Sen was stirred awake by a rough thump. She stretched her neck and shook her feathers, feeling a bit stiff. She looked over at Cal to realize that she had fallen asleep on him, feeling a flush of embarrassment at that. She never let her guard down before, especially not surrounded by Humans. What was wrong with her? In an instant she snapped to reality, realizing that they had landed and the door at the back of the ship was opening. The other Human fighters that were dressed like Cal got out of their seats and started exiting the craft, chattering amongst themselves. She felt a twinge of nervousness at the idea of getting off the ship; these Humans at least tolerated her, but they weren't who worried her, it was their leaders. She knew how the Covenant's leaders worked. They were cruel, horrifically cruel. She recalled the Humans that were taken prisoner on her previous missions to attack Human worlds and shuttered at the thought. She didn't allow herself to think about it at the time, but now she remembered, and she felt sick. She could only hope that the Human leaders here would give her a chance as Cal did.
She got up from her seat and turned to look at Cal, he seemed almost as worried as she was. He said something that she couldn't quite understand and reached a hand out towards her. She gave him a grim glance, before turning around and slowly walking towards the ramp. As she neared it, she immediately noticed the Humans outside through the bright morning light, and they were different than any of the others she saw. They were wearing all-black clothes, but no armor. The weird Humans were leveling weapons toward her cautiously, but did not speak as she came into view.
Sen paused at the top of the ramp, putting her hands out in front of her to show the Humans that she wasn't holding a gun, before slowly lowering herself to the ground, and detaching her weapons from her armor. The Human weapon she had been using and her needler clattered to the metal ramp with a loud bang, and she stood back up slowly again, walking out towards the armed Humans. She heard Cal desperately try to plead with the Humans outside, but they shouted something at him that caused him to stay back. The Humans roughly grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her back, she felt them lock her claws together with some kind of restraint. She didn't resist, knowing she would just need to endure whatever happened next. She turned her head to look at Cal, who stood at the top of the ramp with distress visible on his face. She wanted to say something to him, but before she could even think, the Humans began quickly pushing her away from the craft.
The next series of events went by like a flash. Sen kept her head down as she was escorted through the Human base, trying to appear as unthreatening as possible despite being larger than her captors. She was led past many odd buildings, with Humans rushing all over. Many stopped and stared at her as they went, with some even trying to say something to the silent black-clad Humans that guided her. Eventually, she was led into a building that was different from the others, and definitely the most guarded. Her sharp eyes pivoted to the area around her, picking out at least four hidden Human snipers positioned in various areas around the building. She knew from this fact alone that once she went inside, she likely wasn't coming out again anytime soon.
She was quickly escorted inside, the dark walls of the building enveloping her vision, cutting out the natural light, and replacing it with artificial fluorescence. Inside the building, she walked over a large triangular emblem on the ground that she didn't recognize as she was escorted deep inside. She walked past numerous rooms and saw many Humans. The ones in black were armed, but the ones in white weren't.
Eventually, her guards moved her into one of the rooms. One of the white-clad Humans fiddled with her chest armor, pressing some kind of device up against the seams where it connected. To Sen's shock, the armor powered down and disconnected from itself. Coming apart as it does when she takes it off to sleep in her nest. The Human repeated the process with the rest of the armor for the same result. With each piece that came off, the Human placed it on a nearby table. Seeming to take a great deal of care in placement while also talking with a great deal of enthusiasm to her guards. She couldn't understand many of the words that the white-clad Human was saying, but it was obvious that the other Humans did not care.
After the Human finished removing her armor, Sen was left wearing nothing but her techsuit. She felt a nervous shiver, feeling naked without her combat armor. She looked over at her disassembled chest plate, thinking about Raq's pendant that was still inside. She felt shame burn inside at the realization that it was taken from her, and part of her wondered if she should have given it to Cal for safekeeping before she left. She was then escorted out of that room again, and taken to a room across from it. Inside, the walls and floor were white. There was a table with chairs around it, and what looked like some kind of storage compartments to the side. Across from the table was a chamber with a reinforced door sealing it from the rest of the room, facing the table was a clear wall that offered full vision inside. Sen quickly realized that it was a prison cell; in her mind comparing the clear wall to the translucent energy barriers that the Covenant used on their own prison cells. One of the guards unlocked the door using some kind of small flat object, and she allowed herself to be escorted inside. The guard removed her restraints before exiting the room and closing the door, leaving her alone inside.
Sen massaged her wrists as she gazed around the bleak room. There was some kind of hard raised platform that hung from the wall, and a fixed table connected to the wall. It was bleak and empty, offering little comfort. She sat down on the hard platform and looked outside, staring at the bland interior. She started thinking about what had happened to get her here, as she hadn't had much time to just sit and think. Her thoughts immediately drifted to Cal, the Human she had only just met, and an odd feeling sprung up in her. The way he talked to her, held her hand and spoke to her honestly with his unfamiliar expressions. Just thinking about it caused a bizarre warmth in her, a feeling she never felt before.
She focused inward, feeling fluttering in her stomach. Every time she thought about him, she felt a kind of nervous joy. A desire. Suddenly, she had a moment of realization.
Sen looked down at her hands, gently clasping them together in contemplation. She never looked at males of her species in that way, never did. The ones that chased after her just wanted to make a name for themselves, not be seen as a 'useless male' in their society. She remained steady, only thinking about herself and her brother, and what was best for them.
