Garrett jumped from the wreckage of the destroyed pelican. It didn't take long for the A.I.s nearby to sift through the fake IFF codes Ilana sent to them. A flight of Longswords were sent in to take out the intruder, but Garrett managed to land (crash upside down) in a forest with a lake. Jack and Garrett had luckily had a plan B, and engaged the portable black inflatable boat. They clambered aboard with as much gear as they could. They were only missing a few grenades and an extra clip for an SMG, so they would be fine. They sped toward the edge of the lake and jumped clean, running toward the edge of the forest as fast as they could. Forest is fortunately an understatement, as the trees were so large and so entangled that it was almost like a jungle. Garrett leapt toward the roots of a nearby tree that had not gained a base hold to the ground, and had an empty area under the tree. Jack jumped into the hollow of a tree, pressing himself as much as he could into the middle. Three flights made their rounds near the forest, and found the wreckage. They would send recon troops here very soon. Garrett dropped three special vials Maya happened to be keeping around onto the ceiling of the pelican before they left that were filled with large amounts of replicated blood. If anyone tries to find out if they were dead or alive, the amount of blood left behind would show that they bled to death after exiting the craft, and sank to the bottom.
Garrett engaged his Active Camo and Jack did the same. They could see each other fairly well with the green outlining they had of their bodies in the HUD of their goggles. They made their way at a brisk pace to an entrance heading down. The entrance, a massive bulkhead door, turrets on either side, and tanks everywhere. Troops ran around left and right, and sergeants barked orders. Garrett popped his goggles off and brought his binoculars up. The goggles were useful for just about everything, but the binoculars still had a crisper image given than the graphically enhanced goggles. Jack held still laying next to him, watching the surrounding tanks.
"Do those look like standard UNSC marines to you?" Garrett asked Jack as he handed the binoculars to him. Jack checked the insignia on the fatigues, as well as the colors. "Spec Ops…Research Incursion Administration? Never heard of them…" Garrett checked ranks and the numbers of officers. Maya popped in on the com channels. "I expected you guys wouldn't. They seem to be controlled by a country in the northeast of your Earth." Garrett thought for a moment. "Wait… the European Directorate? Is it them?" He asked. "You guessed it." Shit. Last time I checked, the French were actually putting out some pretty impressive command officers, and their snipers are nothing to scoff at right now… Jack watched the patrols carefully, looking for openings that would allow them to slip in hopefully without using the ACs and popping up on anybody's IR goggles… if anyone was wearing them. The timing they had landed was close to the sun setting, and if they didn't hurry up, they would definitely be caught. Garrett sighted an opening and showed the area with hand signals to Jack. He acknowledged and moved. "Are you guys still there?" Maya asked. Both of them turned off their com links. "Well, how rude."

The Arbiter stood with his back against the wall of the human building. The elites that were with him were Ultras, and trained by him. They were prepared for any threat and any ambush that could arise. The things that kept that a secret was they were wearing Spec Ops armor. The Elites had Split away from the Covenant, calling themselves the Trinity. The Trinity was comprised of elites, hunters, and grunts. The brutes and remainder of troops that stayed with the prophets were now their truest enemy, and the humans new that. That is why the humans have offered negotiations, in understanding of being used by the prophets and gaining a potential ally. The Arbiter had been studying the politics of humans for the past week to act as an ambassador to the Admirals, Generals and leaders of the humans. Almost all were weak spineless men who just wanted something strong to hide behind. He scowled at the small beings moving into the council room. Spartans were lined up along the other wall ready for a fight. Their olive green armor shined, and they were completely still. His mind was still on past events however. He thought back to the communications he received involving the planet that had an ancient artifact on it, one that a rogue human had gained control over. It troubled him in the fact that the ships and troops stationed there under the covenant's command did not report in at all to anyone outside the solar system. Perhaps they were running a special mission and could not give out any signs that they were still there, or the humans would think to recapture the planet. He couldn't believe that the Elites and grunts and hunters stationed there were never told of the breakup of the covenant. Once the information was given, all of the elites, grunts, and hunters attacked the brutes on the ships and took control over them. The jackals seemed to mostly stay out of the fight, waiting for a victor.

The Arbiter crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head to loosen his neck. He'd been standing there for half an hour, being on time as he was suppose to be. The humans offered him a seat, but all the chairs were uncomfortable to him, and besides, he was a warrior. If the Spartans could stand at attention til doomsday, then he was not going to do any less. He didn't have as much hatred for them now though. He in some ways respected them. They were fighting to protect the humans, and pledged an oath of loyalty to uphold their orders and finish their missions, similar to the Elites. A few Ultra grunts were taking the time to sleep, and just woke up. A pair of hunters stood in the corner, somewhat out of the lights. The humans sat in the seats around a long U shaped table, each with a glass of water in front of them and what looked like a communications speaker near all. Three of the humans were spectators, two of them being Commander Miranda Keyes and Sergeant A.J. Johnson. He relaxed slightly. The trip to get them home had given him time to learn about humanity from them from their point of view, so it was more comfortable with them in the room. The third was a woman with glasses, and when she entered, the Spartans seemed to slightly turn their heads. She even acknowledged them and asked a few some questions. Whoever she was, she definitely had some connection to the super soldiers. "It is good to finally meet with you, Arbiter. Shall we get to discussion?" An Admiral, Lord Hood said. "I'm listening, human, but don't expect much. There is precious little you have to offer in these negotiations for us to want to ally ourselves with you."

