Chapter 5: Flesh and Bone
July 5th, 2568
Sydney, Australia, Earth, Sol System
Andrew had fallen into a routine over the last few days. He'd wake up early, go to the beach for a 5k run, go swimming and come back to the hotel where he'd shower and prepare to go wander the city. He was walking down the hall back to his room when he noticed something off. Someone was standing at his door and banging on it with another person standing just behind them. 'Hand on your gun. Be wary of them.' His inner voice commanded. To be fair, that part of his mind was seldom wrong. "Andrew open the damn door! You can't hide in there all day! Damnit let us in!" That voice, he talked to her every week. What the fuck was the Doc doing here? He eased his guard and approached faster. "Doc, what the hell are you doing here? Don't you have other patients in Lambda Rho that need your help?" Andrew looked down at the shorter woman in confusion, completely ignoring her companion. "Jesus Christ! Where the hell did you come from?" Andrew opened his room's door and invited them in. "I could ask you the same." She walked in and sat in the desk chair. Andrew sat on the bed and removed his boots. The other guest leaned against the desk.
"You didn't answer my question, Doc. What the hell are you doing here?" Andrew removed his sidearm from its holster, dropped the mag and racked the slide to extract the loaded round. "I came here to make sure you were doing okay. When I heard that you were sent on leave I was worried. You have never gone on leave and have no experience in civilian life. I had to demand that they let me come here." Andrew just looked at her cock-eyed. "I'm a Spartan. I adapt. I guess I'll answer your question now. I was at the beach. I've started to go running and then swimming in the morning. Then I go and explore the town." She returned the cock-eyed look. Andrew actually adapting to the civilian world was something she thought he'd have a hard time with. Before she could speak Andrew finally recognized the old man who came with her. "Doc Hartford? Don't you work at the military hospital in Dublin? Why are you here?" The man smiled at Andrew, happy his former patient recognized him after almost sixteen years. "Actually I'm retired now. Arrin asked me to meet her here and help talk with you. Please, call me James." Andrew pondered the concept. "Sorry, you'll always be Doc Hartford. So, what did you two want to talk about? Would you like to know what I've been up to while I've been on Earth?" He seemed eager to chat with someone. The other members of Phoenix had been less than talkative lately. Mostly due to family. As for Sam, again, who the hell really knew. His guests simply nodded. "Well, I spent five days camping in the outback. Then I spent a day relaxing. After that I went to a gun range, used their kill house scenario and nearly got in a fight with some private military dumbasses. After that I started my new routine." The two psychiatrists seemed to tense up when he brought up the altercation with the mercenaries. "Can we talk about the fight you almost got into," Hartford asked. Andrew synced his smart glasses to the rooms TV and played back the footage of what happened, from getting into line to walking out. "I'd say I did pretty good. I left before the situation got out of control, I didn't harm anyone and my points were completely valid. They were all idiots." Both shrinks were pleasantly surprised to see no one had been harmed.
"So, in simple terms, you've adjusted well to being away from base?" Andrew leaned back on the bed. "Yeah, I suppose so. I don't really like having no directions. I was built for war. All I've done is keep myself in shape and go shopping. I'm itching for a fight. I've been anticipating a criminal attacking me or some shit like that, but no, apparently I'm physically imposing to civvies. I'm getting bored and I still have about two weeks of leave." The Spartan spoke in a tone that implied annoyance yet no malice. "Have you considered paintballing or laser tag? There are clear objectives and you can fight people without harming them," Hartford suggested. "C'mon Doc Hartford, that would be cheating. I could take the Hog back out to the desert and just drive around like a jackass. That was pretty fun. Hmmm. I'm gonna go take a shower, do you two wanna come get lunch with me afterwards?"