But now? She couldn't get him out of her mind. A Human, a Human she signed up to fight, to kill. But now, all she was thinking about was how she wanted to see him again, to touch his hand one more time. To see his strange face smile, one last time.
She looked up at one of the bright, artificial lights above her. Its incessant buzz grated on her ears as a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Cal sat at the top of the ramp of the Pelican, watching Sen be escorted away. The men that took her, ONI he assumed, told him to stay put until further notice. All he could do was wait until someone came to get him as they told him, then maybe he could do something. He felt sick in his stomach, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if they tortured her. Yet, he could do nothing. He could only wait, and hope.
Shortly after, a decorated UNSC officer wearing a formal base outfit approached the Pelican with a clipboard in hand. He looked up at Cal with a raised brow, looking down at his clipboard and speaking in an official voice. "Private First Class Bardeen 31173. Follow me please."
Cal got up from his seat, and quietly followed the man away. They walked towards the direction Sen was taken and turned off into a nondescript military office building. Cal was led into some kind of conference room, where he was met with three newcomers. Two guards wearing the same unmarked black garb as the others were flanking a middle-aged woman wearing stiff formal wear. The UNSC officer pulled out a chair for Cal, and he sat down uncomfortably, setting his backpack down next to him. The woman leaned across the table, elbows flat against the surface and hands clasped together. She stared Cal in the eyes, seeming to examine every aspect of his expression.
The woman begins speaking in a curious tone, watching Cal's body language closely as she speaks. "You are a very interesting man Cal Bardeen. Not only do you befriend a Kig-Yar, but a Champion T'vaoan of all things. My organization knows of a very small few that continued to work alongside the Covenant following the glassing of Reach. One that remains to this day, of such a high rank, must be quite zealous for the cause. I wonder what you must have done to have gained the loyalty of such a devout member of the Covenant…"
Cal didn't hold back, he explained everything. From his squad being decimated by Elites, to being shot in the head and attacked by a Brute leader. He described his meeting with Sen, how they saved each other's lives, and shared a meal. How Sen mourned the death of her brother, and how he stayed by her side and helped her bury him. How they traveled together and shared stories of home with each other. And finally, how she served in battle, saving UNSC soldiers by providing cover, and rescuing the wounded. The whole time he was talking, the woman listened intently. Tapping a pencil on the table, she placed a hand on her chin thoughtfully, glancing at the UNSC officer behind Cal. She spoke with a satisfied voice. "Lieutenant Commander Bradly here gave me a preliminary report on the situation, including brief testimony from soldiers and command staff present. Your story more or less lines up with the facts we have on the situation, thank you for your honesty, Mr. Bardeen."
Cal felt the burning urge to demand to know what happened to Sen and let out a huff. The woman across from him let out a laugh, clearly reading his thoughts like a book. "Oh don't worry, your friend hasn't been hurt. Let's call it mutual protection." She leaned back in her chair, looking at Cal with a slight smile. "Your fellow soldiers noted that you were quite fond of this Kig-Yar, and I can tell just from the way that you describe Sen that she means a great deal to you. My job isn't to judge your type, Cal. However, my job is to garner intelligence in the most effective ways possible."
Cal's cheeks burned a little at that comment. Sure, Sen was his friend, but not like that…?
The woman continued. "I'm not going to feed you a propaganda line Cal, you know what's going on. The Covenant is at our door, and humanity needs everything we can use against them. Your friend can tell us a great deal about them, and I think you will help us achieve that." She flipped one of her hands towards one of her guards, and they handed her some kind of flat card. She slid it across the table so Cal could see it: It was an opaque access card, Cal was used to seeing UNSC officers carry them, but this one wasn't UNSC. Where the UNSC eagle usually was, the foreboding ONI pyramid sat, the circle in the middle like an eye staring back at him. Looking below the emblem, Cal felt a startling realization at what it read; 'BARDEEN, CAL. OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE, SECTION THREE. HANDLER.'
The woman leaves it halfway across the table, within reach of Cal. "Now of course you don't need to accept, you can go back into the marines and be deployed to another warzone tomorrow. Or you can accept our offer. Your choice." She finished with a frightening smile.
It wasn't a choice for Cal, and the ONI spook knew it. Without a word he took the card off the table and gave the ONI agent a stiff nod. He spoke with a focused tone. "Where do I start?"
The agent laughed again, speaking in a sarcastic tone. "Walk into my agency covered in fifteen layers of dirt, wearing blood and sweat-drenched fatigues and M52Bs why don't you? You're not a marine anymore Cal, you'll be shown to your proper housing and given suitable clothes, then we can get started."
Cal nodded, turning around to the Lieutenant Commander who escorted him in. He reached into his pocket and fished out the dog tags he had been carrying, holding them out toward Bradly. "Sir, can you take these for me? Their families should have them."
The officer raises an eyebrow and takes them from him, looking at the dangling tags in his hand. His eyes flick to Cal questioningly "Your squad, Bardeen?"
Cal shook his head solemnly. "No, just some other poor bastards whose families will cry over them. It's all the same in the end, really." Bradly nodded to Cal, before stepping aside and opening the door for him.
ONI card in hand, Cal stepped out the open door only to see yet another person waiting for him. It was a young man with short hair and glasses, wearing normal civilian clothes. He was nearly indistinguishable from any other person you'd seen on the street, but Cal knew that this was no ordinary person, ONI no doubt. The man smiled at him and gestured for him to follow. "Cal, right? I'm here to show you to your living quarters."
