The Rabbit and the Wolfe

Welcome back to R&W for another eventful chapter. This one will contain some action, angst, and lots of close combat! So if this is your thing, stick around. If not…shoo. At least one of you were wondering what my XBL gamertag was so you could play Halo (among other games) with me. I am letting you know that I put it on my profile, so hit me up so we can do our own slaying! Anyway, Sandra just jumped through a portal to…somewhere, hunting down her family's killer, Ekan 'Satinee, while leaving behind the rest of Blue Team to deal with the consequences of her actions. Kelly is having a difficult time processing this newest development…

21. Breaking Down Barriers

Unknown Location

Forerunner Teleportation Node

Crying. It was an odd sensation. The liquid that kept the eyes moist and clean feels odd outside of its natural domain. The cold, wet sensation of it slowly working its way across the skin. The saltiness of the taste as the ocular fluid touched her lips. It was all just really odd. If one was not incased in multiple layers of armor in hostile territory, one might be inclined to wipe away shed tears. The fact being that she was only just regaining movement in her limbs as her armor's system slowly rebooted wasn't helping matters either. Emotions ran wild inside of her, like a rampaging dragon. Some of which she could not give names to. As she lay immobile on the floor as her suit initiated its final boot sequence, she tried to sort out her current situation.

She's gone. Sandra's gone. Passed through the teleporter to an unknown location. One where she cannot be followed. Clearly, she thought she could do this on her own. I guess I should have wondered more about why she was planning on brining armor restraints. Should have known… She flexed her hand unconsciously as the feeling in her body returned. Why though? She didn't have to do this alone… Sandra's red-eyed, tear-stained face rose up from the convoluted mess of her mind. The closeness, the warm brush of hands, the words. Her mind paused at that. 'I love you'. Of course she knew what it was. She was a Spartan, not an idiot. Her hand reflexively tightened into a fist as she repeated them over and over. If she was in love, wouldn't she want me to help? Or would that make her seem too fragile and reliant? She had heard these words thrown around the ship more than a few times, never really caring or understanding their meaning. It just never mattered. Not anymore, her mind chided her. Then it really hit her. Sandra loved her. The thought sent her stomach into loops and brought a smile to her face. She abandoned you. Betrayed you! She glared at the ceiling as anger and rage quickly raced through her veins, replacing the happiness that had existed moments before. Her mind was a mess and there was still so much she didn't understand. Seems like I need to visit Dr. Cassidy yet again, sort some of this out. As her armor finished its sequence and fully released her limbs, she remembered that the whole experience, as lovey, heart-wrenching, and saddening as it was, still took place in front of the rest of Blue Team. Well this is going to be…difficult.

"Kelly?" Fred's voice was cautious and inquisitive. Mixed in with a healthy dose of confusion and a sprinkle of concern and you had a real recipe for trouble. She sighed internally as the scout picked herself up off the ground, turning to look longingly into the dead portal. She still had so many questions in her head which had no answers.

"Not now." She said evenly, without turning to her teammate. Yes, her brothers and sister deserved answers, but not while they were in potentially hostile territory. Once they were safely on their way back to UNSC-controlled space, then she would try to explain this whole situation to them as best she could. Fred seemed to realize where they were and dropped it. Wordlessly, she followed the rest of her friends back the way they came, an eye on her surroundings and a heavy, confused heart.

Unknown Location

Unknown Time

As the all-consuming white faded from her vision, Sandra took in the scenery around her. Rocky smooth surfaces that had been eroded by elemental forces and time dangled secrets in front of the Spartan, taunting her with great mysteries. She looked up to see a small pool. Sapphire blue waters stood calm against the test of time rocking gently back and forth to some unseen movement. The crystal clear waters were proof that the waters were free of anything that could taint it. An oasis in a rocky jungle. Wait a minute. Pools on the ceiling?! It should come crashing down upon my head. Unless this place has no gravity… Then it finally clicked. She was upside down. All the blood rushed to her head as she plummeted into the small pool with a loud splash, hitting the bottom and causing her shields to flare. Gingerly, she pulled herself from the pool, carefully trying not to spill any more of the liquid crystal. A quick check confirmed her weapons were still attached. She glanced back at the pool to see a murky, drained husk of what it had been before. How fitting, her mind snapped at her. Shaking her head to remove such thoughts, she eyed a small tunnel leading away. With no other apparent options, she laid on her stomach and began what could be a very long crawl.

