Hey guys, I'm back

You can now precede to flee in terror

Sorry about my long absence. There has been a lot going on in my family and in my life and I have been called back home several times this year. But I'm back now, and I should be able to write more often, thank you for your patience.

Author's note: A few people have said that this story moves quickly. I would like to state that there are a least a period of several weeks between chapters if not years.

Nywho, I STILL do not own HALO.

On with the fic…

Kulase lurked quietly in the bushes of the planet as they lurked closer to the Covenant camp. He was nervous, this was his first mission against his former kindred in a command position. True, he was under Brigid, but he was still in charge of his squad. He motioned silence as he looked for Brigid's signal. They were going to capture a Prophet. The plan was bold and dangerous, but Kulase trusted Brigid and had sworn himself to her long ago. He smiled, she had accepted his oath to her in honor of the Resistance, but he had not sworn himself to the Resistance, he had sworn himself to her. The speech Ja'naço had given him still rang in his mind. Ja'naço had threatened Kulase with death if his oath was broken and Brigid was harmed as a result. He straightened his smile and looked closer across the clearing where Brigid was waiting wit the signal.

Brigid raised her helmet from her knee and clipped it on. Killjoy waited for the go and then entered the Covenant systems. Killjoy waited for a moment and then destroyed the systems for the group in a moment, killing all electronically systems. She barely managed the jump from the ship back to Brigid before the systems died.

"You're in," Killjoy said. Brigid did not wait or the Covenant's eyes to fully adjust to the dark. As soon as she knew they were not panicking she fired the flare. The sudden light blinded the Covenant and Brigid's forces charged. Suddenly the ship opened and Covenant forces poured out of the opening. They were charging directly into a trap.

"Ja'naço!" Brigid shouted as the forces collided in a bloody mass. "It's a trap, call everyone back!" A few of her forces ran back into the woods as Ja'naço climbed onto a pod.

"Retreat!" He bellowed. "Fall back to the woods!"

"It's a trap," Kyle said, gathering up his squad quickly and leading an ordered retreat. Brigid was the last to leave as Ja'naço wriggled into the brush. She could see the woods and pushed her body to the limit.

Truth stared after the figure in wonder, he could barely see the slight frame as the human ran by.

"Bring me that human," he growled. A jackal barked in reply and took up his rifle. He aimed and shot three times.

Brigid felt her shield give way on her leg and changed her course. The second shot took out her armor and Brigid felt a small sting in the back of her leg. The third shot came faster than she expected. She felt a pain in her right leg and fell to the ground as she stumbled.

"Brigid!" Ja'naço yelled, trying to go after her as ten Sanghelli held him back.

"Go!" Brigid said, knowing that forces were coming behind her. She pushed herself to her feet and started running again. She turned and shot three of the Covenant in the face. She turned to see Ja'naço fire his cannon, but he barely made a dent in their forces. Brigid knew that she could never make the cover of the forest in time, they were gaining on her. "Take Ja'naço and go, get out of here!" She was hit again and groaned as the shot hit her left leg, sending a shock up the nerves that had been damaged. Blackness clouded her vision for a moment before she rolled on her back and began firing, determined not to be taken alive. She could feel Ja'naço being dragged away. Suddenly two strong arms hauled her to her feet and picked her up. Brigied flipped on her rear projectors and saw Kulase behind her. "Get the hell out of here!" Brigid yelled as Kulase began to drag her towards the woods.

"Colonel," Kulase said, "With all due respect, no!" Kulase got them to the trees, but the Covenant were only about three meters behind. Kulase threw Brigid over his shoulder and took off running. Brigid reached around and clicked off her helmet light, Sanghelli had extremely good night vision. She also clicked on her distress beacon, which would alert their ship of here they were.

"Killjoy?" Brigid asked. "Can you feel thet ship's signal?"

"Yes," Killjoy replied.

"Go," Brigid said, "You know you can't be captured, now go." Killjoy jumped out of the suit and, thankfully, had a ghost tracer on Brigid so that she would know her location even if the beacon was destroyed.

Kulase ran into the jungle and tore down a hill, hoping to loose the Covenant in the darkness. He paused and knew that as long as he ran they would follow him. He kept on running, looking for a place where the foliagfe would be dense enough to hide in. He ran another two kilometers and paused, panting for breath, setting Brigid down near a tree.

"Kulase," she said, "Give me your weapon." Kulase handed over his rife. She took it and raised her own. They were both down fifty percent, but that should hold her long enough. "Ok, go back to the ship and tell them to take off."

"What?" Kulase asked.

"Leave me here and go back to the ship," Brigid said, "That's an order."