The diner Andrew picked was one that he had started to frequent during his time in Sydney. It had good sightlines, several points of egress, and the food was better than anything the mess hall served or King cooked. Hartford and Arrin both agreed with his last point. Andrew's outfit was excessively casual compared to his other clothing; a long sleeve t-shirt, cargo shorts, hiking boots and his boonie hat. His laid-back attitude was starting to worry Arrin,but he couldn't hide the fact that every time someone entered the building he would check for danger. Still his usual self. Hartford broke the silence. "So, Andrew, what's with the ink? Why vipers?" He knew someone would ask that. "It goes back to my first mission; eleven months of infiltration, information retrieval and elimination. My target called me a snake in the grass. Vipers fit the theme of the mission. The small one on my cheek I got right after the mission. The one on my back, I added to it after every deployment until it was done." Hartford was visibly confused. He was no herpetologist. "Vipers use neurotoxic venom to kill. It's slow and shuts down vital systems to kill. Taking down an insurrection over eleven months by exposing weaknesses fits. Slow, painful, but always deadly." Hartford just nodded. Arrin already knew the story of his tattoos. To her it was almost odd that the Spartan had embraced the role Section Three created for him. It certainly didn't fit with his disdain for authority.
Andrew picked at his pasta salad. He had taken an immediate liking to the tart flavor and variety of textures, but making conversation seemed to lessen his appetite. "I'll presume that the orange shield is your unit then?" Hartford didn't seem to notice Andrew's mood, rather uncharacteristically. "Yeah, Fireteam Phoenix. Direct action, information retrieval and demolitions; we keep it unconventional and rather risky. We're the best at what we do." Andrew's tone was dry. "So, how's the water down at the beach?" Arrin spoke up before Hartford could say anything else. She knew that Andrew no longer wanted to talk about his service, and hopefully Hartford would pick up on it. "It's rather pleasant. Despite the stinging from the salt, I like it. The currents give me some resistance and the temperature isn't too cold nor is it particularly warm. It's perfect right after my morning runs." His tone was more jovial this time around. "Maybe next time I get leave I'll see if I can visit Tribute. I hear they're working on rebuilding Casbah. Maybe I'll come back here, I don't know." This excited Arrin, Andrew was finally thinking about something other than his service. He was starting to accept that there was something other than fighting to be done. That he could go elsewhere and be fine not being in his armor. They continued to talk about places he'd like to visit until they left. As it turns out, the Spartan had a severe case of wanderlust.
Not long after lunch Hartford left Arrin and Andrew. He said something about heading back to Ireland, but Andrew hadn't really paid close attention. The man had irritated the Spartan all day with questions about his time in the military. Andrew didn't want to talk about that though and it seemed that Arrin always swooped in to change the subject at just the right time. It was presently late in the evening. The Spartan was escorting the woman back to her hotel. He was not pleased by the area it was located in, a place less savory than many of the holes he had been deployed to. She had told him it wasn't necessary to escort her, but he wouldn't have it. He would soon be glad he ignored her.
A man came stumbling down the street. Something was off about it, like there was too much thought in it to be natural. Andrew went on the defensive. "Arrin, get behind me. Now," he punctuated the statement by stiff arming her. This was the first time he used her real name and it scared her. They continued walking forward. The suspicious man's right arm hung by his side, his hand obviously hiding something in the sleeve of his light jacket. Suddenly the man's arm jerked down and a knife appeared in his hand. "Your money and everything in the bags. Don't make me do something you'll regret." The man's voice was hoarse, like he had been swallowing sandpaper. "You're welcome to try something, but I suggest you back off right now." Andrew's baritone voice carried down the otherwise empty side street. "Tough guy huh? This ain't no place for no hero." The man lunged at Andrew. The Spartan had one hand behind himself guarding the psychiatrist and the other low to maintain balance. He backpedaled a few paces to dodge the attack. Even with his augments he was moving too slow at the moment. Trying to guard her and lacking his armor put him at a quarter of the speed he wanted to move at. "Arrin, I need my arm to fight. Whatever happens, stay behind me. Clear?" He didn't need to hear an answer. He knew that she understood why he wanted her there. He was her wall, her shield, and he'd stay like that until one of the two fighters was down.