After what seemed like hours of pulling half a ton of armor through the gritty mud and muck that lined the walls of the small tunnel, she finally emerged. Pulling herself to her full height, she stretched her abused limbs, smiling at the satisfying cracks and pops as her body enjoyed being free from the confines of the tunnel. Her once purple armor was caked in grime, vines, moss and anything else you might find in a cave. Bloody tight squeeze, she thought humorlessly, pulling a particularly large hunk of moss from between her shoulder plates. Honestly, she looked like a swamp monster from one of those ancient vids some of her past teammates liked to watch from time to time. Removing most of the larger foliage from her armor she glanced up to see a large grey spire rise into the sky, a remnant of a lost civilization. It was the only thing resembling any form of civilization as far as she could see, so her choice was made. Without knowing exactly where she was, it would be pointless, not to mention a waste of time that she could not afford, to search for other structures. The forest was quiet. Like a cell, it was host for many exotic organisms, both plant and animal. It was quite stunning the way the blues, reds, purples, and yellows mixed with the green base that nature provided to create a nature lover's paradise. But as much as she wanted to slow down and smell the proverbial roses, her tight timetable would not allow such leniencies. Who knows what he is about to do. Hell, I have no clue where I am, coms are not functioning properly, even if they were I doubt I could contact UNSC personnel. Not even sure if he is in there, but I have no choice. I have to stop him. Here's to hoping I have something to return to, if I survive. With newly emblazoned conviction burning in her heart, Sandra pushed herself harder. Her lungs rapidly took in and expelled air as her armor moved with her, angry sapphire throwing a brilliant glow on the foliage around her as her boots tore into the malleable soil.

She almost hit it. Ramming into something like that would have given her a nasty headache and probably a concussion. She slid under the sphere, not breaking her momentum, pulling her sidearm firing a few rounds, each one bounced off its metal shell with a resounding clang. She had no clue what it was but was not about to be taken down when she had come this far.

"Hey, watch where you point that thing!" The orb exclaimed as it raced to the Spartan's side.

"Who are you?" Sandra asked loudly, not breaking her pace for a second.

"You don't remember me poking around in your head?" It took he a moment but her brain began to make rapid fire connections. Floating blue light. Right.

"Straight ahead in the spire, top floor. There is a series of teleporters in place, but you will have to take some stairs at the higher levels." Great. The last thing I need.

"Is he in there? Any idea what he is up to?" The spherical structure raced through the foliage beside her, seemingly pondering an appropriate answer to give the blonde.

"I have one confirmed life sign within the structure. As for what he is doing…" The female's voice trailed off in thought as Sandra cleared a small crevice in a single bound.

"Oh no…"

"What? What is it!?" Sandra tried to pry more details out of her contact.

"No time! I have to make the necessary precautions and…" Her words turned to mumbles as she discussed a plan with herself. Sandra was quickly becoming annoyed.

"What is happening!?" Sandra asked a little more hotly than she meant.

"Your Elite friend is trying to release someone I have tried very hard to keep locked up. I'll fill you in on the details after you deal with him. Get to the top and kill him before he..." She stopped mid-sentence as a massive orange beam seemed to split the tower in half as it ripped through the sky. It was extremely bright and Sandra's visor automatically compensated for the increased output of light.

"Bastard!" The light shouted before continuing on her previous conversation. "Get up there. Kill him. Then we'll talk." Without waiting for a response the blue light that inhabited the small sphere died out and the metal hunk dropped to the ground. With an angry noise that sounded more like a growl than anything else, Sandra smashed through the last remnants of shrubbery surrounding the complex before her armored boots pounded against the Forerunner alloys. I will get some answers, finally! After I kill that slimy bastard!

