CHAPTER 4
MEET THE COMPUTERS

John glanced at the clock. It was five minutes after seven. Samus was late.
Resuming his pacing in front of Cortana, he was aware of her gaze on him.
"Calm down Chief, I'm sure there's a good reason why she's not here yet." Her tone was soothing, but the Spartan was not used to this kind of tension.
Opening his mouth to speak, he froze, three quick taps on the door sounding through the apartment. Ignoring Cortana's knowing smirk, he unlocked and opened the door.
Samus had left her hair down, but it looked sleeker than he had ever seen it. She wore a purple-blue skirt that hit her just above the knees and a cream sweater. In her hands was a small device that looked very much like a small computer monitor. Smiling sheepishly, the blonde was a little pink in the cheeks.
"So sorry I'm late, I had a little trouble with getting Adam over here."
Closing the door behind her, John watched her intently. "What sort of problem?"
Setting the screen down on a small table, Samus sighed. "He doesn't like the cold. It makes his programming run slower, but I got him over here okay."
After a few moments, the screen booted up and turned a shocking shade of green. Soon Adam's voice drifted through.
"Lady, you know how I hate the cold."
Sighing, Samus took the seat John had offered her. "I'm sorry Adam, but there was simply no other way. Besides, you said you wanted to come with me, so no complaining out of you."
Cortana's hologram system had been moved closer to the table for the evening, and John cleared his throat. "Samus, I'd like you to meet my AI, Cortana. Cortana, this is Samus Aran."
Grinning, the AI threw Samus a quick salute. "The pleasure is mine. Who have you brought with you?"
Adam answered for himself. "Adam Malkovich, ex-acting commander of the Galactic Federation and Commanding Officer of one Samus V. Aran."
Rolling her eyes, Samus spoke. "He's usually not this formal, but it's because he knows he's meeting with a proper woman."
"I take offense to that Lady!"
The Spartan and his AI exchanged looks before Cortana asked the question she knew the Chief was thinking of. "You keep calling Samus 'Lady'…might I ask why?"
Samus was the one who explained this time. "It's his nickname for me. When we were paired up, he always treated me like a lady so he began to call me lady. If anyone else tried it, I'd punch them, but not Adam. He makes it sound dignified."
Chief nodded. It was true; Samus was very much like a lady….the kind of lady that would eventually kill you. Adam and Cortana had gotten into a conversation about something or other that apparently amused Samus, but the Spartan couldn't help but simply watch her. She was exquisite, a diamond in the rough. He started when she turned to him.
"You're a member of some sort of Spartan Program…right?" Seeing his nod, Samus pressed on. "What's that?"
Silence descended like a blanket of snow over a forest at night. Nothing seemed to move, or even breathe for the moment. Cortana was the first to recover herself.
"Samus, John…Chief and I don't usually talk about…"
"No, it's fine." The strong brunette was staring at Samus, his face almost unreadable. Taking a deep breath, he began.
"When I was still young, the military began experiments on people to see if they could create the ultimate soldier. The called the program the Spartan Program, after the legendary warriors of Sparta."
The blonde nodded. "Yes…the legend of 300 Spartans holding off an army of ten million Persians…I think I've heard it before."
Continuing, Chief remained fairly unreadable. "I don't remember much of my mother. I was barely old enough to remember her when I was chosen for the program. I was six at the time. We started with seventy five…and ended with thirty three. The process was…unforgiving. Those that survived became something of a legend. No two of us had the same name, or identification number. Same for AI's…I was lucky enough to get Cortana."
If John pulled up his sleeve, one would see the black tattoo that had been given to him along with his armor. 117. It had been many years since he received the number, but the ink had not faded from his skin.
"We were close…you had to be. But we were the best of the best. Nobody could beat us. We had been given implants and training that made us tougher than any normal person ever would be."
As a hushed silence fell, Samus whispered, "What happened?"
Shaking his head, John felt his dog tags slap against his chest. "The Covenant came. The ship I was on, the Pillar of Autumn, we jumped to hyperspace to try and lead them away from Reach, but instead, we found something else. They called it Halo. It was a device designed to eradicate all life within several thousand light years. The Covenant believed that it would send them on 'the great journey', or some sort of religious experience."