Even though the Spartan decided that he would slow down and enjoy the fight, he couldn't help but fall into his usual combat style. Andrew practically lived by the phrase "the best defense is an overwhelming offense," and in combat it truly showed. His first attack was a series of sidekicks, much like the ones he fired at Sam in the octagon. The assailant was surprisingly agile and jumped out of the way fairly quick. He took a slash at Andrew with the knife. The Spartan blocked the strike and pinned the man's arm, bringing his right knee up and breaking the the appendage over it. The would-be mugger cried out in anguish. Andrew repositioned, still holding the limp, broken arm. Using his right hand the Spartan lifted the man into the air by the face and spiked him into the ground. The man was out cold. Andrew turned to Arrin, "We're safe. Everything is fine." The psychiatrist gasped as she noticed Andrew's non-dominant arm. "You're bleeding! What do we do?" Andrew looked at his arm. The cut was deep. 'Guess I didn't block that one well enough. Need to train with someone else for this situation later.' The Spartan sighed and removed his shirt. "Come here and tie this around my arm about five centimeters above the cut. Single knot. I need you to stay calm." She silently obliged. Andrew removed a spare magazine from his holster. "Now, place this on the knot and wrap the loose ends around it. Then twist until the bleeding stops. After that secure the loose ends so that it doesn't come undone." Andrew rifled through her handbag and removed a marker and a small can. "Those aren't mine." She stated bluntly. Andrew nodded and looked at her, "I know, I put them there. I like to be prepared. Alright you can secure the loose ends now." He looked at the clock on his smart glasses and marked the tourniquet. He pulled a pin from the top of the can and flicked the nozzle up. Pushing the end of into the wound he began to squeeze the lever on the opposite side. The Spartan hissed as biofoam filled his lacerated arm. "Call EMS. Get two wagons and police down here."
Andrew sat on the edge of the hospital bed. The fresh bandage overtop his latest wound a reminder that the pleasant surprise earlier in the day had turned quite sour. He had gotten his shirt and magazine back after the makeshift tourniquet was removed. Arrin sat in a chair nearby staring at his bandaged arm. The silence was deafening. He was the first to break it. "Doc, I'm fine. I've been closer to death before." She looked up just in time to catch him sign a Spartan smile. "It's not fine, you're injured. You shouldn't have taken that risk. You are flesh and bone and blood. You don't have your armor here. I know you could've moved far faster. You could've just shot him." Andrew sighed, this was becoming far too common for his liking. "Fights are easy to move passed mentally. You see it, you have a bit of initial shock, but you move on. A shooting, not so much. There are more senses involved, even for a witness. You see the flash and gore. You smell the gunpowder and blood. You hear the shot and the scream followed by unbearable silence broken by moans and groans. It etches itself into your mind. You don't need that. I swore and oath to protect Earth, all her colonies and the citizens of them no matter the cost. A little blood is nothing compared to what I'm prepared to give."
As Andrew finished his monologue there was a knock at the door. A man in a suit entered and handed Andrew his card. It was an investigator with SPD. He also returned the Spartan's smart glasses. "I would like to inform you that your assailant will live. His arm is fractured in three places, his skull is fractured and he has three broken ribs with severe contusions up and down his back. He'll be going to trial for attempted armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon thanks to the footage you provided. I also brought your discharge papers from your doctor. So, tell me, what kind of man fights a man with a knife with nothing but his fists?" Andrew stood up and accepted the discharge papers. "You already know. You've got my name on record. Normal people don't put down their service tag as their last name." The investigator gave Andrew a curt nod. "You two have a nice night. Try to stay out of trouble while you're here." With that the man left. Andrew stood up and collected his possessions. "C'mon, we're getting a cab to my hotel. Then we're taking the 'hog to yours. We'll check you out and I'll pay for you to get a room at mine. I'm not letting you stay in that area after what happened tonight." She opened her mouth to protest only to catch a look from Andrew that gave her all she needed to know. It was going to happen whether she wanted to or not. She stood up and followed him out.
Alright, chapters 5 and 6 have taken a while to create. Six will be up tomorrow but I need to get to work. This is the last Earth based chapter. We're going back to the main story.
