"So how many do you think will actually show up to this meeting?" I asked, I was genuinely curious what he thought of the remaining officers in the complex.

Of course Six's answer to that question was a grunt and a shrug. Before continuing his scanning of the empty office room we had procured. It was moderately spacious and would provide me the ability to effectively demonstrate what we needed to do.

What to do...

I let out an audible sigh, there wasn't much to do until someone showed up. What was on the docket? I was interested in some things I had noticed, "So, I've been meaning to ask this, how are you so..." I came up short for a word to really describe it, "Sociable."

If you could call someone social when they're so stern and constantly ready for threats.

Six paused and tilted his head slightly before speaking, "What do you mean?"

I came up short for a second before specifying the question, "You're a bit more well adjusted than the average Spartan. A few bits of slang here and there. Some flexibility in your language that, as far I know Spartans don't typically have." It was strange to me, I was used to the idea that humanity's super soldiers were disconnected from pretty much everyone else.

He seemed to think for a moment, before asking slowly, "How much of my background do you actually know of? Besides the details on the surface." Caution there, what was the best way to go about this?

Eventually, I settled on playing it safe, "I know that you operated as an agent for ONI for a while. Black ops jobs, the kind that get all the information redacted in reports. Not to mention the... more personal work you did for your superior later on." I trailed off near the end, it was all the truth really, as far I knew that was what he had been doing for a long time before he landed in the Special Warfare Group Three that included Noble Team.

He tensed and relaxed his muscles rapidly, "How do you have this information? It should have been destroyed or beyond your access." His jaw was set and he seemed... Dangerous, for lack of a better term.

In all fairness it was a good question.

I decided ignorance was best, I didn't need to be all mysterious about this, "Whoa there, don't get all violent with me! I was given this information at my inception, likely to aid you somehow. I don't get to choose what I know and don't know." The anger was real, it wasn't really Six's fault though. I was just frustrated and having to create a coherent story to protect myself wasn't helping.

Six was silent for a moment, "Alright." He said softly. That was that, I supposed. We both just kept to ourselves and stayed in thought. He didn't even answer my question.

Funnily enough I did have some things to sort out, or at least think about for a while. After I returned from my Inner World I had received two Skills, technically three but one didn't count towards the Skill capacity. They even gave me the option to reject them if I didn't want them, I kept them all but it was nice to know I wasn't just going to fill the Skill capacity with useless Skills.

A Skill has been Created! (x3)

Destruction (Sub-Skill) - (Creation): LVL 1, Destruction returns MP based on what the target, repeated uses create instability. "The opposite of Creation yet so similar, Creation and rebirth follows after."

Accept Skill: Y / N

The first was the one that hadn't counted, presumably because it was a 'Sub-Skill'. Although, what that meant was lost on me, I assumed since it was a minor variation that would be why it was a Sub-Skill. I just wasn't sure.

Inner World (Spiritual/Creation): LVL MAX, Often called the Soul or consciousness, it is neither and yet includes both. It is something much more, the pure weight of the spirit upon the material plane, a world of ones own making."

Accept Skill: Y / N

I wasn't entirely sure about this one, it acknowledged my Inner World but deliberately said it wasn't exactly my Soul, and that tag... The whole Skill bothered me slightly not that it existed but the clarifications and lack there of it was displaying. I made sure to hit the 'Y' button too, I didn't know if denying a Skill creation made me lose my ability to do that thing entirely.

Engineering Proficiency (Passive): Level 6, General skill in the repair, fabrication, destruction, and modification of objects and structures. "Engineering is taking whatever you have access to and using it to solve problems. Big ones, small ones, it doesn't matter."

This... This is what I had envisioned when I became The Gamer. I had studied engineering when I was still in school but with the creation of a Skill suddenly my ability and knowledge had eclipsed that of before.

Now when I looked at the Mjolnir armor I didn't see an unknowable and intangible level of technology. I understood, however slightly, how it operated and functioned. It was astonishing, if a little hard to wrap my head around how it changed my ability to do things.

Besides that though, I had gained an extra five levels just by observing the armor itself. I had no idea how levels translated to an actual ability to do anything though.

The Skills in their entirety were a net positive in my eyes, I had ideas now, I motivation to progress and a means to do it.

Six didn't know it but I was ever so slightly changing his armor as he stood, imperfections that the average person wouldn't pick up were fixed. Minor improvements across the board were implemented.

Several details caught my attention though as I was fixing the armor.

For some reason, parts that were included in the repair data just were... Missing in Six's suit. It was almost as if someone was stuffing subpar parts or wasn't including certain systems in an effort to cut costs.

