Chapter Four: Getting Her Safe

"Melody," Shi'rune said breathlessly, "we made it, look."

He pointed toward a Pelican sitting near the river, just where Dare said it would be.

"Yes, yes we did," Melody beamed as he nudged her forward.

Dust was being kicked up by the idling aircraft and pelted them as they drew near. The two walked up the open cargo hatch and were met by a young Marine who directed them to sit.

"Good thing you made it in time," he shouted over the aircraft's roar.

Melody plopped down and strapped herself in. She smiled as Shi'rune perched himself uncomfortably in the seat across from her.

The craft lifted off and Shi'rune found the ride far rougher than he could have imagined. It was noisy. The Pelican made terrible sounds he was unaccustomed to and bumped along making his body tremble and his fangs rattle in his head.

Suddenly, a high-pitched alarm began to whine from the forward section and a slew of human curses came screaming from the pilot.

"Phantoms!" he managed to shout just before the craft was hit.

The impact was like a clap of thunder as glass shattered and was sent flying. Melody screeched and shielded her face with her hands as a second round hit with a rolling boom and the Pelican shuttered violently. The Marine cursed and came free of his harness. He made his way to the forward section and tugged at the pilot. The man's body was thrown aside. It was rittled with shards of glass and his eyes stared vacantly in Shi'rune's direction. The Marine tried to get the Pelican back in order but the vehicle was struck again. The deafening detonation set off terrifying moans from the vessel's hull as it listed angrily to one side then the other. Shi'rune was thrown from his seat and tossed about the small space. Then, with a frightening pop and a hydraulic whine, the cargo bay door burst open. The tail of the vehicle dropped and Shi'rune tumbled toward the opening. He took hold of a dangling strap and looked up to see Melody unfastening her harness.

"Don't!" he yelled.

She looked at him, sheer terror on her face, "We have to!" she shouted back, "It's going to crash!It'll be okay! Look!" She pointed out the opening.

Shi'rune looked back to see a shimmering body of water beneath them. His hearts stopped.

"Just let go!" Melody yelled, crawling to him and prying at his fingers.

"Melody!" he protested as the vehicle bucked, sending her sprawling.

"What?!" she screamed, edging back to him and tugging at his arm.

He could feel the strap slipping from his grip, "Sangheili can't swim!" he hollered as the strap came free and they plummeted from the vehicle.

In painfully detailed clarity, an endless sea of water rushed up to meet him…

Gasping for breath, Shi'rune jolted awake. He clasped his hands to his chest and glanced up to see Melody peering at him from the couch, concern playing on her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, sliding from the couch sit next to him on the floor.

"Nothing," he lied as he sat up and looked around.

They were still in the building, safely on the ground. As he let his eyes travel the room, still trying to convince himself that it had just been a dream, Shi'rune could see that there were no seas of water anywhere; not even a leak from the ceiling. The fire had burned out in the fireplace and distant thunder punctuated the sound of rain as it began hitting the window. He sighed and looked over to see Melody staring up at him. Her gaze was infectious: the more she looked at him the more he found he craved her attention.

"Okay," she answered, letting her eyes wander across him.

His hide was webbed with scars and the skin of his exposed shoulder was glazed over and peeling. Absently, she reached up and traced her fingers along the line of an old scar that traversed his chest. The feeling sent a tingle of excitement up his spine. He felt frozen in place as he watched her looking at her. He allowed himself a smile as he considered the lovely she was. Yes, there was beauty in her…he caught himself and blinked against the thought.

Why am I thinking this way? She is a human and we're in the middle of a war…and I've been sleeping like a dog at her feet when we should be moving….and I….and I…

He mumbled an inaudible Sangheili curse as she stood and made her way to the room's small window.

Melody looked out to see devastation made worse by the torrential rain. Buildings were missing walls and looking turned inside out; cars were twisted and flipped, one was on fire a block away; soaked garbage and debris littered a cracked and buckled roadway; and once decorative trees were scorched and leafless. Dark clouds loomed in the distance and everything looked thoroughly water-logged.

"Looks like it isn't ever going to stop raining," she said sadly, turning to see him struggle to his feet.

He grumbled something in his native language then walked to the desk and began unwinding the bandage from his thigh. As the wound was uncovered, Melody was surprised to see how quickly he had healed. There was now only a small circular scar just to one side of his thigh plating. He brushed his hand across the injury absently then looked mournfully at the bloody bandage in his hand. He muttered something she didn't understand and shook his head.

Melody wanted to ask him what he was saying but thought better of it.

Shi'rune set the dirty bandage aside and began clicking his upper body armor back into place. Melody could hear the soft snaps as each piece took magnetic hold. When he was finished, he lifted the bloody bandage and wound it around his exposed shoulder, tying it in place.

He looked up to see a questioning expression on Melody's face.

"This is so I may preserve my honor," he said gruffly.

She scrunched her features together, still not understanding.

He sighed, "This blood was not lost in battle," he said, absently touching the cloth.

Melody raised both eyebrows and glanced out the window, "Last time I checked, there is still a war going on."

Shi'rune snorted, "I will receive no credit for circumstance."

Melody's mouth moved but no words came out.

He stared at her, "There is no honor in being injured because I am…clumsy."

There was shameful honesty in his tone, but Melody found herself smiling at the very human sentiment. So, his way of dealing with things was different, and kind of gross, but she could see the nobility in his action and it struck her deep inside.

He straightened from the desk and stepped to the window next to her. As he gazed out at the ever building storm in silence, she found her eyes wandering his form.

