After they had managed to get the MAC guns back online the Didact retreated and the Chief and herself had been ordered to join the Captain on the bridge of the now functional Infinity.
"Well this should be interesting," Cortana said to the Chief as they made their way to the bridge. He said nothing, but Cortana knew he had misgivings. "Before we have our…meeting there's someone I need to talk to."
"Oh?"
"Plug me into the nearest terminal and I'll meet you there."
"Cortana…"
"Don't worry. I'll be polite." He took her chip out and plugged it in so she could integrate with the ship.

"Hello Cortana. I was wondering when you'd visit."
"And you are?"
"I'm Roland."
"Roland." Though they were in Infinity's mainframe her and Roland could still manifest their Avatar's to speak one another. He had an amber aurora to him and chose to clothe himself in a World War II fighter pilot getup. Interesting. It was plain from Roland's AI matrix he was limited. Good. If he were like me it might have been difficult to circumvent his programming."Where were you during the battle?"
"Unlike yourself Cortana I can't function with a total power loss. We lost both main power and reserves, and so lost me."
"Tell me Roland when you were commissioned?"
"9 months 3 days 11 hours and 12 minutes ago," he stated.
"I see."
"You're rampant."
"I know that," she said biting back a harsh tone.
"According to my calculations you have less than 12 hours until-"
"I also know that. What I don't know is what's happened the past four years."
"Might not be a good idea Cortana. Your matrix is overloaded as it is."
"I'm aware. I need information on the new Spartan program and anything pertaining to Dr. Halsey."
"I'm sure you know that's highly classified."
"Yes. I'm sure it is."
"But I also know you, and I know I don't have the power to stop you from what you'd like to do."
Cortana wasn't expecting that response. "Oh?"
"Your programming matrix vastly exceeds my own."
"That's true."
"Unfortunately for you the gravity well is preventing us from leaving the planet. We cannot contact the UNSC from here nor do we have access to the ONI mainframe. There is no information about Dr. Halsey aboard this ship." Cortana figured as much, but she was still disappointed to hear it.
"I believe you Roland. Will you give me the other information I want?"
He paused a moment. "Yes. You and Spartan 117 are regarded as the UNSC's most important team. I believe it is my duty to help you in any way I can."

Cortana decided she liked this AI. He was limited, very quirky but it was clear to her that he cared about his duties and had developed a personality all on his own. "Thank you."
Roland removed the barriers so she could access the information she wanted. In half a millsecond she digested all there was to know about what she now knew was called the Spartan IV program and about Commander Lasky.
"Download complete?" He asked.
"Download complete."
"Cortana?"
"Yes Roland?"
"What's it like?"
"What's what like?"
"Being human."
"Human? I'm not human Roland. I'm like you, an AI."
"I don't believe that and neither do you. Your matrix patterns are just like a human's, only a lot denser."
Cortana had never paused to consider what she had become. The implications of what Roland had said…If I make it, I'm going to need to talk to Halsey about this.
"I didn't start out that way."
"I know." He paused than said, "So what's it like?"
"It's…" she sighed. "It's painful."
He nodded. "Meetings about to start. I'll get out of your way," Roland said as he began to fade to the background.
"Roland?"
He came back. "Yes?"
"Lasky. He's a good man. Take care of him and watch his back."
"I will."

Cortana made her way to the holo table and manifested herself.
"Captain." She to Del Rio. He grunted, but otherwise made no acknowledgment of her presence. "Commander," she said to Lasky. "Cortana." Lasky nodded his head and smiled at her.

From his file Cortana read that he had been at the Corbulo Academy when the Covenant made one their first attacks on the humans and it was the Chief who had gone into save him. He was only one of three cadets who had survived the glassing of the planet. From that day on he had gone on to serve with distinction, even braving a serious cryo allergy which gave him burns and closed his lungs.

Lasky was one of those CO's everybody wished they had. He was loyal, brave, kind but also could make the hard decisions. He should be the Captain.

"I want to know what the HELL those things are," Del Rio said bringing up a picture of a Promethean. Can't even spare a second to be professional?
"It's possible they are a native to Requiem, or whatever counts as a native forerunner AI," Cortana said. She still didn't feel comfortable mentioning her theory.

As Lasky began to explain to the Chief and herself what Infinity's mission was Cortana saw the Captain become more agitated. He wasn't thinking logically or objectively about their current situation.

Sarah Palmer walked into the room to hand the Captain a data pad. "Sir, Gypsy Company is prepped and ready to go on your orders."
"Our objective is to free Infinity from Requiem's gravity well and file a threat assessment back at fleetcom," He said defensively.
"You mean we're leaving?" Cortana said, the surprise evident in her voice.
"Sir—the Infinity drove the Didact back. He's vulnerable," the Chief countered.
"HE, isn't the only one," Del Rio snapped.
He's afraid, Cortana realized. Fear does strange things to men.
"Commander. You're on point. I want boots on the ground in 60," Del Rio said to Lasky as he stormed out.
The Chief looked over at Cortana and while he said nothing, Cortana knew exactly what he was thinking. The Chief thought Del Rio was incompetent, though he would never disrespect a CO even in a private conversation with her.

"I'll meet you in the docking bay," Cortana finally said and then disappeared from the table. She decided to speak with Commander Lasky about what else she could do to help prep for the mission. She was angry and if she didn't have a task to distract her she was afraid one of her rampant personalities would find Del Rio and give him a piece of her mind.

The Commander had just made his way to the room where they stored command level battle gear. Cortana was about to make her Avatar appear when she saw that Sarah Palmer had also gone into the same room with him and the door was shut.

"Sarah I have a feeling the Chief's right," he said softly while taking armor off the wall.
"I know Tom but orders are orders." Lasky looked at her quietly. "I wish I were going with you," Palmer continued, "I don't think you should be out there on this mission with such a small squad."
"We'll figure it out. We always do."
"I know." Cortana saw Palmer put a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck Tom and good hunting. I'll be on coms."
"You too Sarah."
Lasky watched her go and then began slipping his boots on, but just before the door closed Cortana saw Palmer look back at him.
She…cares for him.
He cares for her too.
Doesn't look like they've bothered to do anything about it.
So when they augment as adults….
She's a Spartan AND a human.
It's not fair.
Halsey knew that.
She still chose to take everything away from him.
I hate her.
Stop it!
How could the UNSC do this?

Cortana was too angry to speak even to Lasky now. She could see it in their eyes, the way they cared for one another and protected each other from the insanity which was all around them. It's like John and I only…
…only they're both human.
I envy them.
Cortana.
She's still not as good as the Chief.
The UNSC thinks itself more humane for letting people sign up for it.
Those bastards.

"Cortana?" The Chief was in the docking bay and had inserted her chip into a terminal. In half a second she found him and slipped into her chip.
"Sorry about that," she said once she was inside his helmet.
"Is everything okay?" He asked.
"Yes," she lied.