Chapter 7

"There's no way you're going to be my new Papa!" Angel yelled at Thel. She couldn't believe that Alex had pretty much given her to an alien without saying anything to her. She was angry.

"I did not say I was going to be your new Papa. I am only looking after you for a while." He replied.

"She may be one of the most powerful beings in the universe but she is still only a child and she hasn't yet unlocked her powers. She needs to be cared for and protected and that is why I must ask you to take care of her Thel…

"You see, you are the only one I can trust with such an important task…and I think it would be good for her to get acquainted with different species at an early age…" Alexander's words echoed in the Sangheili's mind.

"You are not at an age to be alone. If O.N.I gets ahold of you then your life might as well be over." He told her.

"I don't see how that's your problem, Arbiter." Angel said bluntly as she crossed her arms.

"It will be if they turn you into a weapon they can use against my people."

Everyone became quiet including Angel. "W…What?"

"Oh dear, so this is where you ran off." A voice chuckled.

Angel jumped and looked around. Thel suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him as he stood up growling. Standing at the edge of the base was a human male in a white lab coat. His hair was short and grey and his eyes were hazel. Standing around him were the black armored Spartans.

"Arbiter, I think you have something of mine. I would greatly appreciate it if you returned it to me without any problems." The man smiled.

All of a sudden, Angel felt terrified and hugged Thel's leg. The Sangheili glanced down at her then looked back at the human and Spartans. "And you are?"

"Carmichael, James Carmichael; I work for O.N.I."

"You mean the very people who destroyed the research facility and murdered all who were there including Professor St. Clair?"

"St. Clair's death was a…unfortunate accident, but such accidents are expected in his line of work." He smiled and looked down at Angel. "Now, come along dear. We have much to discuss."

"No!" Angel yelled at him, surprising the man and his group. "I will not go with the monsters!"

"You do not have a choice. You are O.N.I property and as such you will obey your owners." He told her with harshness in his voice.

Thel got in front of her protectively and activated his energy sword. "Do not talk to her like that. She is not your property."

"Oh? And what business is it of yours split-lip?" One Spartan asked as he aimed at Thel.

"I am her guardian…for as long as she wants me to be." He replied as he looked down at Angel. She looked back at him in surprise.

"You; her guardian?" James asked laughing. Thel and Angel both looked at him as did the other aliens. "You must be losing your mind if you think she would even want to stay anywhere near you. She would rather be with other humans, isn't that right 1-18?"

"And what is that supposed to-?"

"Shut up!" Angel suddenly yelled. Everyone paused and looked at her as she stepped forward. The markings on her body suit were glowing. "I'm tired of everyone thinking they know what's best for me and thinking they know what I want! I'm perfectly capable of figuring things out for myself!"

"Now, now dear there's no reason to get upset." James said.

Thel noticed the sudden nervousness in his voice and remembered something that Alex had mentioned in the message.

"Angel's power is not yet fully controllable and when she gets angry of put under extreme emotional pressure her power can awaken and cause adverse effects on technology around her."

"Arbiter, the Wraiths! They're moving without any drivers!"

Thel and Major Dros looked back and were shocked to see four of their Wraiths on and moving towards the O.N.I officers.

"Mr. Carmichael! The Falcon, I've lost control of the Falcon!" The pilot yelled over the C.O.M.M. A few seconds later the Falcon flew over and slowly turned around; aiming all of its guns at them. They could see the pilot panicking in the cockpit and trying to regain control. James quickly looked at the child.

"You little- You're the one doing this!" He yelled as the black armored Spartans aimed their guns at her. Thel suddenly jumped in front of her and growled. Targus suddenly stood beside him.

"I will not allow you to hurt the Tiny One!" He yelled as he aimed his plasma Cannon arm at them.

Soon, all the aliens on the base were standing beside the two, unwilling to allow them to harm Angel. The O.N.I officers backed up a little.

"Leave…there is nothing for you here." Thel told them.

James stared at him darkly. "You've just sealed your fate." He then turned around and walked with his Spartans. "Let's report back to the Frigate. We'll be needing reinforcements." The group disappeared into the jungle.

Angel released the Falcon and the craft quickly sped off. She then suddenly collapsed. Thel turned around and quickly caught her as she fell. The symbols on her suit stopped glowing and he saw the Wraiths shut down. He looked down at the unconscious child. He sighed and gently picked her up in his arms.

"Arbiter, I think you have some explaining to do." Major Dros said.

Thel looked around at his soldiers and nodded.

