Cortana was pushed through a door she was already familiar with. She had Infinity's structure memorized down to the nail she was in Halsey's lab. The smell hit her nose right away, the smell of bleach, rubber and chemicals. It was strange, before she could never truly understand what people meant by "lab smell" but she knew well by now. It immediately reminded her of being strapped in the Didact's prison and it made her sick. Something snapped inside of her and she started to fight back.
"No, no, let me go!" She tried to fight the restraints that bound her wrists while the officers forced her in a chair. She immediately stood up taking her legs and doing a strong up kick into the officer's stomach he made a groaning noise and fell over. She side kicked the other who slammed into a wall. She used her elbows and basically any other part of her body to keep pounding the officer until he slide down the wall unconscious. Her heart was racing, and glancing down at her skin she noticed the blue lines pulsing like a heart. She knew that even with her body she couldn't have that kind of strength. She glanced around room and took the handguns off the ONI officers slumped on the floor and in potion slide again the wall checking for more officers. She took a quick scan, 3 officers on deck. There spread apart enough that she could slide through without noticing. She continued to scan for Dr. Halsey, but heard an officer approaching and she has to move. She slide out the doorway and ran as fast as she could while looking behind her.
Then everything slowed down she turned around and saw a person in front of her like a blur. Not being able to tell who it was she shoved out her hand and like a bomb of energy her hand came in contact with the persons chest plate, there was a shock of blue light like lightening, Cortana lifted her opposite arm and shielded her eyes from the light, whoever she had touched flew back and slammed against the closest wall. She looked up from her arm and held her breath.
Commander Palmer.
Commander Palmer pushed herself up and back on her feet observing the fresh dent in her chest place.
"Well, you've been working out." She grunted as she stretched her back.
"I'm sorry I didn't…" Palmer held her hand up cutting her off, "You're bleeding."
"What…?" Cortana looked down at her side wound. Her stiches reopened.
Shit.
"You haven't been given medical assistance?" She lifted her eyebrow.
"It hasn't exactly been the most welcome 'welcome home party' that we've had." Cortana mumbled. Before Palmer could say anything an ONI officer started running over.
"CTN 0452-9 UNSC Artificial Intelligence you're under Office of Naval Intelligence arrest for assaulting an officer." He grabbed Cortana's shoulder and turned her around and applied the handcuffs.
I guess my tally is 4 ONI officers so far today.
"She needs medical assistance." Palmer stepped between the officer and Cortana.
"She denied the assistance, Commander. Now move aside!" He stated clearly annoyed.
"If you call medical assistance strapping me in a chair then I don't know what the hell assistance is!" Cortana shouted angrily. "Get these cuffs off of me and let me speak to Commander Osman!" She gritted her teeth and tried to hold down the rage boiling in her veins.
If you get to angry you'll explode and if this officer finds out I'll be put up for questioning of working with foreign artifacts.
"Officer, let her speak with Osman. I'm sure all of this is a misunderstanding." Palmer tried to speak soothingly but uneasiness wavered in her voice.
He grunted then shoved Cortana forward, "Let's go." Cortana started to walk in the direction she came from and they turned into the room next to Dr. Halsey's lab. It had a similar layout but it lacked the stacks of books and chemicals that Halsey had. But it had the same disgusting smell that made her gag.
"You are required to wear the straps. If you deny them you will not be permitted to speak with Commander Osman." He shoved her in the chair and began to apply the tight straps. She took deep breaths and squeezed her eyes shut. Her muscles were tense as she scanned around the ship and tracked how many seconds she had until Osman showed. 5, 4 ,3 ,2 ,1…The door slammed open and Osman stood above her ungracefully in 2 seconds.
"Who the hell gave you the right to take down two of my men?" She yelled and Cortana. Cortana knew better, to keep her mouth shut, respect High Command, like every soldier should. But to Osman, she was not a soldier she was hardware, and criminal.
"I've been held captive with the UNSC's most high risk enemy for months, constantly being experimented on and tortured, and this is how you treat me!" She could feel her skin heating up, the energy coursing through her becoming out of control. Osman looked startled at the blue lines that coursed her body and took a few steps back.
"Doctor, I want an analysis now!" Osman looked panic as the doctor ran over and glanced at his tablet.
"Ma'am levels are off the charts, I've…I've seen anything like this before!" Cortana watched as his eye's flashed around the tablet as if the answer would pop up in front of him.
"I want this thing sedated, now!" She barked as the doctor stiffly dosed the medicine and quickly checked the amount. Osman glanced at the doctor inpatient and snatched the syringe from his hand. The florescent lights flashed as Cortana consumed more energy and Osman took no more time and stabbed the syringe in her left leg.
Funny, that's how I woke up.
"I'm not a monster Commander, I'm just change." She mumbled as her heavy eyelids shut leaving her in darkness.
oOoOoO
Chief was furious, at the UNSC, at the Didact, at Dr. Halsey, at ONI. He wanted to punch something, and even though he had more important things to do Infinity's punching bag in the gym was calling to him every second. He made his way through the hallways, completely ignoring all the stares and questions. He shoved past them, for their own good. Finally he found an open control panel to contact Roland with.
"Roland." Was all he had to say, then the holographic AI light up as if he had been waiting for Chief the whole time.
"Where…" But Roland cut him off.
"Room 358, next to Dr. Catherine Halsey's lab," He spoke quickly and gave Chief a nod before he flashed away.
Roland usually is one to ask questions, something told me he wasn't supposed to tell me that. Meaning someone is communicating with another High Command.
Chief jogged upstairs, he tried to keep himself from running to attract attention. But it doesn't matter because rumors spread like fire on this ship. The rebellious-human-saving-Spartan was back with a mysterious human hybrid Artificial Intelligence.
3 officers were guarding the door and as he approached he heard the safety's click off.
"You don't have permission to enter this room." One of them bravely spoke, Chief noted as he spoke his gun shifted slightly. He wasn't a good multi-tasker. He heard the clicking of boots and turned around. Commander Sarah Palmer walked down the hall, hands by her side.
"There's no point going in there Chief, she's sedated." She sighed.
"Sedated?" Even though Palmer couldn't tell his mouth was wide open.
"She had a panic attack on Osman since they strapped her in a lab chair. Osman ordered sedation and now they're giving her medical treatment, but that's there excuse for taking samples." She glanced towards the officers then took a step closer, "I tried to stop them, but lately ONI is being stick asses." She whispered silently. Chief just nodded and looked towards the room with an unsettled feeling in his gut.
"Chief, what happened back there?" She said even more softly, it surprised Chief. Sarah has a strong personality and this softer side is almost startling.
"More then you know…More then we know…More then I know." He shook his head. There was so much to process, he just wanted to sit down and close his eyes to make the pounding thoughts go away.
She nodded and knew that was a good place to drop the subject. "Go talk to Lasky, he's in a meeting…But you're the acceptation." She turned around and began walking away.
He walked past the officers who kept their guns stead on him until he was out of sight.