"I'm sorry," Kulase said, "But that isn't an order I can obey" The Covenant rounded the hill. "Sorry about this." Kulase made his decision. He grabbed his rifle and hit Brigid over the head, knocking her out. He quickly laid her in the brush and covered her with boughs so that she wouldn't be seen, then he activated her camouflage just to be safe. He waited until the Covenant were close and took off running as they charged after him.

Brigid opened her eyes and looked up at a white ceiling. She sat up and saw her subordinates talking in a corner, she did not see Kulase.

"What's going on?" Brigid asked.

"You're back on the Revenge," Kyle said, "We found you unconscious on the forest floor." Brigid looked down at her legs and saw that they were bandaged. She flexed her feet and stood up.

"Brigid," Ja'naço said, "I don't think that you should be walking just yet."

"Where's Kulase?" Brigid asked.

"That's what we were debating," Kyle said, "We think he returned to the Covenant."

"But then why leave me?" Brigid said.

"It could make him look innocent," Ja'naço said, "If we break him out then he could be telling them everything."

"I don't think so," Oren said, "You would have been to much of a prize, besides why wouldn't he have just kept you with him and let you be captured with him." The bickering continued and Brigid just sighed, she clipped her leg guards back on and clicked her helmet onto her back. She walked away and into the armory, picking up several weapons and lashing a few together. It was Ja'naço to first notice her absence and seek her out.

"What are you doing?" Ja'naço asked.

"I'm going after him," Brigid said. "If he's a traitor I'll kill him and if he isn't I'll get him back." She shouldered her weapons and went to a one-man fighter through smaller access hatches to loose Ja'naço.

"Brigid," he said over the radio, trying to find her. "I found the tracking unit from your suit, I'm looking for the missing pieces." Brigid just smiled and powered up the ship. "Brigid, don't leave me." Brigid heard him order all fighters to be withheld exit authority. Brigid smiled.

"You honestly think you can control me in my own ship?" Brigid asked as the doors of the ship began to close. She picked a few keys and overrode one system, but the doors kept closing.

"Sorry Brigid," Killjoy said, "I agree with Ja'naço on this one." Brigid rolled her eyes.

"You can't stop mechanics," Brigid said, powering up her ship without the computer. She sped out as the doors slammed shut and could hear Ja'naço's curses as she sped after some phantoms. She followed them back to the zone where the Prophet's ship was and landed it a kilometer away from their clearing. She straddled her mini-warthog and revved it up. Brigid looked off toward the ship and spun out in that direction, carefully avoiding patrols as they came up on her radar. She stopped before the tree-line broke into the clearing and zoomed in on the covenant ship, that was preparing to take off. Brigid sighed and shut off her vehicle, shouldering all of her weapons.

"Fastest way in?" she asked herself, fingering the RPG latched to the four-wheeler. She shook her head to herself and brought her sniper rifle to the ready, the ship was venerable at the stern. She quickly took out the guards and covered the distance between her and the ship. After activating an outer hatch she wished she had Killjoy to shut down the alarm. All that she could do was re-route the wiring to send the guards to the other end of the ship. She crouched and waited for jackals to pass before entering the bridge. She knocked out two ultra guards and hacked the computer. She took a chip out if her suit and cleared out their computer of all information. Brigid smiled and unlocked all of the prison cells, if Kulase was in one he would know to stay put. Brigid saw the prison sector break into chaos and she let them out in controlled groups towards the guards. Just as all the prisoners had escaped Brigid took out the full security system and entered the bay, but Kulase was not there. The alarm was blaring now, but she didn't see anyone.

"Shit," Brigid said. She walked over to the wall and looked at schematic of the ship. She located the interrogation rooms and quickly ran to them, on the way she went past the information center. She looked around and clicked a disk in, clearing off the system of all information. Brigid waited as the computer burned the disk, she heard voices behind her and crouched next to the computer and heard a door open behind her. She activated her camo pack and slid under the desk, hidden by the shadows and still able to reach the disk port. Truth hovered in on his chair, talking to a brute general, Brigid recognized the chieftain Tartarus.

"He is not showing any signs of breaking sir," Tartarus reported, "For one who was so faithful he seems to have truly joined the Resistance."

"A pity," Truth said, "He could have been our greatest asset. My spy tells us that he was close to their human leader." Brigid found this news bittersweet, Kulase was truly on their side, but there was a spy in their ranks. She made a mental note to go through everyone who had been brought in and to initiate a large-scale investigation through their ranks.