They walked away from the conference room, and deeper into the base. Eventually, they reached another nondescript building, and Cal was led inside. After traveling up an elevator, Cal was brought to a room and let inside. Stepping inside, Cal immediately realized that this was more than just a small personal quarter. This was more like a small apartment. It was a compact but cozy living space, with a kitchen near the front door and the bathroom across from that. Past the kitchen, Cal could see a comfortable-looking bed with an adjacent desk. Things had already been stocked and fresh clothes laid out for him, as though he had been expected for hours. Cal couldn't help but get the creeps from this place, no matter how fancy it was. ONI probably had cameras in the walls watching him, and that thought sent shivers down his spine.
Shaking off the thoughts, he stepped into the bathroom and stripped his gear off before climbing into the shower. The warm water eased his sore muscles, and he relaxed for a moment. He hadn't been able to just feel at ease for a long time, but his mind kept drifting back to Sen. It didn't feel right relaxing when he didn't know what her condition was, so he decided to finish up quickly despite the soothing warmth. After scrubbing himself down, he exited the shower half expecting ONI to have made his greens vanish in the time he was bathing. But despite such thoughts, his fatigues and armor still sat crumpled on the floor, which he decided to deal with later. He left the bathroom with a wash towel around his waist and investigated the clothes he spotted on the bed earlier.
On the bed was a set of basic-looking civilian clothing, a plain white shirt, and grey pants. In his mind, he always imagined ONI agents wearing black trench coats and sunglasses, but he realized that most of them probably dressed like normal people. The thought was honestly unnerving to him, he might have run into an ONI agent at any point in his life, and had no idea just because they simply blended into everyone else around them. He got dressed in his new clothes and slipped his access card into his pocket, finding the clothes to fit him almost perfectly. He assumed that they probably knew more about him than even he knew about himself, it was their job after all.
Looking over to the table, he saw a nondescript yellow envelope. Inside was a piece of paper with a building number on it and a handful of directions, the building he assumed was his new workplace. He slipped the paper back into the envelope and left the building. He followed the directions provided and eventually came across the building number he was looking for. It was different than all the other buildings at the base: It was large, chunky, and utilitarian like all the others, but areas where you expected windows to be either lacked them completely or were so darkened that you couldn't even see light inside. Despite its size, there was a notable lack of visible people around, but Cal felt like he was being watched intently.
Approaching the only door he saw; he stuck his access card against the adjacent scanner and was greeted by a satisfying click from the door. He pulled the door open and walked inside. He was met by a moderately sized room, almost like a reception area, but it was completely empty. The only thing in the room was a large metal ONI emblem on the floor and another set of doors on the other end like an airlock. Shortly after entering, another ONI guard emerged from the doors and approached Cal with a sheet of paper. The guard looked Cal up and down before dropping his hands to his sides and standing stiffly, speaking to Cal in a dry but commanding voice. "Mr. Bardeen, please follow me."
He was led into a long hallway of rooms, each with the same grey metal door. Plaques sat next to each door, designating them as things like labs or asset-holding areas. He couldn't even begin to imagine what happened behind these walls. Eventually, they stopped in front of a door labeled 'asset processing 5B,' the guard opened the door and gestured to Cal inside. Walking into the room, Cal saw a lone table in the middle with Sen's distinctive yellow armor laid out across it. An older man in a white lab coat with short salted brown hair and black glasses was hunched over the armor, intently writing in a notebook. Cal bit down his emotions and took a deep breath, knowing he had to play along with this, or he'd blow his chance. The guard cleared his throat loudly, causing the scientist to jolt from his work. The guard gestured towards Cal. "Doctor, this is Handler Cal Bardeen. He has been assigned to Asset K1-5321 due to previous experience in the field."
The white-clad man approached Cal and shook his hand furiously, smiling. "It is just wonderful to meet you, Mr. Bardeen. I am Dr. Kimlen, Andrew Kimlen, professor in the field of xenoanthropology. I cannot state how overjoyed I am to be there today; cooperation from an alien is almost unheard of, especially one as mysterious as a Kig-Yar T'vaoan."
Cal uncomfortably shook his hand in return. This scientist didn't seem particularly untrustworthy, but his over-enthusiasm was a bit jarring for Cal. Glancing back over to the table, Cal approached the laid-out armor. His attention drew to the chest piece, remembering something Sen had done earlier, and reached to touch it. Dr. Kimlen became agitated and reached to block him. "Just hang on a moment, this is all very delicately organized! I haven't had time to investigate and document the whole set!"
Cal shrugged him off, glaring at him. "Doctor please, just give me a moment." He reached and pressed a spot on the armor, feeling it give slightly. The section popped open, and Cal slid his fingers inside, feeling an object. He gently drew it out by the string, staring at the small, notched bone token hanging from his hand. He turned around to face Kimlen, the researcher's eyes wide at the item in his hands.
Kimlen stared at the pendant, lifting a hand towards it, and speaking in a confounded voice. "How on Earth- Is that… how did you?" He recovered his composure, blinking quickly. "That's a Kig-Yar relic, from the gladiatorial era no doubt! I've seen such runes before, rarely engraved on Covenant-era Ruuhtian armor, but I've never even heard of an original specimen in existence. Please, hand it over! It must be archived at once; we have no idea how fragile a relic of its age could be!"
Cal drew the artifact out of reach of Kimlen, putting his hand up in protest as he talked to him sternly. "Kimlen, please. This belongs to someone, means a great deal to them. It's not right to take something like this without consent, I'd expect an anthropologist like yourself to agree."
