There was a steady buzz of activity on the stolen Covenant ship, the Truth and Reconciliation. The UNSC forces from the Pillar of Autumn had mostly made it off the Halo structure before it was completely destroyed with some casualties.
Captain Jacob Keyes strode through the makeshift medical bay in a cleared out storage bay, speaking with soldiers and crew that were injured. He didn't look at the covered bodies lined up against the far wall as he continued down the walk way toward the quietest part of the room where the only civilian on the ship laid almost comatose.
"How is she, doctor?" he asked the medic checking the unconscious child. The Master Chief had wasted no time getting the girl help once the Spartan was on board.
"We just got her vitals back to normal, sir," the tired medic sighed in relief. "Now it's just a waiting game for her to wake up."
The child, a ten-year-old girl, laid on a mat, not aware of anything else going on as she rested from her time in the Halo's network. From what Jacob learned from the girl's partners, Cassandra had been at death's door when the Master Chief and a squad of Marines rescued her from the Halo's network hours earlier. He knew it'd take some time for the girl to recover entirely after remembering everything she'd gone through these past few days.
"Her angel friend said he did all he could for her," the medic continued, referring to Cassy's Seraphimon. "He doesn't know how else to help her now."
"Once we're back in UNSC space, I'll personally see to it that she gets the help she needs," he swore.
The Master Chief took one more look at the cryo pod holding Linda-058. It was purely by luck that the Longsword he had piloted picked up the beacon signaling where her cryo pod had gone and he was able to retrieve her. He turned and left the room, knowing that they were not in the clear just yet and there were things he needed to do.
"Cortana, status report," he said over a private COMM channel as he strode down the alien hall. He wanted to ask about his niece, but the safety of everyone came first.
"All lights are green, Chief," Cortana reported. "ETA to Reach is five hours. Also, the medical team has got Cassandra stabilized, but she's still unresponsive."
"Unresponsive?"
"She's in a comatose-like state, and I lack the equipment to perform further tests to help her. She'll need to be hospitalized once we're back in UNSC space."
Weeks earlier...
Fredrick-104 parked his Banshee near the crash site of a downed Saber and hurried to the cockpit. He heard another Banshee circle above him as he ripped off the dome cover and froze when he got a good look at the pilot.
He pulled off the man's dog tags, noticing something else attached to the chain, and read the name. Bill Gideon. He knew this man. And the additional item on the chain only further confirmed his identity.
"Fred?" Kelly's voice came over team COMM. "We need to go."
He clicked the acknowledgement light and went back to his Banshee.