Unknown Location

Forerunner Teleportation Node

Kelly had never dreaded an exfiltration, until now. In the past, it was a time to offer silent congratulations and to reflect on the mission as a whole, paying particular purpose to what they did well and what they could improve. As the war continued, their rides homes turned to silent reflection and being able to relax within the presence of their few remaining family members. That had changed dramatically ever since Sandra had come waltzing into their lives. It had shaken up their team dynamic, but true to Spartan form, they had adapted extremely well in a short amount of time. While the jury was still out on what her brothers and sister still thought of the woman personally, they all agreed that her unique skillset was an incredible asset to the team and having an extra pair of eyes never hurt either.

Those lush, verdant jewels are part of what Blue Team's scout to her current predicament. Kelly had never really thought about what drew her to the blonde beauty in the first place. Was it her looks? Her personality that could seemingly turn on a dime? Her skills in combat? Fate? Whatever the case was, something had drawn the two together. Not that it matters anymore. She made her choice. She forced her tears to remain unshed as the four veterans rounded the corner, spotting the Phantom exactly where Sandra said it would be. The gangplank was down, suggesting their target had not planned to return to it any time soon.

"Linda, you're on weapons. Fred, take coms." Kelly was no idiot. She recognized her lack of a task. The two of them quickly ascended into the alien craft and set about completing their tasks.

"Crew bay." He told her without turning around or breaking his stride. Kelly marched off to the assigned area, knowing she was in big trouble. A low rumble signaled the drives powering up and the shift in deck meant they were on the move. Kelly leaned against one of the concave walls, glad for the Covenant's airtight craftsmanship. With a pop and a hiss, the scout removed her helmet, turning it over in her hands. The crack spider webbed outward from a central point where Sandra's fist met her visor. She pushed on the crack to test its durability. Luckily, the visor only gave the slightest bit. She wasn't sure about its ability in a vacuum, but at least it didn't completely shatter. Her deep blue eyes reflected in the golden sun before her. A saddened and broken woman looked back. Her eyes were slightly tinged red from the tears she had shed and her skin looked paler than usual. Maybe I'm just imagining things. She silently stared into the fractured plate for a long time, trying to sort out the emotions swirling below the neutral façade she presented to the outside world.

"Kelly." The sudden intrusion startled her, but she didn't let it show. She slowly looked up to see her ARGUS-clad sister standing in the doorway. Kelly had known Linda all her life. She was the most stoic of the group, next to John of course. Right now she could probably guess a few of the emotions running around in the sniper's head, confusion being chiefly among them. Linda turned and left, Kelly hot on her heels. The two of them entered the cockpit, the purple glow of the holographic displays drudging up memories, but they were quickly pushed aside. Kelly remained silent behind her three siblings as they continued to fiddle with the controls. A hum, this one much fiercer than the normal propulsion systems, signaled their entrance into slipspace. A personal slipspace drive? Interesting. Her interest in the alien ship was quickly forgotten as her childhood friends turned to face her, their bodies tense and somehow hesitant in their actions. Kelly wasn't just nervous. She was downright terrified. Not of what she had to say, but what the repercussions might be. She wouldn't know what to do with herself if she was pulled from frontline combat. She took a deep breath, sharing a look with each member of her family before she started her story.

"During the operation on Roost, some of my implants were damaged. Most of it was minor, but my hormone suppressant ceased to function. One of the side effects was an increased range of emotional expression. I was clueless to what was happening at the time but eventually I realized I had developed a…strong emotional attachment to Spartan Wolfe." She paused to collect her thoughts when Linda spoke up.

"What sort of attachment?"

"A romantic one." She instantly replied. Quick hand gestures passed between the three, but they stayed silent. She was about to continue but Fred spoke first.

"Did you know about the armor restraints?" Anger and grief bubbled under the surface at the mention of Sandra's most recent actions, but she held it in check.

"No."