Kimlen seemed genuinely upset, pleading with Cal. "I… Yes, I agree that isn't quite the right way to go about it. But our knowledge of the Kig-Yar is so limited, even for a Covenant species! They're mercenaries by trade, you see. Little notable evidence of culture in their ranks. Even something as small as this could be vital to our greater understanding of their species going forward!"
Cal let out a sigh, deciding to compromise with the researcher. "I don't want to be your enemy here Kimlen, but I believe that the person to whom this belongs will be a lot more cooperative if we return it to them. Take pictures of it, and take any notes you want, but after that, we hand it over. Alright?"
Kimlen tipped his head, seeming to consider what Cal was saying before speaking again in a defeated but thoughtful voice. "I suppose what you say makes sense, no matter my dismay on the matter. Please set it on the table, I'll scan the relic and note down its properties. I'm sure my colleagues will be ecstatic at the documentation alone."
Cal carefully set the bone pendant on the clean table, and Kimlen moved some kind of large device over it. The device took some kind of scans of the pendant, as Kimlen quickly noted down information in his notebook. After a few minutes, he seemed satisfied and handed the item back to Cal. Cal nodded thankfully and gently held it in his hand. Kimlen then led him out of the room, latching the door shut behind them. They walked across the bland hallway to another identical door, Kimlen pressed his access card into the panel on the side and it opened. Upon stepping inside, Cal could see Sen sitting on a folding cot in a closed cell, head bowed, and eyes closed. It was strange seeing her without her combat armor on, only wearing the light grey undersuit. Crimson feathers once concealed by armor covered her forearms, and thick muscle was visible underneath the suit. Despite being larger than most humans, she seemed small and vulnerable locked behind that transparent wall, stripped of dignity.
Cal walked over to the door and stuck his access card to it, the panel flashing red light at him as it refused entry. He turned back to Kimlen who appeared shocked at his action, Cal spoke quickly and desperately. "Kimlen, can you open this door?"
Kimlen stared at Cal incredulously, seeming completely shocked by his behavior. "Mr. Bardeen, please! Let's not be too hasty, we don't know how it might react to contact right now! Protocol dictates that-"
Cal turned around angrily, shouting at Kimlen. "To hell with protocol Kimlen! Just open the door!"
Kimlen went dead silent, gazing at Cal's determined expression. He quietly walked over to the door and flashed his card on the panel, opening the door. Cal walked inside, looking down at the hunched form of Sen, seeming to have not noticed his presence. He sat down on the cot next to her, before placing a hand on her feathered arm. She opens her eyes and looks up, staring directly at Cal with her beak slightly ajar. He gives her a weak smile, speaking warmly with two simple words. "Hey Sen." He offers her the pendant with his other hand.
Sen reaches and takes the amulet, staring at it in her hand, seeming dazed. She then suddenly wraps both of her arms around Cal's torso in a firm embrace and starts crying, sobs wracking her body as she clutches the pendant against his back. Cal coughs slightly from the squeeze, returning the hug with a pat on the back. He speaks softly to her, trying to reassure her as much as possible. "Hey, hey it's alright. Everything is ok, I'm here." He reaches up and wipes a tear from her eye as she lets out an emotional whine, burying her head in his chest.
Kimlen stands in the doorway, clearly in absolute shock at what just happened in front of him. He blinks rapidly, squinting his eyes and speaking with disbelief in his voice. "Cal… just who are you? What exactly is going on here?"
Cal turned to Kimlen, simply shrugging, and speaking with simple honesty. "If I'm gonna be honest Kimlen, I'm a nobody, just another jarhead among thousands. Let's just say we know each other, been through some stuff together, that's why I got this job, really."
Kimlen sat for a moment, seeming to process everything, before letting out a sigh and wiping his brow. He seemed to understand that trying to pry with questions wouldn't get him anywhere right now, so he stood back. Cal turned his attention back to Sen, who was trying to stutter out something in his language but was having trouble formulating the words. He softly took her hand and squeezed it, looking at her reassuringly. "Calm, breathe. No rush Sen, just breathe."
She returned the squeeze and calmed down; he could see her breath slow down considerably through her suit. She held the bone amulet out in her hand before clutching it to her chest, bowing her head, and taking a breath. She looked at Cal, rasping out quietly. "Thank, you. Cal."
The next few months went by smoothly, with Cal and Kimlen actually getting along quite well despite the awkward first introduction. Kimlen had warmed up quickly to Sen, seeming to gravitate towards her as a source of information for his natural curiosities. Though, much of his time was spent on research duty, and frequently too busy to interact much. Meanwhile, Cal's days were spent mostly with Sen, teaching her English, and even how to read and write. Some sounds she would always struggle with just because of how her vocal biology was, but her capabilities in communication expanded exponentially due to her astuteness in learning.
When Cal wasn't helping Sen understand language, he was helping Kimlen administer questions to her. They started with a control group of questions; things that were already known to gauge how truthful her answers were. After she passed the control tests, they began presenting her with unknown questions. Of course, ONI would never tell them what exactly the information they gathered was used for, but Cal could tell they valued it based on the resources they put in to keep the project going. It wasn't hard to convince them to give Sen a better living area following her cooperation, and clear intent to do no harm. But of course, she was still confined to a small area.