Meanwhile

"Major, Spartan 117, have you anything to say to these allegations?" a commander stated inside the courtroom. The Major was being almost court-martialed for letting Garrett escape. The brass was acknowledging this mistake by checking on just about every Spartan that was on that mission. They had finally come to a conclusion. The Major said nothing. "Well then, by the power invested in me by the UNSC command and judiciary system, I hereby provide these black marks on your record. You have been found almost traitorous in this court, and since the standard legal rules do not apply to Spartans, the best I can do to you is demote you to the rank of Master Chief. This will be official in one hour. The court is dismissed." Spartan 117 stood at attention then was escorted outside, where an MP took the ranking symbols from his shoulders and chest and placed the original markings of his past rank. They escorted him to a door where a car was waiting to pick him up. He seemed comfortable now, despite having been demoted for doing something wrong. He had always been careful about what he had done, but now… How would the other Spartans see him? Would he lose face? Or would another be promoted above him? He really didn't care if another Spartan was his commander. He had been in command of the Spartans since the beginning, so he believed it was his time to give up the throne. He was driven to a shuttle port where he would be lifted off to their next mission. When the car stopped John stepped out to find something he didn't expect.
Row after row of Spartans stood at attention in front of the shuttle. They looked straight ahead, not moving an inch. He walked by them as the car drove away and gained an acknowledgement from Marie. "Sir, permission to speak freely sir." He granted it. "Sir, we would have done the same. It's good to have the Master Chief back sir!" And with that, all the Spartans saluted. To them, the newest Spartans, to accompany the last of the first batch of Spartans, was an honor. He was a legend in its purest form. He knew that they would follow him to hell and back if he asked it. He simply tightened his jaw and nodded, then entered the shuttle. The rest of the Spartans entered as well and took their seats.

Garrett was becoming sick to his stomach. Both he and Jack were hiding up in the steel rafters above a laboratory, and in cryo tubes were something he didn't expect to be here. In each tube was a flood combat form, all being humanoid, and all being tested on. The tentacles on the arms still didn't stop moving despite the cold around them, and continued to probe the inside of the tube. He kept his rifle trained on the tubes, and not on the guards nearby. Two scientists opened up a tube and had two large guards grab the combat form and strap it to a dissection table. They began to probe the body with tools and take skin samples, but largely left her unscathed. The female flood was stripped naked, not that she cared now. "Cardiovascular system has increased ten fold. Brain waves seem to be different from previous checked, all other systems seem to be starting to become inactive. Best of luck next time…" the scientist sighed. He placed his pad on the table and left the room, followed by the second scientist two minutes later. The flood was left on the table, strapped and helpless. The six guards kept near the two doors, afraid that the combat form would break through the cable straps and attack them. Jack motioned Garrett toward another vent opening, and they quietly slipped through. As Jack left the area, he heard a whisper. It was faint, but it wasn't someone talking. Please! Don't! NO! was what he heard, echoing in his head. He turned around and stared back down at the combat form. It was motionless, but he still sensed something. Garrett switched to a secure com channel. "What's up? Something wrong?" He asked. "I think… never mind. It was nothing." They started to continue through the vents when Jack heard the voice again in his head. "Okay, I'm not imagining that." Garrett tilted his head. "I think… I think I could hear that woman's voice, in my head, or at least her thoughts…" he whispered. "Hive connection so to speak probably. You probably have a sense of her being nearby. What… you want to save her?" He asked quizzically. "Maybe. Can we?" He asked. "Beats the crap out of me. I honestly still can't figure out how you broke away from the flood. For her to do the same thing… She'd have to do something odd as well."
Jack sat there for a moment before turning around and heading back to the lab. Garrett sighed and followed. They reached the room and silently dropped to the ground. They hit their AC on and moved towards the guards. At that moment, The combat form started to wrestle against the restraints, sensing Jack nearby. The guards raised their weapons at the form and moved slowly toward it. Garrett followed behind two of them, while Jack followed another two. The last two stayed at the doors. As they reached the woman, she started to pull away from the table, trying not to attack, but break away. Garrett realized this could be a problem if the guards realized she was sensing someone else, so he blocked her sense of Jack with his psionics. She suddenly became confused, wondering why she couldn't sense him anymore, and instead altered where she was staring to where Garrett was. She stopped fighting against the straps and became quite docile. Her blonde hair was matted with sweat and cryo tube solution, and if it wasn't for the hideous disfiguring of the flood, she could almost be called pretty. Her arms seemed to have the worst of the disfigurement, and also the strength. Garrett didn't have time to waste here. He jumped a guard from behind and slit his throat, then Jack grabbed another and snapped his neck. The other two guards were shocked to see their comrades die without anything attack them, and jumped back to find a bullet tear through both chests. The last two guards brought their weapons to bear and one was about to hit the alarm when a knife flew through the air from Garrett's hand to impale in his neck. The last guard fumbled for the key card that would allow him exit of the room, and Jack leapt toward him in one swift move. He brought his rifle butt down on his neck and heard a snap. The guard crumbled, and they returned to the scene in the middle.

"Well, we did something, so hurry up" Garrett said. "Do what? I don't know what to do." Garrett stared at Jack for a second. "We just did this all for nothing? Well… you can hear her voice in your head, so try doing the same to her." Jack tried to concentrate, trying to focus on hearing her speak again. Please! AH! I can't remember… Jack heard her voice in his head again. He concentrated harder, trying to think of a way to speak back. Hey! I can hear you! I'm here to help! The only way to stop the thing is to think something up involving pain and destruction! Toward the flood I mean! Pain, destruction, something that is a thought of the thing inside you dying! Who are you? How… Just do it! That was the only thing I could do against the thing myself! You want to die here andlet that thing strip you of who you are?!Alright…She was silent for a long time, too long in fact. I did it! I can't hear or sense the other presence anymore! Good! Now what is exactly going on? What's happening here? Who are you?