"The Sangheili child? How does she fit in?" Linda asked. Kelly wondered how they knew about Amber, but she kept her thoughts to herself as she addressed the sniper.

"Due to complicated circumstances, she is a crewmember aboard the Infinity and my…daughter." Technically, Amber was adopted but Kelly thought that point really didn't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. More gestures and signals were exchanged then the other veterans became still, processing the new information thrust upon them. The longer they were quiet, the more worried she became. The scout's very career, no life, hung on what her teammates decided to do. But she steeled herself. She had made her choice when she accepted Sandra's unsaid proposal. Whatever her friends decided she would accept it without question.

Sandra, wherever you are, I hope I made the right decision.

Who the hell combines teleporters and stairs in a tower? It's like a freaking obstacle course in here. The rest of her internal monologue was lost to her as she pulled herself up onto another platform. The localized transportation field pulsed and hummed with energy, as if it was mocking her. "Why not just create one damn portal?" She grumbled to herself as she walked through the glowing entrance. She had learned her lesson after running through the first one and falling almost ten feet onto her ass. After that, walking seemed like the more sensible option. The exit revealed a short hallway that ended in a rising circular staircase. Finally! She took off into a run, ignoring whatever noise she was making in the effort to make up lost time. You might want to slow down. She ignored her internal voice as she took the steps three at a time. Seriously, he might be setting a trap. You could die. She shook her head to clear the errant thoughts. Or, he could be playing Hopscotch with a crawler. You never know. Her sarcastic, smart-ass mind was not helping in this situation, so she just decided to tune it out entirely. She knew she couldn't slow down. Who knows what damage he was doing up there. But her inner voice had a point: she had to be ready for anything. Uncoupling her M6, she checked the chamber only to realize she was on her last clip. Not good. Her DMR didn't fare much better with only around 30 rounds. Hoping the room was big enough to use the marksman rifle, she nested the weapon against her shoulder. Scoped running has never been my forte, but it should do the trick.

She bounded the last few steps, heart pumping in her throat. Whether from excitement or fear, she did not door was open at the end of the hall, revealing her target. The booming sound of the rounds rippled down the silver walls as the brass projectiles sought out their target. Energy shields rippled blue as Ekan roared in anger, his burning amber eyes locking on to his object of hatred. She ejected the spent clip as plasma splashed off her shields, causing the Forerunner alloys to hiss and spittle as the plasma ate away at them. 19…18…17…16. She counted down as the rounds left the chamber. The massive Elite ducked behind a pillar to give his abused shields time to recharge. She was not about to give him that opportunity. Sprinting into the room, she slid past the pillar, putting blind shots in his direction. The lack of response caused her some alarm. Quickly scrambling to her feet, her target was nowhere in sight. She scanned the small room with her rifle. Nothing. That's not good. Her mind's warning was warranted. Her DMR was ripped from her grasp and thrown across the room. A fist connected with her stomach, driving the air from her lungs. Even through the armor and shields it hurt like hell. Four more punches connected with her stomach before she was picked up by her neck and slammed into the ground. A smile sparked behind her visor. If he is as angry as I am I can use this to my advantage. Certainly wants to beat me to death. She narrowed her eyes as she regarded her foe. As. Do. I.

"You were foolish to follow me here, Demon." He growled out, his hand tightening its grip on her throat. Sandra wrapped her legs around his arm and pushed away, her vision starting to fade.

"Oh, really? Well I saw your ugly-ass mug and I couldn't let it run around unsupervised, scaring all the little children." She was rewarded by being picked up and slammed into the floor. The pained grimace was plainly evident behind her visor. Armor and shields could only protect one from so much. Still, she had to keep him angry, or at least distracted so he wouldn't run her through. All 900+ pounds of her (in armor she would later attest to) flew across the room as her M6 flared to life. He had nowhere to hide as the heavy rounds sent him staggering. Her magnum clicked empty as the final round pierced through the Elite's shields and punched into his shoulder. Thick purple liquid splattered the ground as the wound revealed itself. Sandra rolled to the side as a large hoof slammed into the floor just a few mere moments later.