Due to the top-secret nature of his work, Cal himself felt prisoner in a way. Most of the time he spent outside was simply traveling from his onsite home to work, and his time communicating with others was limited. However, that changed one day when he was informed that he would be allowed to contact his family. Sitting down in front of the terminal, he felt excited and nervous. He hadn't had any contact with them since before Mombasa, and he didn't know the extent the UNSC informed them about his condition. For all he knew, they might have thought he was dead until now. He wanted to tell them so much but knew he couldn't. ONI was monitoring everything he said, and he wasn't allowed to disclose any classified information. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the record button and smiled at the camera. "Hey mom, dad. It's me! I know it's been a while, and you're probably worried sick, but I'm alright." He swallowed. "I'm not sure what the UNSC told you, if anything, about me. I've been working on something big that I can't talk about right now, and I hope someday soon I can tell you about it. But for now, I'm stuck on Earth, safe and alive… I love you, both of you."
He hit the end recording button and hit submit. The message wouldn't arrive instantaneously, New Carthage being far from Earth. Stepping out of the video booth, he nodded at a nearby marine who was standing guard and trudged off towards the ONI building. The war with the Covenant officially ended in December of 2552, but the threat of conflict remained. While the main Covenant body shattered, its splintered remains were still a threat, and humanity's bleeding wounds had yet to even begin to heal.
His station, a UNSC military base known as 'Luther Airbase' was located somewhere in North America, and being a continent holding a high amount of UNSC military assets, saw much activity to this day. He trudged to the ONI building and flashed his access card, entering into the foreboding building as he did every day. Walking down the hallway, he knew exactly where his door was. Not even bothering to check the label, he flashed his card again and entered.
Inside he was met with a modest room. Sen sat in a corner, intently reading something on a large data pad. She wore a kind of cloth robe she made for herself, carefully wrapped around the contours of her body. She looked up from her tablet computer and made a quiet squawk noise at him, something that he had come to understand as a greeting, before turning her attention back to her device.
He looked at the other side of the room to see Kimlen hunched over a computer terminal, seeming to be going through some transcripts from the previous day. He looked up at Cal as he entered, smiling at him enthusiastically. "Hello Cal, good morning!"
Cal smiled back, nodding in his direction. "Good morning to you too Andrew, how are things today?"
Kimlen gestured towards Sen enthusiastically. "Me and Sen here were just having a fascinating conversation about Professor Even Phillips' theories on the Kig-Yar. I've been working on a personal research paper about my own theories, and her input has been incredible! She herself has been asking me many questions about human culture and customs as well, which I have supplied her with much reading material."
Cal chuckled, grinning at Kimlen. "She is quite the astute learner; I should go and see if she needs any help understanding it. The papers you give her are so full of big words, they make even my head spin."
Walking over to Sen, she looked up at him on approach. Over the months her body language and facial expressions had become far easier to understand, despite her physical differences from a human. He could see a smile on her face, a subtle change in her eyes, an adjustment of the beak. He kneeled down next to her, clasping his hands together and gently nudging her shoulder. He smiled at her and motioned towards the tablet she was holding, speaking with curiosity. "Hey Sen, whatcha working on there."
She made a soft noise in her throat, scrolling up and pointing at the title with a claw, reading the words out loud with a slightly unsteady, but sure voice. "Anthro-pol-o-gy, an Introduction to Human Customs and Cultures."
Cal beamed at her, lightly ruffling her head feathers. "Yeah perfect! Good work, do you want to read some of it to me? I'll help you with the words you have a hard time with."
She started reading the pages out loud slowly, with Cal cutting in when she struggled to pronounce a word or didn't understand it. He looked down at her, having a hard time believing that she was once a feared member of the hated Covenant. She was so awkward and adorable. He remembered the day she asked for his help in making her clothes and started putting together the odd robes she wore. She told him that she wanted to fit in, and be more like him. And on top of that, she wanted to learn more about humans, and Cal was happy to oblige her.
As they went through the pages, they were suddenly interrupted by Kimlen, clearing his throat to get their attention. "I am so sorry to interrupt, but I've just finished sorting through our last interview, and received a fresh batch of questions from our higher ups. If you two would be so kind, could we begin?"
Sen nodded, setting her data pad down and walking over to the table where Kimlen stood. Cal joined her, and together they went over the fresh batch of questions. They were sometimes vague, random, almost. They weren't always easy to understand, but Sen had gotten good at answering. Sometimes writing and typing down answers slowly, piecing together words to form responses with the help of Cal. Each session took a few hours on average and was the most boring part of work. However, Sen never faltered, seeming unbothered by the barrage of questioning.
Though, Cal noticed that the questioning sessions had gotten shorter lately. As well as many of the questions seemed to either be hard for Sen to answer or more personal, like asking Sen her opinion on things rather than facts. Hypothetical situations usually, as though they were assessing her personality rather than intel about the Covenant. It was odd to Cal, considering that it didn't really fit the parameters of the questions ONI had originally stuck to during the duration of the project. However, two questions stuck out to him in particular. Two questions Sen had no trouble answering, as though she already had the answer on hand.
Kimlen flipped a page on the clipboard, squinting through his glasses at the first line before looking up at Sen and Cal across from him, reading the page in a questioning tone. "It is known that Kig-Yar T'vaoans, your kind, have a particularly sour taste towards humanity. Would you say this is true?"
Sen shifted from side to side, shrugging her shoulders before speaking in an honest way. "T'vaoans hate humans, T'vaoans hate other Kig-Yar. Think T'vaoan purest, most evolved."
