Just in case you forgot, I don't own the Mirratord, Soulguard does, and I don't own Halo or it's characters, Bungie does.
Okay that's outta the way another chapter's up now do me a favor and tell me if these relationships develope too quickly in these next few chapters.
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Kay glanced at the prisoners she was going to ride down with and sighed quietly.
Three Mirratord members were among them though all together there were seven sangheili and two unggoy with low methane.
"Get in girly, or are you too scared?"
Kay laughed softly at the mockery of the Ranger behind her, the man and the three with him were from planet side and didn't know her as the others did.
Ducking her head slightly she entered the pelican she would be going down in.
The sangheili all stood; low growls in their throats.
"I hope they eat you before we reach planet side, they look hungry." One of the Rangers taunted as the hatch shut
Kay shook her head ad chuckled a little as she looked directly at a Mirratord Lieutenant, 'Human's, pathetic aren't they sir?'
The Lieutenant studied her for a long moment then recognition slowly filled his gaze, 'They are…human.'
Kay chuckled the glanced round at the others glaring at her with hatred and confusion before glancing at the seat beside the Lieutenant, 'Mind if I sit, or shall I stand?' she asked gazing calmly ta him
Lieutenant Zyryk Zorruik'n grunted, 'Take a seat Shi'kir, I'd hear your story.'
Kay dipped her head in thanks and limped over to the seat he motioned to beside him.
Her leg had healed outwardly but it still had some work left to do on the muscle so was still tender. She didn't bother to hide her weakness before the sangheili. They weren't her enemies…the human's were even the ones she was on friendly terms with.
Zyryk noticed the limp as he sat down, the other sangheili following his example, and asked, 'Injured?'
Kay smiled a bit as she took off her pack and opened it, 'Old injury. Hungry?' she asked holding out a rations pack
Zyryk's stomach growled, the human food they were given was hardly digestible, 'Yes, is there enough for the others?' he asked
Kay chuckled, 'Yes,' she said, tossing each two though the unggoy couldn't eat it because they weren't in a methane tent.
While they ate she told her story in brief.
Zyryk looked at her with an arched brow, 'A BHI loosing control? I don't think I've ever her of that.'
The human at his side nodded tiredly, he could see that though she gave off energy freely she was spent, 'Yes, a dream keeps repeating itself and I can't sleep. The lack of sleep and the dream made me fray and I lost it.' She shuddered a bit the shook her head silently t herself
Zyryk, after a whiles silence murmured quietly, 'Do you think The Sage will find you?'
The Second in Command of the BHI shrugged, 'I don't know what he'll do, I made him pretty mad.' she murmured back then sat up when she felt them entering the atmosphere
'The planet is called Recorda also known as the Soldiers' Haven. It's a place dedicated to the families of the UNSC soldiers and where the men and women of those families and other soldiers, come for leave.' she said
Zyryk nodded, 'What will be done with us?'
Kay glanced at him, her expression was calm, 'I'm told you seven are the only ones that haven't broke or died during interrogations so will be placed in a facility for safe keeping and study. The facility is large, enclosed in its courtyard is a forest of fifteen acres where animals will be kept for you to hunt when you wish. The rules of hunting I don't know so they'll probably tell you them when you get down there.'
Zyryk frowned, 'It sounds as though they will be treating us like…wild beasts.' he said with distaste
Kay shrugged, 'To them that's what you are. They fear you and don't know what you are like. Here, at least, they will treat you the best they know how and give you a chance to live and even, if you choose to want that, gain their trust to wander among them.'
The sangheili growled a bit at that but Kay merely smiled, 'Oh come on, they could lock you up I cages and show you off like prized animals to the civilians.'
They all blanched at the thought.
Kay's laughter rang shortly after joined by Zyryk when he realized she had been teasing them.
'Human, you are strange.' he said chuckling
Kay smirked then settled back against the wall of the pelican.
'What will happen to you?'
Kay sighed, 'Lieutenant you know the laws of the BHI concerning our capture do you not?' she asked quietly looking t him
He frowned for a while the he growled, 'Yes,'
She nodded, 'Then I think you know Sir.'
Zyryk felt the Pelican hover and slowly land.
'Don't give them any trouble men, walk tall and proud and don't show them your anger.' Zyryk directed then added with a grim smile, 'That's exactly what they want us to do.'
The sangheili growled in agreement.
Kay nodded her approval as she stood and put her bag over her shoulder just ad the back dropped and several Rangers had their guns up and aimed toward them all.
"Alright squid heads get out." One of the men barked motioning with his gun what he wanted them to do
Kay drew herself up, her Commander side awakening, 'Come, brothers, fall in line.' she commanded as she walked passed them.
