McArthy was staring into the medical room, dumbfounded by Mim's find. She didn't find the prototype, but after moving a large shelf away, she had revealed a shower. They were both staring at it, feeling equally stupid for never noticing it before.

Mim walked into it for a moment, walking a quick circle, then rustled her feathers as she walked back out and said, "Roomy."

Reaching his hand inside to the knob, McArthy asked, "Does it even work?"

As he grabbed the knob, Mim placed her hands on her hips, "I do not believe the Covenant breached any kind of water lines. There would be no point to."

With the turn of the knob, they both watched in surprise as the pipes creaked for a moment, then water started pouring out. McArthy poked his hand into the water, testing it, then he pulled it out with a shocked expression.

"It's… lukewarm."

Mim tilted her head, confused, then McArthy chuckled and said, "It's not cold, is what I mean, and it's getting hotter."

He quickly turned the knob again, turning the shower off, then he shut the curtain and said, "Oh I am using that tonight."

Chuckling, Mim followed him out of the medical room and said, "Want me to use it before or after?"

McArthy shrugged as he picked the journal up from the counter and said, "Up to you. You're the one who got the power working."

Dipping her head a bit, Mim crooned, "I will let you go first, then."

McArthy opened up the journal and started at the page with the prototype's drawing. At this point, they had both searched the entire base, and found nothing. At least, McArthy thinks so. Mim wasn't easily convinced as she went out the other door, heading for the research room at the other end of the base. That room has a few dismantled machines and devices, and she thought she saw something familiar.

The t'vaoan made her way through the door, passing McArthy and gaining his attention. He watched her walk out of the room and into the adjacent rooms, then shut the book and began following her. The two walked through the armory and into the research room, McArthy turning his gaze to all the different devices. None of them caught his eye before, none looking like the prototype.

His thoughts were interrupted as Mim squawked. He turned to see her reach out, then she asked, "Can I have the book?"

With a nod, he handed her the journal and watched as she quickly flipped to the drawing and stared at it. As she looked at the drawing, she approached one of the long encounters cluttered with devices and pieces. She kept the book next to her face as she scanned the counter, then came to a stop next to a piece.

McArthy watched from over her shoulder as she lowered the book and grabbed the piece. To him, it looked like nothing important, certainly didn't look like the prototype. However, Mim's curiosity about it made him feel like he missed something.

She pushed a part of the table clear, then sat the part upright on it. Turning to McArthy, she gestured to it and asked, "Do you see it too?"

With a sigh, McArthy shook his head and said, "Unfortunately not. My usual observance is failing me at the moment."

Crooning, Mim raised the journal again and said, "It is fine. I believe I found the prototype."

McArthy nodded his head, then froze as he processed what she said. He spun back to her as she looked at the opposite counter, holding the book up once again for reference. Once again, a certain piece looked like one of the parts in the drawing.

As he watched Mim find the pieces and put them on the counter together, he was stumped on why they would take the prototype apart. Unless they purposely did so to keep it out of enemy hands, but McArthy doubted the covenant didn't already have superior communication systems.

It wasn't long until the assembled parts loosely placed next to each other took the form of the drawing. Well, most of it. Both McArthy and Mim were stumped as they looked between the drawing and what was gathered. It looked mostly like it, but the main communications component was missing.

As Mim looked through all the drawers of the tables, she chirped, "Where could it be?"

McArthy peeked at the drawing again, looking at it to figure out the size of the final piece. It wasn't very large, but it held the most important parts. He was lost as well, then a small idea creeped into his mind.

Patting Mim's back, she turned back to him with a tilted head, "Hm?"

McArthy stepped towards the doorway and said, "I… think I may know where the last part is."

He watched her eyes widen, then he stepped through the door and said, "It's only a guess based on what I read, but it's the best chance. Follow me."

Mim shut the drawer she was looking in and quickly followed him across the base. He led them towards the medical room, the room that held the shower they had found. It also held another object of interest. The two walked in and Mim followed McArthy's gaze to the demon lying on the floor. Looking at it again made chills go up her spine, despite now knowing they were just another human, as McArthy had told her.