"A human is leading the Belegra?" Brigid froze again, checking the display to ee that her disk was almost done burning. She grit her teeth, if she had the luxery of showing any emotion she was scared shitless. This was also wasteing valuable time when she could be getting Kulase out of here.

"No," Truth said, Brigid felt a shiver run down her spine, whoever their spy was they were deep in the ranks, close to Covesash. "She is merely high up in their command. Our spy is close to the commanders human companion. They only call her little one, and they are true, the Resistance have no idea that instead of flooding their ranks we just sent in one very good spy team." Brigid hung her head, two hunters close to Jo were the spies. "Soon we will know the exact location of their planet and we can destroy them easily." The computer beeped that the disk was done. Brigid jumped, she had forgotten to keep her eyes on the computer. Faster than either of the other in the room could see she snatched the disk from the slot and crammed it into the back of her helmet, her rifle at the ready a moment later.

"What?" Tartarus asked, looking at the port. "There is nothing inside."

"Must be a glitch," Truth said, "Come, we have wasted enough time here, we must secure the information from the traitor Sanghelli."

"Excellent," Tartarus replied, picking up his hammer. Brigid stayed close on their tail all the way down and waited until they were three hallways away from the interrogations rooms. She jumped up and over the two, landing in front of them as her shield shimmered, the two caught a sight of her and started in surprise. Brigid turned and shut down the airlock door between the two hallways and sealed it with her plasma sword.

"Bitches," she said, slinging her rifle unto her belt. Brigid drew her pistol and held it at the ready as she checked the first interrogation room. The bloody mass lying crumpled on the floor could hardly be recognized as her friend. "Kulase!" Brigid ran over and rolled him unto his back. He was alive, but unconscious. Three of his mandibles were broken or dislocated and the fourth had been ripped off. She sighed as she let a gloved hand rest on his cheek. "I'm sorry." She reached back to get her first aid kit when a clicking was heard behind her. She whirled, rifle at the ready, and came face-to-face with the largest Sanghelli she had ever seen. Brigid slowly looked up from the creature's black chest plate and met a cold pair of golden eyes.

"A human," the thing said in its native tongue, "How low my brother has sunk that he needs to be rescused by such a pitiful creature."

"At least he has not consorted with those who would destroy him," Brigid replied in their language. "Stand aside, and you shall keep your life." The Sanghelli laughed.

"A human threatens me," he said, "And a wounded one at that!" Brigid looked down and noticed that blood was seeping through her armor, she had not noticed her wounds open. "I have killed thousands of humans, stronger than you."

"I beg you not to underestimate me," Brigid said, her hand slipped down and grasping her plasma sword. "I have no wish to kill a Sanghelli, but if you face me I will have no choice."

"I have had enough of this insult," the sanghelli said, lunging for her. Brigid let out a war cry and activated her sword, swinging for the gap in his armor at his waist. She felt the sword bite into flesh and pressed on, cutting him cleanly in half. The top half tumbled foreword and his legs crumpled to the floor. He laughed and set his hands on the floor, trying to push himself up. Brigid deactivated her sword and turned back to Kulase, the sanghelli would be dead soon enough. He pushed foreword and landed on his severed middle, screaming in pain.

"My legs," he cried, a ooze of blood seeping form his cauterized middle as he tumbled onto is back, writhing in pain. "My legs, you have taken my legs." Brigid re-set Kulase's mandibles and bandaged them before moving on to the rest, she winced as each gruesome wound revealed itself, he had lost a lot of blood. "How?!" Brigid ignored the incoherent screaming for as long as she could, when he began to sob she picked up her pistol and shot him in the back of the head to kill him painlessly. She sighed and turned back to Kulase, his camo pack was damaged beyond repair, making her escape more difficult. She accessed the disk which she had taken from the ship and looked for weak points in the outer armor that she could blast through. She found none and suddenly noticed the pounding on the door as Tartarus tried to break through.

Brigid did not waste another moment, she hauled Kulase into a ventilation shaft and exited the ship. She covered the distance to the tree line and lashed him to the back of the four-wheeler. Spinning out of her position she hauled her wounded friend back to the fighter and took off, making all haste for the Crimson Revenge. She set the autopilot and walked back to the spare room where Kulase was hooked up to an IV. She checked his vitals and his bandages, they did not look good. She flipped a few switches, pulled off her helmet, and put her headset on.

"Mayday, mayday," Brigid said, "This is fighter 1138 transmitting emergency frequency 7, prepare for arrival, we have severely wounded on board. Requesting medical team in the hanger bay."

"Acknowledged fighter 1138," a voice sounded over the radio, "Medical team will be waiting." Brigid turned off the radio and noticed Kulase begin to stir. "Stay still," she said, as Kulase jerked awake. "You're all right, we're on our way home."

