A/N: Sorry about the long wait, I had a writers block the size of China. Either Bungie or Lucasarts owns all the characters except for the stuff I made up.

Chapter 10: A Hero's Holiday

The banquet was every bit as boring as he knew it would be, long-winded speeches about Ehren's valor in battle, his courage, his unwavering desire to see the Covenant brought to justice… And through the entire production the only interesting thing that had happened was at security.

"You want me to do what?" K-17 asked as she brandished her BlasTech T-21.

"All I asked was to surrender your weapons! This is a BANQUET, not a firing range!"

Ehren forced the gun from K-17's hands before she would do anything he would regret. N-6 and A-9 also handed the officer their blaster pistols.

"Why doesn't the Admiral have to hand in his sword?" K-17 sniffed, or rather did the closest imitation of a sniff she could manage.

The security officer was growing impatient, "Because, droid, the Admiral's weapon is purely ceremonial."

Ehren hid his smile as the guard walked away. K-17 was never comfortable with anything less than a grenade launcher in her hands, and he doubted that she was never without a few concealed blasters in that compact frame of hers.

"So I see you've been enjoying yourself," Miranda noted as she joined Ehren and his group. "Where is Commander Brinks and Major Sunderman?"

"Checking out this station's defenses."

"Knowing you that means they are hacking into our system to find anything useful."

"Knowledge is power," Ehren said with a shrug.

"And I have a great deal of it concerning you."

Ehren turned away from her to inspect the punch with his mechanical eye. "How so?"

"I have my ways."

"Cortana, huh?"

"If I wanted you to know I wou—"

"Oh gross!" Ehren exclaimed stepping away from the snack bar.

Miranda watched Ehren, uncomprehending. "What?"

"Someone sneezed into the punch." Several people nearby quickly spat back into their glasses.

"Whoa, intentionally?"

"Doubt it."

They wandered over to a deserted table, followed by K-17 (A-9 and N-6 were in an animated conversation with an Admiral over the workings of the MAC guns).

"Anyway I noticed that they haven't even mentioned your run through the enemy fleet," Ehren said once they had settled.

"Oh that," Miranda blushed, embarrassed. "I got reprimanded for that 'dangerous, unnecessary, act that endangered the ship and crew.'"

"And they're right to do so. If you were in my fleet you would be dead right now."

Miranda was shocked into silence by that casual statement. Because the UNSC was in desperate need for skilled officers she had managed to get away with a warning. Even if there were a surplus of officers she still wouldn't have gotten anything worse than a demotion and perhaps a court martial. With a man like Ehren in command you were lucky if you got away with your life.

"Well, um, you don't mess around with your crew, do you?"

"In my fleet there is no room for insubordination, no matter how pressed I am for good officers."

They sat in an uncomfortable silence, until K-17 sighed that way women sigh after reading a harlequin.

"What was that about?" Ehren stared at the droid, whose head was cocked and focused on the two humans.

"Oh… nothing…"

Ehren was about to inquire further when alarms started blaring. General panic from the ambassadors and dignitaries was mixed with the calm, resigned manner of the Admirals and soldiers. Ehren snatched up his comlink.

"Mendoza report!"

"Covenant sir, looks like they managed to rebuild their entire fleet in two weeks sir. They have launched fighters, boarding craft and landers. Permission to engage?"

"Permission granted."

He looked at his droids, who had reclaimed their weapons and were waiting for orders.

"First we need to find Brinks and Melchior, then let's get back to the Iron Wolf. Follow me."

Running to the nearest door and punching the open switch, Ehren came face to face with a creature that made Chewbacca look tame: a Brute.