The worst part about the spartan was that they couldn't move it, it being far too heavy for both of them to drag. So, they would just have to deal with the corpse being in the same room as their newly discovered shower.

McArthy moved up to the spartan, crouching next to their armor back and gazing at it. Mim tilted her head as she approached next to him, wondering what he saw. She watched him place his hand on the armored back, then run it up to a certain part that had a small metal pole sticking out the top.

He pulled at the piece for a moment, nothing happening, then he turned back to Mim and said, "This spartan has an abnormally large communications unit on their back armor. And, according to the journal, this spartan was supposed to have their armor modified to test the prototype communications. So, as it appears, the piece we are missing is this thing, but right now it's still a part of the armor."

Without hesitation, Mim pulled out the energy sword hilt and ignited it, watching McArthy spin his head to her. She chuckled as she raised the sword with her two hands, then she asked, "Move, I will remove it."

With only a simple nod, McArthy stood up and stepped away from the spartan. Mim lowered herself next to the body, looking closely at the piece and the armor it was connected to. She didn't want to cut into the armor too much, she only wanted to remove the communications piece. As it seemed, there was a perfect amount of space for her to do so, so she carefully moved the blade close to cut.

Once the hot blade was next to the place she wanted to cut, she quickly swiped it across and yanked the piece away, looking down at the armor. The armor was undamaged, and now they had the last piece they needed. Turning off the energy sword, Mim carefully looked over the part. She would definitely need to dismantle it a bit, seeing as it was modified to fit the armor, but that wouldn't be too hard, especially since she found all the necessary tools in the research room.

She turned to McArthy and waved the part with a happy chirp, watching him slouch a little as he sighed in relief.

"It will take some time for me to rebuild it."

Mim watched McArthy chuckle, "Not an issue. Just gives me more time to read up on how it works. I like to think I have some smarts, but reading all these science words makes me remember I'm an ODST, not a engineer."

Mim chuckled as she passed him, "That makes one of us."

The two walked back through the base until they reached the research room, Mim quickly gathering the parts and tools she'd need. Turning to McArthy, she gestured to the tools and said, "I want to work in the living space. More room there. Can you take these?"

With a smile, he nodded his head as he gathered the tools and said, "Sure thing. How long until you think you'll be done?"

She carefully gathered the parts in her arms and said, "Maybe an hour. It does not look too complex. Plus, the company will be nice."

The two walked back through the base and stopped in the main room. Carefully sitting all the tools and parts on the counter, McArthy pushed the chair next to it and asked with a smile, "You wanna sit while you work?"

Mim chuckled as she jumped onto the seat, pulling the parts together, "Yes, thank you."

She watched out of the corner of her eye as McArthy walked to the mattresses and plopped himself down on them, opening the journal and continuing to read. With a small croon, she turned back to the prototype and slowly began rebuilding it.

#

Mim was carefully connecting two of the pieces, but her mind was thinking of very different things. Putting this prototype back together wasn't complex, which allowed her mind to wander a bit. Right now, she was once again trying to figure out a way to win her human over. Her latest efforts have fallen flat, at least that's how they felt. Perhaps they were having a gradual effect on him, but she was interested in getting results sooner rather than later.

Then a thought came across her mind, maybe she should try to figure out a more human way. There was one word she needed, but she just didn't know it in English.

Turning to glance at McArthy, she watched as he very slowly slid his knife across his face. At first it made her heart skip a beat, thinking he was cutting himself, but he drew no blood, and the small hairs that had slowly grown on his face fell off.

She let out a squawk to gain his attention, then turned her face back to her work and asked, "McArthy, I need a word."

She heard him let out a quiet hum, then he asked, "What word are you looking for? Is it…"

"A word similar to… like."

McArthy scratched his chin as he laid back on the wall, "Uh, ah, enjoy!"

Mim shook her head with an amused huff, then said, "No. As in, like a lot."

"Oh, adore."

Scratching her feathers, Mim tried to figure out if that was the word. She turned and asked, "An example?"

"Uh, you adore that shotgun of yours."

Mim turned back around with a huff, "Not the right word, then."