Kimlen continued to the next line, reading in the same tone. "What do you think about humans? Do you hate us?"
Sen froze, seeming taken aback by the question. She paused, seeming to gather her thoughts, before speaking with conviction. "Covenant was cruel, Kig-Yar cruel. Warmth in brother, last of nest-mates. Brother dies… warmth gone. World cold, empty. But Cal, human, kind." She reaches under the table and grabs Cal's hand, holding it. "Cal help me. Not mock or sneer, but understand." She sits up straight, speaking stronger than Cal ever heard her speak. "I do not hate humans; human showed love, care. I show back."
Kimlen flipped all the pages on the clipboard back down, placing them on the table with a smile. "Well Sen, I've never heard you so excited to answer a question. And I am certainly glad you believe so!" He got up from his seat, pressing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a finger. "Well, that was the end of this round of questions. I'll go through this transcript and get it to command." Kimlen walked over to the computer terminal again, waving his hand towards the pair in a friendly dismissal.
Sen leaned her head into Cal's shoulder, soft feathers gently tickling his neck as a quiet purr emerged from her throat, causing his cheeks to flush at the contact. She then got down from her chair and strode over to her tablet again, picking it up and going back to reading. Cal shook the embarrassment off and walked back over to her side, sitting down next to her to get ready to help her more.
As the hours of the day stretched on, it soon came time for Cal to clock out. He got up, squeezing Sen on the shoulder, and telling her that it was time for him to go. She reached up and held his wrist, looking him in the eyes and letting out a quiet whine. Cal kneeled down, putting his arms around her in a hug, and reassuring her that he would be back tomorrow.
Leaving the room, he was met by Kimlen in the hall. The man was awkwardly standing nearby, though he was trying to build up the courage to say something. He let out a cough, approaching Cal with eyes averted, speaking quietly. "Hey Cal, you got a moment?"
Cal looked at him with concern, speaking with uncertainty. "Yeah, I do… What's up?"
Kimlen looked Cal in the eye, speaking with a questioning firmness. "I know you're not a fool, you know the way she thinks about you. Right?"
Cal was taken about by what he said, looking away and swallowing hard. "I uh, yeah… Yeah I do."
Kimlen raised his eyebrow. "And how do you feel about her?"
Cal felt panic rise, feeling very uncomfortable with the sudden pressure on the topic. "I… I don't know- Andrew, what- why would you ask me something like that?"
Kimlen simply nodded, giving him a sage look. "I assure you I don't ask this question randomly, as I know it's an… awkward topic. But I have a feeling that very soon you'll need to consider it, and so you should at least prepare yourself." He patted Cal on the shoulder, smiling at him. "She's a remarkable girl, you know. Don't break her heart, Cal." He then released his shoulder, walking down the hall with a parting wave.
The next day Cal awoke, as usual, pulling on fresh clothing and getting breakfast. However, as he walked to his bathroom to brush his teeth, he noticed that a yellow envelope had been pushed under his door. He picked it up and opened it, finding a letter stamped with the ONI emblem. It was a simple set of directions and a statement that his presence was requested as soon as possible. He brushed his teeth and washed up quickly, heading out the door and quickly walking to work. He wracked his brain with ideas as to what it could be about. He was requested on the top floor, offices. It was a place he had never been because he was small fry overall, he never even interacted with his higher-ups, so being called up to talk to one was highly unusual. The only thing he could think about was the weird interaction with Kimlen last night, it was like he knew something.
Cal thought about what he said and bit his lip. He knew the answer to the question, knew the answer for a long time. But at the same time, Sen was an alien. He knew that he had a lot of feelings for her, and she kept her own no secret, but how could it be? She was an ex-member of the Covenant; he was a human. There was no way they would be allowed to be anything more than that, it would never be allowed. ONI kept her locked up, and he was graced with the gift of even being near her. There was no way they'd let her go; it was unheard of. Not to mention the other, awkwardly looming fact that he had avoided thinking about as much as possible.
He had no experience with relationships, period.
Growing up he never thought about anyone else that way. He usually stuck to himself, and only had a small handful of close platonic friends. The idea of a romantic relationship was alien to him, and she most certainly was alien. She showed affection towards him in ways that were strange to him, and he had no idea how to reciprocate. And on top of that, a small thought he didn't want to acknowledge in the back of his mind tugged at his heart. What if he simply didn't understand how she felt about him? Her behavior was most certainly affectionate, yes, but she was an alien. What if she wasn't actually romantically interested in him, and her behavior was that of a close friend? Kimlen seemed convinced, but the Kig-Yar were also an enigma even to people of his study. His head spun with frustration. Not wanting to ruin what he had, but also feeling helpless about his emotions.
As he rounded a corner, he saw the grim ONI building loom above him as he approached. Another thought appeared in his head as he thought harder about her. Sen was the one thing that stopped him from thinking about… his squad. It would be a lie to say he had been handling their fate well as the months went on, it had almost gotten worse. He dreamed almost every night, waking up in a cold sweat, thinking about their bloodied faces and open-mouthed screams. He felt worthless, unworthy of living until he stepped into that room with Sen. Having her by his side reminded him of why he lived, why he went on.
He clenched a fist until his knuckles turned white as he approached the door, flashing his card with a familiar green light. He made a promise to himself as he entered the building, which he had walked into too many times; he would do whatever possible to keep Sen by his side, he was done pretending to himself. Even if she didn't feel the same as he did in the end, he would do what he could to protect her, as she once did for him. He stepped into the elevator and hit the top floor, taking a deep breath as the door closed in front of him. To be honest, he was terrified. Firm in his mission, but terrified.