"They tried to make me talk," Kulase said, "Questions about…..you….where you came from…." His breathing was ragged, Brigid looked at his ribs and noticed that they were beginning to bruise. She made a small slit and set two of them back, Kulase groaned. "I didn't….."

"Shh," Brigid said, "I know." She sponged his brow and continued to administer as much first aid as she could. She looked at his broken limbs and started checking for broken arteries. "They were frustrated with you, complaining that they couldn't break you." Kulase laughed, weakly.

"It's ironic," he said with a chuckle, "They're the ones……who….trained me." Brigid smiled.

"Bet they're cursing that fact right now," Brigid said, "Stay quiet, we're home soon."

"No," Kulase said, "This is where…..my mission….ends…." He took Brigid's hand in his own mangled limb. "Brigid," this caused her to freeze, he had never called her by her true name. "I just want you…..to know…..it's been a honor…..to fight….with you." She looked into his eyes and found her own tearing as a strange calm moved over him, infiltrating his eyes in the knowledge that he was dying. "I never vowed to serve……your army…..I only vowed to serve…..you." Brigid set his head on her shoulder as he tried to raise himself to a sitting position. He looked up at her, and cracked a small smile, grimacing as the dried blood on his mandibles cracked and began bleeding again, he slipped into his native tongue. "Know that….I have always….and only…."

Brigid held him, her eyes closed, then noticed that he was no longer breathing. She gasped and looked at him, something deep inside her breaking.

"Only what?!" Brigid asked. She lowered him onto the table with a concealed sob. She grasped his shoulders and shook him slightly, "Only what?!" She began to cry as signs of animation disappeared from Kulase's body. The blue blood had stopped seeping from his many gaping wounds and his skin had darkened considerably. Brigid set her head on her good friend's chest and sobbed. They had gotten to know each other well over the time he had been with them, he had been closer to her than maybe even Ja'naço. The two had taken to exploring Ithil together and mapping out terrain near mountains where they could hike all day. She cried until there were no tears left and her ship pulled into the bay. She raised her head at that time and disconnected all of the equipment, moving in a haze as she placed a cloth over Kulase's form.

Brigid clipped her helmet back on, steeling herself and hiding her heart away. Vowing once again to avenge yet another lost friend. She put Kulase on a stretcher and then decided to carry him out herself. She took her friend in her arms and made sure that the cloth over his body was securely in place. She lowered the ramp with a eartless voice command and it lowered in front of her. The medical team, Ja'naço, and her squad were all waiting. Brigid did not remove her helmet, she remained faceless and heartless as she walked painfully down the ramp. Everyone took one look at the body in her arms and hung their heads. Ja'naço looked at his sister and recognized that something in Brigid had died.

"Here," one person on the said, "I will see to him. You must look after your legs." Brigid said nothing, but laid Kulase on the bed and walked off to her own courters, Ja'naço followed her, but was shut off when she closed and locked the doors to her room. He overrode the system to find his sister facing away from him, working on patching up her leg with her helmet still attached, still silent and unwilling to break.

"Brigid," he said, entering the room.

"Let me be," she choked out, her voice was husky.

"You cannot mourn alon…." Ja'naço started.

"No," Brigid said, her voice breaking, "I just need to be alone now. Please…..please just let me be." Ja'naço nodded and felt his chest tighten as he picked up emotions from his sister.

"You know where to find me," Ja'naço said, exiting the room. Brigid choked out a sob as she sponged disinfectant on her wounds. Wiping them clean and letting the tears run down her face. She placed a gel around the wounds and the gel expanded, sealing the wound and cooling it pleasantly, but the pain in her left leg was coming close to unbearable.

"I promise you Kulase," Brigid said as she unclipped her helmet, "I will discover the meaning of your last words, and I will fight the Covenant until the life ebbs from my heart." Her tears fell into her open wounds, burning the open flesh as the gel sealed shut, leaving her with a cold burning that reached to her heart.

Two days later Brigid served as pallbearer next to those who had entered the Resistance with Kulase. The entire settlement turned up, it was rare that a body was ever returned to be buried in rights. Kulase had been given full honors and been awarded the Medal of Freedom, it was pendant fashioned after the HALO, their highest honor, signifying that his actions would never end but would keep effecting those around him forever.

Brigid and all others had put aside their armor and wore black heavy robes in honor of their friend. They lowered Kulase's body into the vault and it was sealed, tears began flowing freely, and silently, down her cheeks. She was heavily veiled and stood by his grave for many hours, Jo and Ja'naço feared that she would give out, she hadn't eaten since the day Kulase had been captured. She spoke to none while she stood by his grave, and no one could move her from that spot.