Her smile faded as Ekan roared in anger and charged her. She was sent crashing to the ground once more as his heavy mass slammed into her smaller body. Her armor noticed a large rise in temperature as her ears caught the hiss and crackle of an energy sword. The bright blue glow of the sword sent a pang of fear down her spine. But that was all it was, a pang. She was determined to kill him, more so than anyone else in her life. Not only for the UNSC but for herself, her parents and her family. This monster took so much from her, just to fulfil some prophetic bullshit that some scrawny alien bastard decreed thousands of light years away, safe in his hole. He did not move, only glower at her. It seemed he had something to say.

"It took me longer than I thought it would, to find out what you fight for, human. Your 'driving force' if you will." Sandra stayed quiet as she watched her opponent carefully. He swung his blade through the air a few times for effect, a dark smile spreading across his face as the contained plasma crackled with energy. "I should have recognized those hilts. One-of-a-kind craftsmanship. Only a master could make bend plasma like that." His smile grew even wider, if that was even possible.

"So you must be one of the daughters of the 'Rakam house. A half-bred vermin from a corrupted cesspit. I hope you have prayed to your gods." He took a few steps in towards her. "Your house is dead. Your lineage crumbles beneath your feet." Sandra's blood began to boil as she instinctively tightened the grip around her family's gifts. Her parents were dead, murdered, as she was taken off-world. The memories were often hidden by time and tears, but there were times where one would break through with perfect clarity. Her mother's soothing voice and kind eyes. Her father's steady hand and unwavering smile. It was moments like these which gave her hope. She believed a better future was right around the corner. She didn't even know she was crying until she tasted the saltiness of her tears. Her mind disconnected from the present, wanting to cling to the past, hold what she cherished close for all eternity.

It was strange that she could see herself, as she observed her body from afar. An out of body experience? Everything was moving in slow motion, like time had to be filtered through a combination of molasses and honey. She could observe Ekan 'Satinee as his muscled pulsed and rippled with each nerve firing. A glow behind her caught her attention, her opponent quickly forgotten. Her jaw hit the floor: there stood her parents, fully outfitted in their combat gear. Only their helmets were missing. But that detail was of little concern to Sandra. They had beaming smiles, bathing in the sight of their beautiful daughter. They said nothing, but no words needed to be exchanged, there was enough raw emotion between the three of them to last for a lifetime. With a happy sigh, Sheila took her partner into her arms and stared lovingly into his eyes. Contented gold returned the look with equal fervor. The couple moved in perfect sync, moving as one in a show of love. Her mother closed her eyes and stood on her tiptoes leaning into her partner, supporting him, protecting him. But as soon as lips connected, their bodies began to fade.

"No! Where are you going?! MOM! DAD!" The blonde's questions were never answered as the lovers were ebbed away by time. Her legs buckled under her, unable to carry on as tears flowed freely. Her choked sobs seemed to echo around the room, pushing her further into the growing pit inside her.

"Why…" She whispered.

"Why?" Again, no answer.

"Why?!" Silence.

"WHY!" She screamed, her body shook with sobs. She ripped off her helmet, throwing it in a fit of rage. Why?! Why was I put through this hell?! Mom…dad…I'm sorry. So, so, so sorry. I tried my hardest, I honestly did. To live up to the example you strove to show, what it meant to be a member of the house of 'Rakam. To propagate the standards and beliefs you instilled into me. I thought…I thought by facing down that murderous bastard, by avenging you. I could forget these bitter memories. Leave them behind. Move on. But I can't…I can't! I'm just not strong enough. I'm so sorry I failed you. So fucking sorry…

She didn't even feel the bitter taste of the tears anymore. His words had opened up old wounds that she had hastily closed and buried as far down as she could push them. Behind the bravado, behind the smiles and cheeriness, was a wounded woman who needed something solid to hold on to. But I can't even have that now, can I? No, I had to fuck that up too. Her enemy was coming to slit her throat and all she could do is wallow in her own pity and poorly covered fears. She could feel the wind brush against her face. But she did not have the energy to move. Instead she concentrated on the wind around her. She smiled dreamily through the haze of tears at its warm caresses. Well at least I can die happy. It took a moment for her emotionally ravaged brain to catch up to her. Wait. I know I am having an out of body experience here, but should there really be wind inside? Lazily, she cracked open her eyes, too exhausted to care. Twin sapphire pools greeted her, sparkling in the artificial light. Sandra gave a half-hearted smile at the sight of her other half.