"I can preserve my honor because of what you have done," he said, breaking into her thoughts.

Melody startled; eyes wide, cheeks burning.

He looked down at her and cocked his head, "Does this offend you?" he asked, touching the bandage.

She could see concern in his eyes, "No," she blurted, uncertain there were words to describe how she felt.

He smiled and, without thinking, reached to stroke her hair.

She felt an electric shock of excitement run through her entire body at his touch. She turned away, fighting the involuntary and unexpected reaction.

"Melody," he said in a whisper, "Is something wrong?"

"No," she lied, forcing a smile.

Shi'rune felt a painful tightness in his chest. A host of words bounced around in his head but he knew they were better left unspoken. This was not the time or place and she seemed unprepared to face them. No, he was unprepared to face them.

"We should go," he said instead, lifting the flare gun.

The remains of the ruined city had turned into a tangle of forest as the two made their way in the direction of the river. They had been slopping through mud and decaying leaves, being slapped by soggy branches, and soaked by intermittent downpours for hours. Melody had begun to worry that they were lost, but Shi'rune just marched on as if he knew right where he was going. He would pause and sniff the air, giving Melody time to catch up to him.

Suddenly, he froze mid sniff and his body went ridged, "Melody, stop," he hissed.

Too late, Melody plowed face first into the back of his armor. Rubbing her nose she shoved him, not that it mattered. He crouched and turned to her just as she bawled up to complain. She found her words cut off when he clamped a giant hand across her mouth, almost completely engulfing her head.

"Quiet," he whispered, sniffing the air again, "There are Brutes."

Melody felt her heart sink.

Oh, shit…she thought, watching him cock his head from one side to the other.

"And a Wraith," he added, adjusting his grip on the flare pistol.

SHIT, she thought.

Without another word, Shi'rune grabbed Melody's arm and began pulling her along through the forest. She was stumbling over her feet and he practically flung her behind a fallen log. Through the sound of her heart pounding in her chest and her desperate breathing, Melody heard trees snapping, and branches crashing, and the familiar whine and mechanical whir of the Covenant tank. Rolling over, she peeped above the log just as the vehicle came into view. Shi'rune let out an ugly growl.

"Melody," he said, "get ready to run."

She opened her mouth to speak but he sprang from behind the log wielding the flare gun shouting, "Now, run now!"

With a terrified whimper she jumped up and sprinted after him. Guttural shouts could be heard from the direction of the tank.

"Look, brothers, food," a Brute laughed.

Bolts of plasma began peppering the ground near Shi'rune and Melody, sending clots of mud flying as wet foliage sizzled. Shi'rune turned and fired a flare at the Wraith. A smoking gray trail zipped along smacking leaves and sending a Brute dodging into the mud as the bright orange projectile lodged against the vehicle. It wedged in a seam and sat there flinging sparks and sizzling uselessly. The Brutes began to laugh and turned their attention back to the escaping duo, raising their weapons just as the flare burst, rocking the tank and sending the Brutes snarling for cover.

Melody and Shi'rune could hear angry howls as they ran. And suddenly, the forest gave way and they stumbled out onto a crumbling street. Panting, Shi'rune grabbed Melody's arm and yanked her in the direction of a low building. Hot blue plasma began hitting the street and flying wildly around them as they took cover behind an overturned car. Melody was terrified and shaking, watching with wild eyes as Shi'rune retrieved another flare and popped it into the gun.

He looked at her then pointed to the open door of a building and gave her arm a shove. Clamoring to her feet, Melody rose to dash across the street as Shi'rune stood from cover. A bolt of plasma struck the vehicle and the resulting explosion sent Melody sprawling into the middle of the street and Shi'rune flying through a light pole.

Her head slammed against rough asphalt and Melody struggled to remain conscious. Her vision faltered and everything began to fade to black as footsteps approached.

"Humm," a Brute rumbled, leaning down to pick her up, "Wonder if this one will be as delicious as the others?" His companion laughed heartily before leaning in to sniff at her.

Shi'rune picked himself up just in time to see the disgusting creatures pushing and shoving at each other, fangs bared. Looking around and not seeing the flare gun, he scrambled for a weapon.

Melody's head pounded and her ears were filled with the sounds of snarling and panting. Suddenly, a shower of concrete and stones fell across her as Shi'rune hefted a chunk of rubble and bashed one of the Brutes across the head. She found herself dropped to the ground and she curled instinctively into a ball as feet kicked around her. The sounds of angry snarls and intense struggling filled her ears as she covered her head and sobbed.

Then, everything went still and Shi'rune was next to her gulping air, "Melody," he rasped, "get up."

Everything ached as he took hold of her and pulled her into his arms. He stood and took a step toward the building, his furious snarl turning to an anguish laden roar.

In answer, a volley of gunfire sounded from down the street and Shi'rune found himself walking toward it, unconcerned with his own safety.

Melody was aware of every movement. She could hear his ragged breathing and feel the rise and fall of his chest. She wanted to say something but her head pounded and her body wouldn't respond. The sound of gunfire grew louder then, she heard a human voice shout something from very close. Shi'rune paused and Melody strained to hear, struggled to turn her head and see…

"Hey, ugly," a vaguely familiar voice raged, "put the lady down."

Slowly, Shi'rune laid her in the middle of the road, kneeling at her side. She could feel the asphalt bite into her skin as she caught the sound of feet rushing up to them.

"Good boy," the human voice snarled just before Melody heard a deafening thud.