"We may just have to pick her up and drag her," Ja'naço said.

"No," Jo said, "She needs to sort this out for herself." Jo watched on as Brigid stood a silent pillar over Kulase's grave. Brigid stood there long into the night and did not move until the sun rose the next day.

Golden light broke over the mountains and illuminated Brigid in shimmering light. It did not penetrate the veil, but at the same time her features were visible. She raised her head and the next anyone saw of her she was standing in the same place with her armor on, helmet clipped securely onto her shoulders. She then turned and walked away, not even those closet to her could read any emotion emanating from her. She walked into Covesash's room and set the data dish she had gotten from Truth's ship on the pedestal, downloading it into the Resistance systems instantly.

"This is all the Covenant intelligence I was able to gather," Brigid said. "You should be able to analyze it and find a weak-point. Also, there are a pair of Hunter spies close to Jo, we need to see that they get false intel from now on. I'll have you t heir names at the end of the day."

"Brigid," Covesash asked, "How are you coping?" Brigid remined silent despite the question. "Brigid?"

"Our relationship is professional," Brigid said, "If my emotions are effecting my work you may speak to me about them."

Covesash sighed. "UNSC has contacted us, they would like you and your squad to return to a UNSC system to finish off matters between you and the UNSC."

"When do we leave?" Brigid asked.

"Twenty Minutes," Covesash said, "TI wasn't my choice, but they'll be sending a ship to these coordinates." Brigid took the disk and nodded.

"Thank you," she saluted him and turned, "I'll have a full report by time I get back, chances are they'll want Firefly back."

"Should I come then?" Firefly asked, appearing. Brigid set her hand on the panel as Covesash nodded.

"We'll miss you Firefly," Covsash. The AI took control of the suit and waved at Covesash, who chuckled and waved back. Brigid went to a smaller ship, not the Crimson Revenge because it was one of their most secret weapons. She walked up the ramp to Opal Illusion, Jo's own private cruiser, and saw the platoon of Hunters waiting in the bay. She picked out those who were unfaithful in a moment, she made a note and later logged onto the computer, sending a message to Covesash to monitor the two hunters at all time. She joined Jo in the cockpit.

"Hey Brigid," Jo said, powering up the controls, "Found the spies?"

"Tushetka and Lokatana," Brigid replied, "Guilt is over them like a mask covers a dancer."

"Want to get them taken care of?" Jo asked, understanding what Brigid had to go through before she was back to normal.

"No," Brigid said, "Now that we know who they are all we have to do is control what information they get, just transfer them away from you, I don't want you compromised during a mission."

"All right," Jo said, "You'll need to set things right with Ja'naço." Brigid made no movement. "Hunter's are very community based creatures, and he doesn't understand how you need to deal with emotional issues alone."

"I'll talk to him," Brigid said. There was more emotion in her voice this time, Jo smiled under her helmet, all Brigid needed was a small prod and she was back on her thaw to normality. Jo flipped a few switches and plugged the PA system into her helmet.

"Everyone, we are t-minus two minutes to take-off," She said, her voice magnified throughout the entire ship. "Strap in and give the all clear." She flipped the system off. "Better strap in Brigid, we don't want you bouncing around and messing up my flight pattern." Brigid smiled and strapped in. Kyle and Brian entered with Sarge close behind.

"Lets go," Sarge said, they had offered him a promotion, but stayed where he was to keep training the new troops. "The faster we get out of here the faster we get back."

"Yes Sargent," Jo replied, stressing her hand and wrapping it around the throttle. She waited until her clearance came through and punched her way off the planet, sending them into slipspace within three minutes of leaving the planet. They waited until they were a few minutes in before they started moving around, the smaller ship wasn't equipped with a gravity booster. Some of the more rowdy troops had fun bouncing off the walls and shoving each other into a spinning whirl for several minutes. Brigid took the time to level with Ja'naço and tell him about the way she dealt with things. He smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her. The two were all right again, and Brigid was on her way back from the reeling loss, but it wasn't long before Brigid joined in a board game and Ja'naço sought out Sarge.

"I am surprised at Brigid," Ja'naço said, "She seems to be doing well."

"Brigid was always well-adjusted with death," Sarge said, "I think it has to do with the loss of her grandfather when she was a little girl." Ja'naço looked at Sarge questionally. "He was like her father, he didn't pressure her into joining society or becoming nothing more than a trophy wife. He taught her to think. I also think it was the loss of her twin, Rebecca."