"Hey there, my beautiful little wolf pup." Kelly's eyes shown with concern, but was overshadowed by her loving, radiant smile that lit up the room.

"Wolf pup?" Sandra rose an eyebrow in mild surprise. Kelly pulled Sandra down into her lap, running her hands gently through her platinum blonds locks.

"Of course. I am your bunny and you are my little wolf pup." The chestnut haired woman said it with such loving conviction, Sandra had a hard time believing she was not really there in the woman's arms.

"But you aren't real. You are just a figment of my imagination. My subconscious desires." The older Spartan pulled an errant lock behind her ear, rolling her eyes, before answering her younger love.

"That may be true, yet here I am."

"And what advice would you elect to bestow upon me, oh subconscious one?" Kelly lightly smacked her arm at the playful jab, but continued on anyway.

"After this is all over, you should talk to her. Really talk to her. I can see the questions before you can ask them. Subconscious, remember?" She answered at Sandra's confused look.

"Kinda screwed the pooch on that one when I abandoned her." It felt odd, yet relaxing, talking to herself like this.

"While that may certainly be a possibility, I believe that talking with her might yield a more favorable outcome. And who knows you might get some delectable dessert out of it too." Sandra felt an involuntary shiver shoot down her spine as Kelly licked her lips sensually. Lips adequately lubricated, she looked up to glare at the closing alien, blade raised high above.

"Come on. Up, up! Harness that rage and kick his ass!" Sandra didn't really want to move from her comfy spot in the woman's lap, but that cocky smile shook some of the stiffness from her veins. With a little help from her subconscious mind, Sandra shook her limbs loose.

"That bastard killed our parents. Destroyed our family. Can I ask you to do one thing for me?"

"Anything." Sandra answered, the fire in her soul having been rekindled.

"Tear his fucking heart out." Her sapphire eyes burned with equal hellfire.

Sandra found herself back in her body, blades crossed, red holding steadfast against blue. The Spartan shoved her attacker away to buy her precious seconds. Forget a forest fire. You have a fucking inferno on your hands! Without waiting for him to regain his composure, she pressed her attack.

"You murdered my family. You killed my parents! Death is too good for you!" Her vicious blades burned with hatred and plasma as they sought out their kill. "First I will beat you into the ground! Then I'll rip out your black fucking heart and shove it down your goddamned throat!" Her hate-filled strikes slammed into oncoming blue like a hurricane. Up, down, from the sides, it did not matter. Sandra would not be denied her kill. Deep scars ripped through the perfect model of the Forerunner room, as if it was but a bystander caught in a crossfire of two clashing armies. As much as she pushed, as much as she wanted him dead, he was too good to fall so easily. Sandra might have been trained by a master swordsman, but Ekan had decades of training under him. It frustrated her to no end that she could not land one strike upon his flesh. They pursued one another back and forth across the room, like the ebb and flow of the tides. If one watched from the sidelines, it would seem like the two of them were invested in an intricate dance. A dance where only the participants knew the brutal truth.

