Ok, this one I was trying to show another facet of Blade that most didn't see. Didn't turn out, though, and I never finished it. Oh well, hopefully it's not too bad. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo: Combat Evolved or from any of the books.

3: Eagle Eyes

The Spartans had tracked Laura to an unusual place: a veterinary hospital. An older woman in a plain khaki suit approached them.

"Hello. How may I help you?"

"We were just looking for a friend of ours, and we think she may have stopped in here. Have you seen a woman, tall, dark hair?"

"Oh, Laura! Yes, she comes in every day to check on an eagle she brought in. Would you like to see him?" When they nodded, she led them to a series of outdoor cages. In one of them, a large bald eagle roosted on a branch, staring at Laura with a fierce gaze. Laura seemed unperturbed as she approached and held out her forearm; the eagle awkwardly shuffled sideways and fluttered down onto her arm.

"Hello, Palantir. How are you doing today?" Laura's voice sounded light and happy as she stroked the bird's feathers and felt its wing. The eagle clicked its beak and watched her stroke it. The Spartans gazed awestruck at this living symbol of power and majesty, barely hearing what their guide was saying.

"She brought the eagle in a few weeks ago with a broken wing, and comes in every day to tend it. Most of us are glad she does, since wild eagles are difficult to help. There's a unique bond between them now. He'll only let Laura come near him, which suits most of us just fine." They continued to watch as a red-haired young woman approached the Spartan and 'her' eagle. The bird clicked its beak in warning, and flew off into the rafters of its enclosure. Laura, seeing this, almost burst into laughter.

"Did you see? Palantir flew! He'll be able to go back home soon!" she shouted, her face alight with something the Spartans couldn't quite identify.

"Yeah, I saw," the aide replied. "I know quite a few of us will be glad to see the tail-end of him." The younger woman looked oddly at Laura. "Just curious, why do you call him Palantir?"

"It's a long story, literally. The simplest explanation is that palantir means 'far-sighted.' Since eagles can see for miles in clear weather, it seemed to fit him." She scanned the rafters, dark eyes shining as she spotted him near the very top. "I'll take him to the woods tomorrow; since I brought him here, I should be the one to bring him home."

"I'd hurry, if I were you," the aide whispered. "I heard the review board is set on keeping him here."

"They won't get that chance," Laura whispered back as her smiling face quickly darkened into a frown. "I'll take him out tonight." There was a look in her eyes as she said this which almost mirrored the eagle's piercing stare. As John saw this, he remembered the last thing CPO Mendez had taught him, just before he left to train the other Spartans: 'You are just like that eagle: fast, powerful, and deadly.' Now, having seen an eagle in the flesh, he realized how true those words had been. I wonder how true they are for her, he mused.