Several of the sangheili wondered at the sudden change of attitude in the human but no one felt like questioning her as the Lieutenant's Zyryk and Gerthro fell to her left and right.
Sargent Hyrok fell behind the Lieutenants and barked off the order for them to line up.
Kay walked calmly at the head of the seven sangheili warriors the human's gazed at her in both fear and disgust as she went.
The tension of the human's increased even though words of mockery and insult were constantly hurled at her and those who followed her.
"Hey elite lover, take this!"
Kay glanced at the one who called then laughed when he mooned her, though the two Lieutenants and the Sargeant growled softly.
'Shall I kill him Commander?'
Kay chuckled softly, 'No Lieutenant, let the human's have their fun.' she said the added mildly, 'Besides, I'm sure you're interested in human anatomy.'
The Lieutenant snorted and laughed softly.
Kay grinned to herself and saw the wary looks she received just before she and the sanghieli passed into the facility and the doors shut behind them.
'Covi girl.'
Kay glanced to her left and nodded to Sargeant Johnson and the men with him.
"Sargeant, sirs." She said calmly glancing sharply at the sangheili behind her to ensure their behavior continued to stay good.
"Seems you have quite a bit of control over them Miss Sage." One of the men behind Johnson said, "Should we be concerned?"
Kay studied him, he, as the other two, wore a white officers' suit but he wasn't of the ONI. He was bald and wore a white and black officers' hat.
Lord Hood.
Kay smiled slightly as she recognized him, "Not at all sir, most sangheili who know what is good for them listen to a member of thee BHI…Lord Hood." She said then grunted as she looked back at the Lieutenant Zyryk, "And it's a position that I'll give back." She said, silently apologies for taking him command away from him
Zyryk nodded, "Human," he said then glanced at the human the BHI commander had called Lord Hood, "Sir," he said, not exactly liking calling a human who hadn't proven himself by such a title, then turned and led his men into the forest around them
Kay watched them then faced the Shipmaster of the Cairo, "Am I needed?" she asked, her voice serious and down to business
Johnson mentally growled, How the devil does she do that? It annoyed him how quickly shw could change attitudes.
One second she was commanding the next she was serving or like a soldier with a lower rank.
Lord Hood glanced the young woman before him over, her attitude change wasn't lost on him. He liked it, she wasn't proud but this could be an act too.
"Come with us, we have some qustions for you."
Kay dipped her head and glanced at Johnson, looking like she wanted to say something but changed her mind and waited.
Lord Hood turned and walked off, his peers at his side.
"Frightening woman," one murmured
Lord Hood nodded, thinking of the woman's cool blue eyes and stern face, "She is,"
They walked in silence as they left the facility and mounted a disarmed warhog.
The woman swung into the back with ease, despite her fatigued look.
Her face, while calm and stern, was pale and drawn with dark circles beneath her eyes.
She evidently wasn't getting enough sleep.
"How old are you girl?"
Kay looked at the third man, another Captain but he reminded her of a reporter more than anything else.
"Twenty-five sir," she said and so began the personal interrogation
It delved deep into her persoal life, many of the questions she had just flat out said he didn't need to know.
The ma had accepted that ad continued.
After thirty minutes of questioning she realized he was seeing exactly where she would draw her lines about certain matters and began to relax.
They were pulling into the drive of another facility when Captain Nukemen asked if any of her brothers were married.
Kay closed hr eyes as the memory of Dustan's anger flashed before her minds eye.
The vehicle stopped ad the engine turned off before she answered, her voice calm as before, her emotions pushed aside, "Yes, my eldest. He's been married for two years."
The four men were all looking at her with various expressions.
She gazed back at them wondering what was going through their minds but not betraying her curiosity.
"Come," Lord Hood said
Kay got out with Johnson and followed them into the grey building, answering Nukemen's questions as she looked around making notes of where things were and escape routes in case it was needed.
They finally reached a room with chairs and they had her sit down.
She obeyed knowing the more serious questions were coming.
The three captains sat down, all of them grave ad serious.
"Now, Miss Sage," Lord Hood began, "Tell us where High Charity is."
Kay blinked and smiled grimly.
This would prove interesting.
~*~*~*~
John groaned softly to himself as he pushed the weight up once more before hooking it on its perch and sitting up.
It had been far too long since he had pushed his arms to their limits with the weights. He needed to do it more often or he'd go soft.
Stretching his arm across his chest he heard murmurs from down the hall ad a few nasty remarks thrown t someone.
Frowning slightly he wondered who it could be then shrugged as he grabbed his towel and went to the leg machine, it didn't matter anyway. It was just soldier talk.