But rage is a double edged sword when it comes to fighting: your strikes may be faster and hit harder, but you loosed the battlefield sense and awareness of your surrounds that a cool head provides. Sandra was well aware of this fact; she was just too angry to care. The red blades kept flashing by, inches from his face, though they were marginally slower than before. She was slowing down as exhaustion began to creep into her muscles. She crouched down, bringing up her crossed swords in a blazing red streak of energy. A he ducked a turned to evade the lethal blow, she realized her mistake. Pain like she had not felt in months lanced through every fiber of her being as the shaped plasma perforated her leg. Tears welled in her eyes and it felt as if her leg had been dunked in boiling lava. Her temperature readings spiked as her armor fought to mitigate the damage to her body. In a flash of black and blue. The Remnant commander pulled the blade from its fleshy home, spinning around and bringing it back down in a downward arc. Only her momentary stumble saved her from being bisected as the white hot plasma sliced across her abdominal region, leaving massive burns and trauma along the fault line. The follow-up kicks only aggravated her wounds further.

She could taste the copper in her mouth as she stumbled and swayed before finally collapsing against one of the scarred pillars. Sandra's breathing was ragged and her mouth felt like sandpaper. The ornate blades lay dormant beside her, extinguished when they failed to detect their holder. Her head lulled to the side as the Elite stalked towards her, brimming with confidence. Whelp, I had a good run. Whether she wanted to continue the fight or not was moot, her limbs lacked the strength to block another one of his powerful blows. Her hands wandered aimlessly around her, searching for something to hold. One bumped into something spherical. No… A smile broke out behind her visor. A chuckle escaped the filters of her helmet. The towering elite paused momentarily, confused, but cast the action aside.

"What is so amusing, human? Have you finally realized you have lost?" He mocked as he stood over her, blade poised above her heart. I have to keep his attention on me.

"Yea, something like that." Her lively chuckle was stopped short by the deactivation of his energy sword as he crouched over her. His claws tightened around her throat, his safety forgotten in the relish of the kill.

"You know what's wrong with you hinge-heads?" Sandra asked between weak, raspy intakes as her airway was slowly crushed. Ekan's golden orbs glowed with intrigue as he regarded the purple Spartan.

"Your too goddamn cocky for your own good." She put all her force into one uppercut aimed at her attacker's skull. In his rattled state, he let go of her airway, allowing the Spartan to breathe freely. She quickly scrambled to her feet, bringing the sphere with her.

"It isn't your heart, but it will have to do!" She screamed as she plunged her fist between his mandibles and into his mouth. His eyes widened in both surprise and fear. Sandra retracted her arm and kicked him in the chest as the object fused itself in his airway. Purple mangled gore greeted Sandra as her vision cleared. What was left of his body was a mangled heap of charred, bloody organs and tissues all melted together into a sickening pile of sludge. So that's what a plasma grenade does when it detonates inside someone. The agonizing stab of pain flooded her senses as the adrenaline wore off.

"Fuck that hurts." She spat through gritted teeth, bending down to pick up her discarded swords. Keeping as much pressure off her leg as she could, she limped over to the center console. On it was a singular glowing purple symbol, humming with energy. With nothing else to do, she pressed down on it. The wall before her peeled apart divulging the secrets hidden within its walls. Displays covered almost every surface, pushing out more data than her suit could keep up with. Cables and tubes of unimaginable variety carried their contents from unknown places to their destination. There was a certain air about the room. Small Forerunner constructs zoomed about the room, ignoring the purple intruder altogether. In the center of it all stood a cylindrical tube filled with an opaque blue liquid that cast a faint glow that mirrored the readouts around it.

"Wow…" She was awestruck. Making sure her armor was capturing this for further study, she ambled about the room taking in all the sights and sounds. Her feed was interrupted when one of the small constructs hovered before her. Its small metal 'wings' shifted occasionally as it regarded the armor-clad human that had treaded into its territory. Sandra watched the glowing orb on the front of the machine with growing curiosity. Minutes passed in silence as neither party was in a rush to move.