Stepping off the elevator, he walked down a hallway looking for the number listed. As with the whole building, it was unnerving how lifeless it was. Every direction looked the same, and there was nobody in sight. The only thing that told him he was going anywhere was the room numbers that slowly counted up. As he stepped in front of the door marked with the listed number, he looked around and saw nobody. He took a deep breath and straightened his shirt, before gradually reaching up and knocking on the door. A buzz responded, and the door slowly opened on its own.
Inside was a dark office, and an oddly familiar feminine voice spoke from within. "Come in, Mr. Bardeen."
Cal stumbled inside, squinting at the dim interior. He saw a woman wearing a suit behind the desk and blinked suddenly when he realized it was the agent who originally inducted him into being Sen's handler. She silently beckoned to the chair across from her, which was ominously already turned to face him.
He sat down in the chair and turned around towards the woman, looking around her desk he saw no name tag, leaving her yet to be identified. He cleared his throat, trying to speak in as professional a voice as possible. "I'm responding to your letter. Is there anything wrong, ma'am?"
She shook her head, smiling slightly. "No, absolutely nothing. Your project has gone exceedingly well, and the information it provided has single handedly saved lives and expanded our collective knowledge in our operations following the collapse of the Covenant proper." She placed her hands on the desk, placing her fingers together with a mystifying expression on her face. "Though, your project has gone almost too well. The fact is we've currently exhausted the goals of our original mission. It's been… difficult, to secure funding to continue on our current course."
She raised an eyebrow, seeming to notice Cal's expression change in an instant. "Now, now, don't get upset yet. We may not be able to sustain our current project with asset K1-5321, however, in light of information gathered during sessions, we have proposed a new stage, which has since been approved."
She reached for a file on her desk and flipped it open, turning it around and pushing it over to Cal so he could read it. His eyes were drawn to the title: "Project K1-5321 Proposition No. 18, Integration of Reformed Covenant Combatant into Human Society"
The woman tapped the page with a mysterious smile on her face. "The Section Three Committee came to a consensus following responses to certain tailored questions, and a willingness to conform; K1-5321 should be allowed to live amongst humans in a controlled manner, integrate into society, in a way."
Cal stared at her blankly, not believing what he was hearing. "What the… you mean that- She's being let go?"
She shook her head, raising a finger in correction. "Not exactly being let go, more or less being given a measure of free will. You, as handler, will accompany her." She leaned back, flashing Cal a sly look. "You know, it's also quite interesting that New Carthage was marked as a prime location for resettlement."
Cal stared at her incredulously, not believing a word of what was being said. "You can't be serious, how even?"
She passed him another document; this one was a small, laminated booklet, the emblem of the United Earth Government embellished on the front. He flipped it open, and his mouth dropped open at what he saw. "This document is formally presented to SEN REEA, under the mandate of THE UNIFIED EARTH GOVERNMENT and UNSC COLONIAL AUTHORITY, in recognition of heroic actions in defense of Earth and her colonies in the events of October 2552. This notice declares the holder a limited citizen of the UEG, with all previous crimes against the UEG hereby pardoned…"
The mysterious agent tapped the top of the document, interrupting his reading. "Signed by the good Doctor Ruth Charet herself, newly elected president of the Unified Earth Government. The pardons and proper documentation are all in order, and transport is being accounted for right now. ONI has faith that you will keep K1-5321, Sen Reea, under proper control and care. Consider it a measure of appreciation from my organization, for cooperation in this endeavor." She concluded with another frightening grin, before sitting back down in her chair and waving him away. "You are dismissed, Mr. Bardeen. Make your preparations, one of my people will contact you soon."
Cal walked out of the office in a daze, feeling a mix of excitement and confusion. That was it? It couldn't be. He felt like he had to be dreaming, or misinterpreting what he heard. After all, this time going home felt like a foreign idea, and bringing Sen with him? With a full UEG pardon? There was always a catch with ONI, had to be.
He took the elevator back down, still trying to get all the pieces together in his head about what had just happened. He walked to Sen's familiar room and unlocked it like he always did. Inside Sen was pacing a bit away from the door, pausing mid-walk to turn towards the sound of the door opening. She walked up to him and made a questioning sound, tipping her head at him, clearly off-put by the change in the usual schedule. She pointed towards the area where Kimlen usually worked but was currently empty, and then looked back at Cal, who was later than usual. She rasped out in a concerned questioning tone. "Different. Why?"
Cal let out a sigh and gave her a weak smile through his own confusion. "Yeah, today is different, but not in a bad way." His voice grew a little stronger, speaking with excitement. "I don't want to make any promises, I'm a bit frazzled right now by what I've been told, but they say we're leaving, going to New Carthage together!"
Her head feathers fluttered a little, her eyes widening in shock as she hesitated for a moment. "Leave… Here? Us? To your... home?"
Cal opened his mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by a knock on the room's heavy door. A voice echoed through. "Mr. Bardeen? A moment please?"
Cal turned back to Sen, looking up at her still stunned expression with a look of apology. "Sorry Sen, I'll be right back!" He patted her shoulder before turning around and opening the door again, exiting into the hall.