"She lost her twin sister?" Ja'naço asked, wondering why Brigid had not mentioned this fact, Sarge nodded. "How did she die?"

"She didn't," Sarge said, "But she was lost to Brigid, Rebecca gave in to their parents early and was their favorite because of it. She turned into the 'well cultured.' 'well brought up,' 'socially acceptable' daughter."

"Oh," Ja'naço said.

"Anyway," Sarge said, "Brigid told me that she's never really felt whole ever since because she feels like half of her is missing. I think that's why she and Jo are so close." Sarge sighed, "I just wonder what will happen if they notify her family and tell her that she is alive, they're believed her dead for the past few years."

"Do you mean to tell me that her family never investigated her death?"

"No," Sarge said, "They just got the MIA report and accepted it. The only people who I know even cared are the Michael and Danny Carias, but they've known her for years and Michael was Brigid's first and only boyfriend. Her family probably was glad to have the black mark off their family tree." Ja'naço raised an eyebrow. "Like I told you, they saw Brigid as a dishonor, she didn't want to be a member of the society she was born into. Like that story you were telling the younglings about the princess who forfeit her birthright because she didn't want to rule and was later forced into the position only to abandon it at the first chance she got, that's Brigid's story." Sarge sighed, "Her family failed to see the good things about her, they were only mad because she wasn't the political snake out for popularity and boys. They ignored her strength, intelligence, kindness, reliability, and will to do what is right. When Rebecca turned away from Brigid and used her to become more popular, something in Brigid nearly died."

"Nearly?" Ja'naço asked.

"She's been getting better since she's been here," Sarge said, "And I don't think you understand exactly how much influence you have in her life. If you hadn't come along I don't know if she ever would have healed, she just would have slowly kept dying inside."

"I have not noticed anything different," Ja'naçp said.

"You did not know Brigid before," Sarge replied, "She's one of the most troubled, but complete, people I've ever met. She finds the will and hope to go on when others would see only despair, she finds the motivation she needs from life."

"That is a great gift," Ja'naço said. "I am once again astounded by the deth's of Brigid, I thought I had her figured out."

"She's a tough nut to crack," Kyle said, appearing out of nowhere, "She's had a hard life. I'm pretty sure that even we don't know everything about her. It's like a spider-web that surrounds her, or a kaleidoscope, she changes every minute and becomes more complex." There was a long pause.

"I do believe that what you just said is complete bullshit," Sarge said. Everyone laughed and they floated away to check their position. "Twenty minutes."

"Better start packing," Brian said, flicking different switches.

"I got it," Jo said, she announced their estimated time for arrival and then strapped into the pilot's chair.

"Do we have them on our scopes?" Brigid asked, strapping in and looking at their outboard monitors.

"Yes," Sarge replied, brining the image on the big screen. It was a warrior UNSC ship, Brigid laughed.

"I think they're trying to intimidate us," Kyle said, "To bad we didn't bring the Revenge."

"They'd shit themselves," Sarge said, "Come on, we've only got 15 minutes now."

"Lets pop ouut right next to them," Jo said, "Scare them a little." Brigid laughed again.

"You're almost as evil as I am."

"Almost?" Jo asked, "I thought I taught you everything you knew?"

"Never," Brigid replied. There was a silence on the deck as the ship crept closer to exiting slipstream. Brigid smiled as Killjoy appeared on the deck of the ship.

"May I?" She asked, bowing to Jo.

"Certainly," Jo said, inclining her head. Killjoy took over the hsip and brought them out right next to the UNSC ship, she smiled as they began evasive maneuvers.

"We have exited slipsteam," Killjoy said. "UNSC spaceship has begun mauvers into firing range."

"Do not raise shields," Brigid said, "Hail them." The computer beeped and the signal was acknowledges. "We are the Cruiser Opal Melanate, you requested this meeting." The commander of the UNSC ship recovered.

"We are the capital ship USC Maltease Falcon," he said, "My name is Captain Barsona."

"Lieutenant Colonel Brigid McClain," Brigid said, "Our shuttle will be sent once you give us your clearance procedures." The screen clicked off and Brigid made sure that their security was not as normally great. The file was soon sent and Brigid quickly scanned the document. She stood up and ordered her subordinates to take control of the ship. Brigid and her two squads that were accompanying her boarded the shuttle and programmed the docking procedure in it. They crossed the gap between the two ships and quickly met the Captain in their dining chamber. She sat down and the human's present flinched away from the hunters present. Captain Barsona sat there and stared at the strange group.

"Well," Sarge said, "You called us here. What do you want?"