"Hmm…huh?" Angel awoke in the room she had escaped. She sat up and slowly got out of bed. She then opened the door a little and was shocked when she didn't see any guards around.

"What…? Where are they?"

Angel walked out into the hall and looked for the Arbiter. She passed a small group of grunts who only waved at her and continued on with their business. Now she was really confused. They weren't treating her like a prisoner anymore.

"Ah, hello there Tiny One. I was worried about you." Targus smiled as he walked over to her.

"What happened last night? Where is the Arbiter?" She asked him.

"You exhausted yourself and collapsed. The Arbiter brought you back inside so you could rest. Right now he and some others went to see the ruins of the Research Base you came from." He replied.

"Oh…" Angel said as she looked down. Targus noticed and gently patted her head. "What's wrong, Tiny One?"

"I…I'm sorry about last night… I didn't mean to act so childish."

Targus just laughed and picked her up. She looked at him as he set her on his shoulder. "You are a child. How are you supposed to act?"

"Like a lady."

The hunter laughed more and looked up at her. "Enjoy being a child, Tiny One. It'll be gone before you know it."

Angel paused and nodded slowly as Targus began walking with her riding on his shoulder. He showed her around the base; answering questions she had and occasionally joking with her. Angel had become much more relaxed now that she had a new friend.

"Hey Targus."

"Yes, Tiny One?"

"Where is your partner? From what my Papa taught me your kind always travel in pairs."

Targus paused and looked down. "My partner… My partner died two years ago."

"Oh…I'm sorry."

Targus smiled a little and rubbed her leg a bit. "It's alright; I accepted it and moved on."

Thel and the others were coming back from the destroyed Research Base when he heard Angel talking.

"Papa taught me a lot about aliens. He said I was the one who would be able to bring peace to them all."

"Hmm… I will catch up with you later, Major."

Dros nodded and Thel walked away from the group. He followed her voice.

"Actually he was teaching me languages when… you know."

"Ah, what languages do you know already?"

"She's with Targus?"

Thel walked out into a clearing and saw the large hunter walking with her riding on his shoulders.

"I've learned the entire Sangheili language, your language, and the Jiralhane language but I don't know a lot of the other languages yet."

"You learned three languages already? Either you are very smart or you had a great teacher."

"Why can't it be both?" She asked in his language. Targus smiled and looked up at her.

"I suppose it could be both."

"I see you are doing well." Thel said as he approached them.

Targus turned around and looked at the ornate armored Sangheili, smiling.

"Hello Arbiter; we were just getting some air and speaking."

"I see; would you mind if I talked to her privately?" Thel asked.

Targus nodded and gently put Angel back down on the ground. He then stroked her head smiling. "We'll continue our discussion later, alright?"

Angel smiled a little and nodded, waving goodbye as he left.

"You have certainly cheered him up quite a bit in your short time with us." Thel told her.

"Huh; what do you mean by that?"

Thel started walking and she followed him. "Targus hasn't done so much as smirk ever since his partner died in battle. I was afraid that I would never hear him laugh again but thanks to you I don't have to worry anymore."

"It's not like I did anything special. I just talked to him…well at first I tried to fight him."

Angel suddenly heard Thel chuckle and she looked up at him. "What's so funny about that?"

"The fact that you tried to take on someone who's probably three times your height and ten times your weight with your bare hands. You looked pretty funny when you were flailing your arms around trying to punch him."

"It's not my fault! Papa didn't teach me to fight."

"Well that's going to change." Thel said as he turned around and looked at her as he knelt down. "I am going to teach you how to fight….if you wish to stay with me and allow me to, that is."

Angel paused and looked up at him surprised. "You're…giving me a choice?"

"Yes, I don't wish to be like those you have previously lived with. As much as I want you to stay I believe it is rightfully your decision."

Angel looked down and thought about it. This was the first time she had ever been given a choice and she was very happy about it. Now that she thought about it, Thel had been very kind to her even when he was mad at her for escaping. He was also someone her Papa trusted enough to reveal all their secrets to…so maybe it would be best to go with him.

"Okay, I will stay. I need to learn how to speak the Unggoy and Kig-yar languages properly anyway."

Thel smiled and was about to get up when Angel suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He blushed and was a little stunned. "Angel?"

"Thank you…" She said quietly.

"For what?"

Angel only smiled and ran off toward the base, leaving Thel in a state of confusion.

"Come on slowpoke! Papa said you Sangheili were supposed to be fast! Was he wrong?"

Thel smiled and shook his head. "You'll regent that comment!" He yelled as he ran after her.