine made her way to her main work bench. She reached out picking up the picture of John she took earlier that day, "I sent you through hell once before. I'll stop you if you start to enter it again."
AN:
So chapter two is done. Couple of things to answer before you review.
Yes I am not keeping with Cannon. It bees what it bees.
Yes Chief is being started on a crush level.
Yes there will be drama and they won't be together right away
No the options Halsey listed are not open for voting. I know what is going to happen as its part of the story.
I hope I kept the flirting light like I was trying.
Yes DNA level changes, cliche
Yes I made everyone amazed at Chief. Please understand what he did, what we did in Halo...is impossible. Even for a super soldier. Yes to those will argue and say I don't know, your right. But I say its impossible and everyone would be amazed.
No John doesn't have special powers
Hope I got the hang of writing his new armor abilities in
Hope everyone enjoyed it, next chapter out soon….no idea when though…..so maybe a year….i hope not…..fuck.