"Uh," he said, shuffling the files on his computer display screen. "Yes, we have to address the issue that the five of you have been AWOL for the past two years."

"Closer to three," Kyle said. "And we haven't been AWOL."

"Quiet, my people," Brigid said, "Let's go through this the right way so we don't have to come back. Start the recorder." Barsona turned on the recorder.

"File No. 12148389," Barsona said, "Addressing the subject of PFC's Josephenia Matinoia, Kyle, Brain, Brigid McClain, and their sergent. They have been AWOL for an obscene period of time and have recently returned to UNSC space. These proceedings are now open for argument."

"All right," Brigid and Sarge said at the same time, quieting the squad before any outbreaks could occur. Brigid took over. "Sarge, would you care to explain?"

"Here are several files from UNSC databases," Sarge said, sending across a datachip courtesy of Firefly. Barsona placed in into his display and raised his eyebrows. "They are current, and the five of us are still marked as MIA. So, you obviously didn't go looking very hard for us, this is also a record of all people who escaped Ku-Lita, if you'll be so kind as to notice that no ships weree sent to asertain if anyone had made it off the planet and there were no inquires made if anyone was captured."

"That was circumstantial," Barsona said, "UNSC was more concerned with protecting Earth. That brings us to the issue of why you did not signal in."

"Signal in that we were a dead squad who had discovered friendly races believed to only be a part of the Covenant?" Kyle asked. Brigid raised a hand to stop him from ranting.

"You have to understand our situation," Brigid said, "We were outside of UNSC space, our location was pretty much unknown, and we were presumed dead. Had we reported in the Covenant could have traced the signal and through that one signal discovered the location of Earth. We were thinking of the safety of Earth when we acted as we did."

"What happened next?"

"We set down on the nearest planet," Brigid began, "No, I can't tell you the name, that's classified. On that planet we discovered an entire group that was similar to the Covenant, but they were a Resistance group. That Resistance is responsible for crashing the Covenant security system, hijacking several intelligence missions and sends false intel. Back, and freeing countless marines and other forces for UNSC, returning them to UNSC space unharmed and often at the risk of our own troops."

Barsona looked taken aback, almost life he hadn't expected them to present such an argument.

"Can you handle this or do you need a superior officer?" Sarge asked. Barsona said nothing, shuffling files.

"Sol," Brigid said, "In conclusion, our actions and the actions of UNSC were circumstantial. We were not AWOL but out of contact for a long period of time in an attempt to protect the location of Earth. Also, we are no longer members of UNSC but we are senior officers in our own respective armies. Agreed?"

Barsona remained silent as he stared are Brigid. She looked around her squad and then at Sarge.

"So, what are your terms?" Sarge asked.

"One moment," Barsona said, he left and room and came back with a larger screen. "This is beyond my paygrade." He typed in a few keys and the screen came up. "I would like to place a priority call to the Secretary of Martial Affairs, Colonel Michael Doires." Soon a face came up on the screen.

"This better be good Captain," A foul-looking man barked. Brigid set her jaw underneath her helmet, this guy was going to be trouble if they didn't get out of his hair quickly.

"I have the group of soldiers here," Barsona said, "In summary: they claim to have been fighting against the Covenant with another force. Also, they refuse to return to UNSC and wish to stay with their current forces."

"All right." Doires said, "What about our AIs?"

"Firefly will be returned to you if you so request," Brigid said, "But Killjoy is a Sparten AI and must remain with me."

"We so request," Doires said, "The transaction can be completed after these hearings, I'm assume we're still on the record…"

"Yes Colonel," Barsona said.

"So, you don't want to return to your posts?" Doires asked, "We should have you arrested and thrown in the Brig for a few years."

"Try," Ja'naço growled.

"Ja'naço," Brigid said, "Relax." She turned back to Doires. "We have no posts to return to, Ku-Lita was glassed almost three years ago. We are also still maked as MIA, presumed dead, so we would like to remain with our forces, fighting against the Covenant, and we wish our files to be changed and our families contacted. Is this in anyway unfair."

"You must return to…" Doires began.

"Try and stop us," Ja'naço said. "Listen to me: they are critical members of the Resistance and must remain with our forces. If we wish to crush the Covenant from existence we must have these five with us, they are part of our family now. You cannot stop them from returning."

"Why don't you try us out?" Doires asked, daring his opponents.

"Because," Killjoy replied, jumping into their systems and taking control quickly, "If you don't let us go you won't really have a choice in the matter."

"Wolfsbane, get us control," Barsona said. An AI appeared on the pad, but he was fuzzier than normal.