"Why aren't you with your squid head friends?" someone just out the door sneered, only with more colorful language
"There's the Covi girl."
John glanced up though he kept hid legs moving just as the woman from the ship walked, two Rangers following, armed to the teeth.
John shook his head, the woman wouldn't do anything.
"Girl," he said coolly
The woman stopped and looked at him, despite the fact she was more the half way across thee room from him, and smiled. It was a tired one though it showed she was pleased to see him.
He nodded at her, continuing to talk at the same level, "You look like you need a bed."
She chuckled and made her way over to him and began to do some warm up exercises of jogging in place before him and to his left, "No thanks, it won't help me much."
John glanced at her as she suddenly dropped to her stomach, not using her hands to break the impact, and jump up again before adding, "Sleep isn't very restful for me any more."
John nodded, his legs still moving up and down at a slow rate, "Nightmares?" he asked giving her a side glance as she dropped to her stomach again before popping up
She laughed, albeit a strained one, "No, but it is disturbing." She admitted
He grunted and glance the Rangers eyeing the both of them uncertainly, "I'll keep an eye on her, go stand guard at the door." He said nodding to the only door in and out of the room
One of the Rangers looked like he was going to argue but the other nodded, "Sure Chief," he said then nudged his companion forward
John watched them for a second then stopped to watch her do her warm up.
It was pretty basic, running in place, jumping jacks, push ups etc. etc. yet at the same time it seemed to get her to sweat very quickly.
She sighed and went to the bench press he just left and checked the weight then, without changing it, began lifting it.
He watched the various thing she did with interest while she continued to pump the weight up and down.
She tucked her legs like she was doing reverse crunches but her rhythm with bell bar didn't change.
Fifteen minutes later her arms where shaking as badly as his had after nearly an hour of doing normal bell bar work.
She sat up, breathing quickly but looking rather pleased with herself, "For having a week off that wasn't too bad." She said, her breathing interrupting her speech a bit
He noticed that her eyes looked brighter than they had a few minutes ago.
"You didn't last too long." He said dryly, though he already knew that she did just as much work in fifteen minute as he had in an hour.
She rolled her eyes and gave a little laugh, "Try doing what I was doing Chief, I can guarantee that you wouldn't be able to last three minutes.
"It takes a whole lot of coordination to move your legs and arms in two very different directions ad paces."
He didn't doubt her.
"Did the elites teach you that?" he asked, genuinely curious
She smiled as she shook her head, "No, I got board of pushing the bell bar up and down for an hour straight so I began playing around with what I could do with my lower body while doing the bar."
John watched her as she stretched and popped her back.
She was relaxed and completely oblivious to the stares she was getting from everyone in the room and out side it.
"You've got an audience." He said mildly as he returned to his leg lifts
The woman didn't eve glance around, "So?"
He cracked a smile, "You seem comfortable with it."
She glanced at him with an arched brow, "Only as comfortable as you are sir." She said sitting and watching him
Her gaze made him uneasy but he ignored it as much as he could until he finally sighed and stopped to look at her, "Please stop staring."
Her eyes lightened with laughter and her mouth curled into a grin, "Oh I'm glad you called uncle."
John frowned, "What?"
She chuckled as she turned on the leg machine she was on, "You don't know what calling Uncle is?"
He shook his head.
"It's a term used to call for mercy." She said smiling at him
He shook his head, "I've never heard it before."
She smiled t him, he didn't understand why his heart hiccupped, her eyes warm and kind, "I suppose not, children, particularly boys, love to make others call uncle in wrestling or some other fighting sports."
John glanced away, "I was never a child." He said calmly
They worked in silence trading machines and simply enjoying each others company.
John stood and wiped sweat from his face with his towel, "I'm headed for the showers, you coming?" he asked looking t her
To his surprise her face turned pink and she looked away for a moment before clearing her throat, "Ah, no, I have a shower in my room."
John stared at her face and smiled a little, he didn't know why, as her face darkened.
"Uncle." She murmured after a second, her face growing redder the longer her stared
He blinked then chuckled, the sound wasn't something he was use to hearing from himself and stopped in surprise. That had felt…good.
The woman smiled gently then stretched once more, "I'll see you later." She said
John wasn't sure about her tone but it sounded inviting almost, "In an hour at the mess hall?"
She grinned, "Sure."
He grasped her hand in a firm shake, "Bye,"
She nodded ad walked off toward her guard.
He picked up his towel and made his way to the shower, her pink and embarrassed face staying in his mind most of the time he was in the shower, wondering why he enjoyed it.