I wanted to scoff, you were going to give the defenders of humanity sub-standard equipment in an effort save money?

Fucking politicians.

What a bunch of idiots. I was going to fix this. Six was going to have a proper set of armor whether they liked it or not, for my sake and for his.

I would've smirked if I had the ability to, those higher ups weren't around anymore, so I supposed their budgeting ideas went to the grave with them.

I had almost gotten so bored by the time anyone arrived that, I was actually considering the idea of sending random messages to Six in effort to get him to talk to me. I had already dug through his mission recordings, but I had stopped when I actually started seeing what happened to Reach. So I went back to idly using my MP to fix the armor, bored.

Well, that was until somebody actually arrived.

I had jumped in my nonexistent skin when I heard the electronic beep of the door opening and several feet shuffling outside.

Several people walked in, several of them were haggard looking, like they hadn't slept in a day or two. The others either had blank or solemn expressions etched on their faces. All of them were wearing various uniforms and armor from different branches.

They shared looks amongst themselves, they all must have reached some kind of unspoken conclusion because they took seats immediately afterword.

Several awkward moments followed.

Someone cleared their throat. An ODST with blue eyes, pale blonde hair , and an even paler complexion. "I'm guessing everybody else must've gotten that announcement and came here?" He said while looking around the table, several affirmations followed. He nodded to himself, "Who sent it?"

They murmured negatives to each other. Okay this wasn't going to work. I gave Six a metaphorical tap through our link, "Yank me out, I'll give them the rundown. You support me." He seemed to snap out of whatever funk he was in.

Mechanically, he nodded and moved to pull the A.I. chip that housed me out of his helmet. I cut off any running processes I had going, this was going to be weird.

It was a strange feeling, like having limbs I didn't know I had be paralyzed or cut off. It wasn't painful or even bad, just weird.

With the Index I could feel Six's fingers on the chip as he moved forward. I could feel it as he slotted the chip into the terminal next to the table.

Then I was in another world entirely, swirling data and access points nearly drowning me.

I had foresight to brace myself this time, although I wasn't expecting the network of the complex to be so... Open? Rigid? I couldn't really describe it fully.

If I had to describe how I felt when traversing the new systems? It was almost like swimming in a pool, not really the physical aspects, more like the feeling it brought.

I started making initial connections and pulling up available systems.

Funnily enough it was-

What.

What the fuck?

There was no security. On anything. I had access to everything, from security systems to emergency life support and air filtration. Not just me either, anyone with access to a terminal could do whatever the hell they wanted.

Nope, fuck no. I wasn't going to let anybody touch the things that should be under lock and key. I immediately started blocking outside access to those systems and areas.

A Skill has increased in LVL!

Computer Proficiency : LVL (5) - 6

Neat.

Anyway, ONI, seriously what are you guys doing?

Okay, since that was in progress were there any other immediate problems to solve?

Oh.

Yeah, that would do it.

It actually hadn't been any time at all since I had been plugged in. It might have felt like it, but I was able to process and react much faster than a human could. Relatively anyway, I was definitely still hamstrung being around human intelligence.

So, the decisions now would be: how do I present myself and how do I break the bad news to everyone?

The first one was easy. I would go with... maybe a green color for my avatar, casual clothes and a coat overtop it all.

The second was much harder.

I would have let out a sigh if I could.

In an instant I had constructed the avatar and was displaying it. The whole process was much easier with The Index helping me.

Raised brows and interested looks followed.

Showtime. I gave everyone a grim smile and trailed my gaze over them.

"I did. In short, we're fucked. In more detail, we're double fucked." That would get them to pay attention.

There had been arguing, denial, a panic attack throw in there for good measure.

Then...

Silence, contemplative, maybe tense, but silence nonetheless.

I'm pretty sure everyone had gone through some kind of episode but, it worked out, everyone was thinking for once.

The ODST, a Corporal Keith Bartley, shifted his jaw before looking at me. He spoke clearly, annunciating purposefully, "You're absolutely sure right? It's a certainty that it'll happen? We're already in the shit Gaia."

I had introduced myself as Gaia. I wasn't really sure if it was for the persona I was creating or, just that I wanted to distance myself personally from the people around me.

Six had tilted his head almost in askance when I introduced myself, I had gestured vaguely that I would get to it later.

Besides that I was sure. Even if most of the sensor equipment outside was damaged or destroyed enough was left to get a clear enough picture.

I let out a sigh with my avatar before saying, "Yes, there's a ship, a corvette, right above us. It might not be actual Covenant forces, it could be independents, but they're combing the area and sooner or later they'll find us."