"I was the only Spartan left when they woke me. After the fall of Reach, I had been recovered and put into cryo-stasis until they needed me. Any Spartan that had survived through Reach was mortally wounded."
Shaking his head sadly, John's voice was husky and raw, as if the memories pained him. "My mission was simple. I was to blow up the Halo and destroy any Covenant soldiers I came in contact with. As I went, I figured out that the Halo was much more dangerous than I thought. It contained a parasitic life form known as the Flood. They would take over a man and use his body to fight with. Eventually I destroyed the Halo, but at great cost to the Marines. They sent me here for some down time while they try and retrieve the Spartans we have left."
Samus was silent, and then she reached over and took his hand, which had curled into a fist. Meeting his eyes, she was quiet for a long time. When she spoke, her voice was soft and sad.
"You have seen too much. You have suffered enough. But when I see you, I know this isn't over. Not for you." The sapphire orbs before John burned bright. "You will win. I know it. But for now, relax and be at peace."
After another long moment, she spoke again. "Why tell me? You could have said no."
"Why teach me the Sun Salutation?"
Their eyes met. Brown to blue. John was not so much older than Samus, but his eyes seemed like he was much older than she. With a sigh, Samus released his hand and fidgeted with the hem of her skirt beneath the table.
"John…" Her tone was hesitant. "…do you believe in what you cannot see?"
Shrugging, the Spartan leaned back. "Depends on what we're talking about."
Looking up, the blonde seemed serious. "I keep my secrets close to the vest, so I won't tell you everything, but through some twist of fate, I was given a gift in my childhood…a gift that lets me…I guess you could say feel emotions. Not all the time..." She quickly said, seeing his raised eyebrows. "…but sometimes."
Standing, Samus began to move around the table. "It's not so much something I can really control. It comes and goes at unexpected moments. Like…right now."
She had stopped about two feet from the Chief. He watched Samus as she reached out and felt the air before her. "Right here." Her voice was soft. "You can't sense it, but it feels just a bit different here. Like…the air is heavy almost."
Adam spoke up. "Ever since I've known her it's been like this. It comes in handy on the job when she has to play to a crowd."
Smiling, Samus turned to the computer. "Well, that's how I knew I could trust you in the first place Adam…you just wanted to help."
Looking back to John, she smiled softly. "It's a sixth sense that I have. Some people can see sounds, other can get feelings from colors...and I have this."
Returning to her seat, Samus tossed her hair over her shoulder. Turning to Adam, she began to speak, but the Chief was content to sit and watch for a moment. Little things he hadn't noticed anyone else do he saw now. The way she had this habit of toying with her hair when she was deep in thought… How she always seemed to put on a good, happy front for those around her. How when she thought nobody was looking, a look of intense weariness fell across her features. She was indeed a puzzle, but the Chief was no stranger to puzzles and he hadn't found one yet that he couldn't solve.
Abruptly Adam went silent, the light from his screen dimming a bit. Samus sat at attention and stared. Cortana looked from John to Samus.
"Is he…?"
Nodding, Samus didn't take her eyes off of the screen. "He's receiving a message from my employers. I must be getting a new mission…Funny, but they said I wouldn't have one until sometime later this week."
Adam returned his voice unhurried and professional. "Lady, be ready to leave tomorrow morning at first light. We've got a bit of recon to do."
Growling, Samus crossed her arms. "But they told me I wouldn't-"
"I know Lady, but they need us. Besides, the real mission doesn't start until later."
Sighing with a roll of her eyes, Samus stood. "Fine…"
Turning to Cortana and the Chief, she nodded. "I'm sorry to leave so quickly, but…"
Standing as well, the Spartan shook his head. "I understand. You need to be ready for combat at any moment. I'm a soldier, so I know just as much as you do the importance of being ready."
Holding out his hand, John seemed awkward. "I guess I'll see you again…eventually."
Looking at the hand in question, Samus took it, her hand fitting in his with almost practiced ease. "I look forward to it."