She sat, thinking of the right way to ask it, then it struck her. Humans didn't use this word the way her kind did, but he should get the right idea.

Turning back to face him, she asked, "As in, how I feel about my… mate."

McArthy froze up for a moment, then reddened a little and said, "O-oh, a… mate. So, like, your hubby or something. Oh, oh, oh, you're looking for love."

The t'vaoan trilled at the word. It certainly sounded right, but she had to be sure.

"So, I would l-l-love my mate?"

McArthy shrugged his shoulders with a smile, "I mean, you should. If you don't love him, why is he your mate?"

Mim spun back around to her work, "Thank you, McArthy."

The ODST scratched the back of his head, a little confused, "Uh, alright. No problem. How's the progress with that prototype?"

Mim chirped as she lifted a human tool, "Not long."

She fully returned back to her work, hopeful for their future. It wasn't too much longer until they would finally be able to call for some kind of help, and she knew just the person to call.

#

Setting down the communication prototype, she hovered her claws over the small buttons on its bottom part. Everything was put together, now all they needed to do was hook it up to a power source to see if it turned on, then they would be ready to send out a transmission.

"Is it done?" asked McArthy from behind. Mim only nodded her head as she removed their very last beam rifle from a crate and started dismantling it.

She heard McArthy tap the journal and say, "I, uh, finished reading about how the prototype works, and I'm not sure about this anymore."

Mim paused, the beam rifle's power cell in her hand. She turned to him with a squawk of surprise and asked, "Why?"

He was obviously nervous to answer, but he began as she continued to work with the power cell, finding a way to connect it to the prototype.

"Well, it's because of the amount of danger involved. The thing is only a prototype, so the usual safeguards are missing. Which means, if we send out a transmission, anyone within range can pick it up and track us down."

Mim grunted as she successfully connected the prototype to the power source, "But… it is worth the risk."

She heard him place the journal on the counter, then he asked, "Do you even have someone to call? Because I don't."

Mim nodded as she turned to face him, "Yes, she's a good friend, and she has a ship. A big ship."

McArthy crossed his arm with a huff, "A big ship, huh? Big enough to deal with an assault carrier? Can you even guarantee she will get the transmission?"

This question made Mim stay quiet. There was one thing she wasn't going to do, and that was lie to him. She shook her head, then he lowered his arms and said, "Then I don't think it's worth it. The moment that thing sends that signal, the Covenant will zero in on it and kill both of us, and I don't want that."

Feeling desperation kick in, Mim said, "But… we have to! Getting off this world, we both want that! This is our only chance!"

McArthy pointed at the prototype and said, "Even if your friend picks up that signal, she won't get here before the Covenant finds us!"

With a small snarl, she grabbed the prototype and said, "Then I'll take this somewhere far from here and send the signal. You and the base will be safe."

She watched his face soften some, then he said, "No, I'm not gonna let you go out alone and-"

Mim spun at him, trying to stay stern. "I'm not going to let you come with me. I want you safe, and this is the only way to keep our shelter's location safe as well."

Before she let him further argue, she marched to the door leading outside and said, "I will be back."

The door opened, but before she walked out, McArthy called out, "You promise?"

She turned her head to look at her human, taking him in before she left. Of course she would promise. She had plans, she still needed to win him over, and she was definitely getting the ride out of here.

With a soft voice, trying to calm his ever present nerves, she crooned, "I promise. I will try and use my old cave. It will not take any longer than an hour or two."

Then, she stepped out into the white, snow covered courtyard and listened as she slid the door shut behind her. Taking a deep breath, processing the danger of this trip, he huffed and made her way out of the base, disappearing into the snowy forest.

#

Mim took in a deep breath as she approached her old cave. For some strange reason, it felt like it's been forever since she's been here. It was probably the perfect place to send out the transmission. It would certainly throw the Covenant off in their search for them.

She leaped onto the top of the cave, sitting down on the edge and placing the prototype next to her. McArthy had explained to her how to function it while she was building it, and she was quick to comprehend the instructions. She was lucky to know the planet's coordinates they were on as she prepared the prototype for broadcast.