Outside was a young man wearing plain civilian clothing and glasses. Cal thought he looked familiar, before realizing it was the same ONI agent who escorted him to his housing months ago. The agent nodded at him in greeting, holding a data pad in his hand, and speaking in a polite tone. "I'm here to discuss the details of the transportation of yourself and asset K1-5321 to New Carthage, as well as your payment for your period of work here onsite."
Cal was taken aback, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the suddenness of everything. He had only just been informed of this astounding news, and they already had everything set? "It's been sorted out. Already?"
The man nodded, flipping the tablet around to show Cal. "Private spaceflight for yourself and the asset is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, and preliminary precautions by Xenobiology have ensured that the asset will not be harmed during travel."
Cal didn't know how to respond; it was all happening so fast. But before he could even think the man continued, scrolling to another section that almost made him faint. "Here is your salary for the past few months of work, in UN credit, of course."
He felt himself almost choke on his own saliva as he gasped at the number on the screen; it was a lot of cR, enough to take care of his family's farm for a while.
The man turned the tablet back around and turned it off, flipping it under his arm as he gave a nod to Cal, still speaking in a polite businesslike tone. "Your pay will be transferred to your account, as well as all future payments. When doing field work outside of our facilities, expect a payment on the first of each Earth month." He gave Cal a quick bow of his head, before turning around and leaving just as suddenly as he came.
Sen sat down on her cushion seat, placing a hand on her face, and absent-mindedly running a single claw down the length of her beak. She looked around the room, pale, sterile. Her home for… she had no idea how long. She spent so much of her life on purple and grey warships, staring at the same blank walls, going where she was told when she was told. She rarely visited planets for long periods in her life, planetary day/night cycles lost meaning for her a long time ago. This life wasn't much different from the last in that regard.
She looked towards the door that Cal disappeared through, still feeling disbelief at what he had told her. New Carthage, his home. He told her they would go there, and live together? The prospect was exciting, confusing, and terrifying. It felt like a dream, a fabrication.
And then the reality came back, the memories.
She understood why the humans locked her up here and felt the guilt deep inside her every day. Once upon a time, she killed them blindly, feeling a lack of emotion for anything except her brother after a life of suffering in a bitter-cold universe. She invaded human worlds, killed them, and watched whole planets be glassed. But now the one she cares most about, who gives her purpose and happiness, is someone she tried to kill once, someone who should hate her, fear her. She always let herself get caught up in the moment, being affectionate towards him in ways very few mated kig-yar even acted towards each other. His strange, alien smile she came to adore, the way he softly held her hands in his own. It suddenly hit her.
She didn't deserve it; she didn't deserve him.
A tear trickled down her face as she let out an angry cry, clenching her fists. 'Selfish,' that's the human word. That's what she is. She wanted to be more like them, dress like them to hide from her past. But they know she's a danger, a monster. Deserving of being locked up for their own sake. Yet they still treat her so… kindly.
Cal had told her of his home planet many times, how much he adored it. He showed her pictures of it and now wanted to take her there, to his home. But to so many homes like his, her presence meant death.
She didn't deserve to go to his home, she should stay locked up here. He should leave forever and forget about her, find one of his own kind to cherish.
She should die.
Sen pulled her brother's pendant from beneath her cloth garments, holding it tightly to her chest as another tear squeezed from her eye. She whispered in her native language in a voice cracking with a pained sob. "Raq… I- I'm so sorry…"
Sen remained like that for a minute, simply clutching the memories to her chest. Regret and loss, loathing the monster she is. Soon after, she hears the door open and the feeling dread rising inside her. She can barely bring herself to face him, guilt washing over her just from hearing his footsteps approach her. A fraud, she reminds herself, worthy of nothing.
She casts her eyes to the floor, amulet hanging from her neck. She can't bring herself to look Cal in the eyes. She feels a hand touch her shoulder, a soft, worried voice. "Is something wrong, Sen? Are you ok?"
She swallows hard, dragging her eyes up to meet his own. Giving a small nod to reassure him, but she can tell he doesn't believe her hollow gesture.
She takes the amulet and tucks it back into her clothes, casting her eyes away from Cal again. She can feel worry radiating from him, hurt, even. He reaches to touch her again but hesitates, before slowly lowering his hand.
Every fiber of her being wants to reach out and grasp his hand, but she doesn't. She can't.
And her heart shatters.
Cal had seen Sen upset, but never like this.
He looked at her hunched form and felt confusion and helplessness. When he left the room, she seemed a little shocked by the news, but this? She practically shrunk away from him when he approached, and while she always wore her brother's necklace under her clothes, she never had it out like that. Something was very wrong, and she wasn't telling him what. She normally would always tell him anything that was on her mind, including past griefs. Whatever this was, it was something different, and it was something she didn't want to share with him right now.
With that thought, he decided that it was probably best to give her some alone time to think. He walked over to the table and tore a piece of paper off of it, and wrote a short and simple note.
"Spaceflight to New Carthage tomorrow afternoon. I'm sorry to surprise you, I was just told the news as well. Whatever happens, I'm here for you if you need me Sen. - Cal"
He signed the note and placed it on the table. He turned around to look at Sen to see that she had been quietly watching what he was doing when he wasn't looking, only to avert her eyes as soon as he looked. He was confused; the moment he came to terms with his own feelings, she suddenly started avoiding him.
Cal felt an ache in his chest. He felt so… helpless. Unable to comprehend someone he thought he was beginning to understand. He felt like going to her but was scared he might make everything worse. So with a heavy heart, he left the room. Giving one last look back at Sen before closing the door behind him.