"I can't sir," he said. The wolf standing there looked up t the captain.

"Fight her!" Barsona yelled. Brigid and the rest of her crew smiled behind their helmets.

"She's to powerful," Wolsbane said, he shivered. "I don't know how she's doing it, but she's jumping in and out of our systems. I can't track her."

"Killjoy is a very smart AI," Brigid said, "She's learned to adapt very quickly to her surroundings." Killjoy smiled and the systems righted themselves, she had jumped out, though she was now projected on the panel next to Wolsbane.

"Sorry," she said as Wolfsbane panted.

"Let's see you get violated and stil be standing," he said back.

'You're lucky," Killjoy said, "It could have been Firefly, you'd think a train fucked you."

"Lovely imagry," Wolfsbane said, standing. "I'm all right sir, all systems back to functions status, no damage and no injuries to any of the crew, restablishing communication signal now."

When Barsona didn't say anything Brigid answered for him, "Thank you Wolfsbane." She turned back to the monitor as Doires returned, screaming to nkkow what had happened."Well," Brigid said, "You were about ot place us under arrest, so we had one of our AI's go in a fuck up your precious ship's system a little bit. So, do you care to 'try us' again."

"No," Wolfsbane answered, he turned to Doires, "This ship can't take another slamming like that, I'll break, and we're to close to Covenant space to chance any stray information leaking out." Doires looked from Wolfsbane to Brigid and back to Wolfsbane.

"How did you get the AI to jump without a download point?" Dories asked.

"I'm not telling you that over an insecure line," Sarge said, "We'll give you back Firefly and she's the best AI we've got. Far more advanced than anything you people possess, you're lucky we're giving her back. So, are we finished here?"

Yes," Doires said, "We are, Captain, place them under arrest and bring them back to Earth for a full court-martial and sentencing." Brigid held Killjoy back and Kyle hit a panic button. Seven Resistance Battle Ships came out of slipsace right next to the Maltese Falcon.

"Firefly" the AI giggled and entered the systems. In the next moment their systems were scrambled and she brought everything back up, Wolfsbane was no where to be found. Brigid took out a communicator as her subordinates checked in, ready to fire. "Don't make me give the command," Brigid said, "I don't want to and you know this is unfair, stop being prejudice just because we have more toys than you do." Doires growled.

"You are attacking us," Doires said.

"Actually we're defending ourselves," Sarge said, "You brought us under the banner of peace and tried to apprehend us. We will now leave. Firefly, are you sure you want to stay?"

"Yes," Firefly said, "I'll pick a ship to be in and keep in Contact with you guys. Maybe I'll score a base so that we can trade intelligence. Speaking of that," she let Wolfsbane out, "Sorry about that." He whimpered and lay on the ground for a long time, clearing his systems of the foreign data. Brigid waited another ten minutes and cleared up all final matters.

"I expect this is that last time we will have to address this," Sarge said, "If we have to come back to see that our MIA status hasn't been changed I shall be highly unpleased." Everyone got ready and soon they were on their way home, Killjoy and Firefly were talking and telling the information to one another. UNSC had tried to trace the ship, but Firefly had ddisabled the system unti they were out of range. They were safe and then they got home, false information was given to the spies and it was not lovg before Covesash summoned the woman to his office.

"You have done well Brgid," Covesash said. "And the petition has finally passed through the council." He stood. "Lieutenant Colonel Brigid McClain, effective immediately you are promoted to full Colonel. You have a new standing mission and will lead an elite platoon of your choosing along with your fellow officers in a battalion specifically target to destroy the Covenant."

"A Colonel in charge of a platoon?" Brigid asked.

"You misunderstand," Covesash said, "You are the leader and the rest of the squad is your support. You will pick out your own missions and report only to me. The Crimson revenge is your off-planet base. Killjoy has already been informed of her duties and will brief you on them after you take off."

"Thank you Sir," Brigid said. Two Sangehelli honor guard replaced the insignia on her arms, marking her as a full colonel. Brgid saluted Covesash and walked back to her own quarters. The next day she packed a bag and set foot on the Crimson Revenge to find that the other platoon leaders were Jo, Brian, Kyle, Oren, and Sauri.

"The commanders chair stands open Colonel," Sarge said from behind her, they were once again reunited with old friends. Brigid gave a small smile as Sarge took her shoulder, she could tell that he was proud of her. Brigid walked up to the chair and sat in it, the crew stood their stations, relaxing from their attentive position, she smiled again as she looked out over space.

"Let's see what havoc we can wreak," Brigid said.

More is coming soon, I promise.

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Tenna' ento lye omenta

(Until we next meet)

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