"RECLAIMER DETECTED. ACCESS GRANTED." It's monotonous, metallic voice spoke before it flew back to its duties. What was that all about? With a shrug she turned her attention to the room's central tube. She took a few cautious steps towards the enclosed liquid, before wrapping a knuckle on it a few times. Hmm. Wonder what they got cooking in there. An organic hybrid? Some sort of tech? Who kno-

"FINAL RECONSTRUCTIVE SEQUENCE COMPLETED. INITAILIZING DRAINAGE PROTOCOLS." A commanding voice boomed orders from somewhere unknown, startling the Spartan. Cyan vapors hissed from the tube, their volume slowly clouding the room. Sandra raised her fists in a defensive stance. If this thing was hostile she had to prepare for a fight. Though her vison was obstructed she could hear liquid pouring out onto the metal floor. She could detect other sounds, but could not discern what they were over the sloshing of liquid as it pooled beneath her feet. There were a few moments of silence as the vapors slowly receded. Sandra blinked dumbly as wet, feminine coughs filtered through the cyan cloud.

"What a wonderful feeling to wake up to." Another coughing fit resounded from the woman as she forced the remaining fluid from her lungs. The woman's voice was melodic but held a deeper, darker undertone, like a siren. She looked up to see a red glow veiled by the cyan aerosolized fluids.

"Glad to see you made it." The purple Spartan stepped forward, a red blade casting malicious shadows on the armored figure.

Sandra stared at the woman incredulously. What the…? The woman sat with her legs curled behind her propping herself up with one arm. That wasn't what caught her off guard. Oh no. The woman's skin was blue. Blue! Silver-blue eyes greeted her with what she could only guess was happiness and relief. Similarly, lips and hair color reveled in the same tone as her skin. Her odd appearance was completed with what seemed to be some sort of Forerunner armor, though she couldn't be sure. It hugged her like a second skin, glowing dimly with the same color as her skin. To say she was different would be an understatement.

"You look terrible." A warm smile graced her lips as she spoke.

"Who…are you?" Was Sandra's response.

"You don't remember?" She tilted her head in confusion.

"If I knew I would remember." A light chuckle emanated from the blue-skinned woman.

"Your just like him. Except your more talkative." Sandra stayed silent, waiting for the woman to continue. This woman was no threat. The shaped plasma evaporated as Sandra extinguished her weapon.

"I thought you would remember your guide?" Sandra pondered the woman's question. Guide? What does she mean? Guide. Guide. Guide…guide!

"You were inside my head?" The woman nodded.

"Technically, yes. This place, the Domain, allowed me to contact you using more unique methods. Project myself into your subconscious. I had to get the UNSC's attention. I need to warn them."

"If that was the case why not contact the Infinity directly? Or HIGHCOM for that matter?"

"I would if I could. But in my weakened state I could only contact individual people." Sandra nodded and allowed her to continue.

"What do you need to warn the UNSC about?"

"No offence, Spartan, but I would rather speak to Lasky about this. Admiral Hood, if he is still alive."

"I can do that. But first I would like to know the name of the person I just threw my career away for." If the woman was surprised by the news, she held her composure well.

"Really?" Her smile morphed into a sly smirk. "What did you do?" Sandra let her annoyance show via a huff of air.

"The UNSC doesn't take kindly to abandoning one's post, especially combined with dragging along humanity's foremost experts at killing anything alien along for the ride." This comment made the woman look around, as if she noticed Sandra was alone for the first time.

"We didn't part on the best of terms." Sandra answered her unspoken question, shoving down the memories that threatened to rise to the surface. "Your name?"

"You might need to carry me. This whole rebirthing thing has turned my legs to jelly." Sandra rolled her eyes at the evasive attitude, but scooped the woman into her arms with some effort.

"Nice to finally meet you in person, Sandra." She wrapped her arms around the Spartan's head to steady herself. "Name's Cortana."

Come Back Next Time!

Woo hoo! Cortana has appeared! Some of you may have guessed correctly at the hints I dropped in previous chapters, but here she is in all her sassy glory! Trust me on this one, she is going to play a major part in the upcoming chapters (Cortana & MC reunion, anyone?) For those of you who have wondered about my XBL gamertag, it is on my profile. Just add me, send me a message and we can kick some Covie ass together! The next installment, we will see the ramifications of Sandra's actions, information on a mysterious threat, and to top it all off, fluff between our two lovely ladies…maybe. Muhahahahaha! Till next time!