The prototype would require full power to broadcast as far out as possible, which meant it would drain the power cell she connected it to as soon as she transmitted her message.

Carefully typing away at the buttons, making out the message she wanted to send, she hovered her claw over the final button. Paused, she raised her head and looked up into the sky. The most notable thing above her was the assault carrier, still hovering high in orbit. Without looking down, she let out a chuff of determination and pushed down on the button.

#

Marching through the snow was the golden zealot, his mandibles seemingly sculpted into a scowl. Trudging behind him was an assortment of soldiers he was able to detach from the extraction site. It wasn't much, but to him it was certainly enough to kill a simple t'vaoan and human.

Suddenly, all of their comlinks lit up, a strange message filling their ears. The message was in english, so while his troops were all confused, the zealot was not. He knew the heretics' language, and right now he was quaking with rage...

...and elation.

With a devilish chuckle, he turned to one of the sangheili minors behind him and asked, "Can you trace that signal?"

The minor quickly nodded, then the zealot chortled and said, "Do it quickly. It seems our targets have just given us their position."

The small attack group quickly traced the signal and were on the move. The zealot led them as they ran through the forest, unfortunately slowed by having to keep in sight of the unggoy. After looking back to see the unggoy waddling in the let out a snarl of anger.

Turning to the minor next to him, he pointed at them and said, "I will go ahead, you lead them to the traced signal! I will not allow the heretics escape!"

The minor couldn't even reply before the zealot raced off through the forest, sprinting off as fast as he could.

It wasn't long until he reached the source. He growled as he approached the cave, taking his energy sword out and looking around. He saw nothing, then noticed the faintest trail of smoke coming from on top of the cave.

With a grunt, the zealot leaped on top of the mouth of the cave, looking down to see a strange device hooked up to a smoking power cell. What he saw next proved more intriguing.

Footprints.

Chuckling as he felt the power cell, he turned in the direction of the footsteps and said, "Still hot. I know you're near, heretics! Show yourself and fight me like warriors! Prove you have at least a shred of honor in you!"

The zealot slowly followed the snow trail away from the cave mouth and into the forest. He kept walking through the snow, his eyes darting around him, then the trail ended.

He looked at the trail curiously, then heard tree branches creak to his side. He swiftly spun around to his side and outstretched his arm. With a trained strike, he batted the shotgun out of Mim's hands, hearing her gasp in surprise. Before she could react, he threw his hand forward and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up to eye level with an evil grin on his mandibles.

Speaking in his own tongue, the zealot chucked, "It seems your ambush has failed, heretic."

He watched her let out a wheeze in his grasp, then he pulled her close and asked, "Where is the human friend of yours?"

This time, she rasped out a chuckle and said, "He's long gone."

The zealot chuckled, then gestured to her trail behind her and said, "Given there is no second trail, I dare say he never was here."

The t'vaoan stayed quiet in his grasp, eliciting a long chortle of satisfaction from him. Though the human being's absence delayed his mission, it did make it more fun.

With a cough, Mim looked up and said, "Well, kill me then."

The zealot chuckled again as he shook his head. He brought his hand to her feathers and lightly brushed their edges, making her snarl and try to bite his hand. He laughed more, then softly said, "I have other plans for you. You will be dead soon, don't you fret."

It was now that the rest of his attack group reached him, the zealot turning to see his two sangheili minors and eight unggoy finally come into view. He presented Mim with a proud roar, eliciting similar roars from the minors while the grunts simply cheered.

Once they're celebration was over, the zealot pointed at the sangheili minors and said, "Quickly gather the required resources for a cage. We will entrap her in this very cave and ambush the human when he comes to rescue her."

Mim's eyes widened as he said that, her struggling in his grasp increasing, yet futile. Her squawks and grunts were drowned out as the sangheili once again roared in victory together. This couldn't be happening, everything was about to go right. Everything was about to get better, and now they were going to die.

#

McArthy nervously paced around the room, making circles around the tables. At this point it had been two hours, and Mim was yet to come back. He was so worried, his stomach felt like it was being twisted into thousands of knots. To put it simply, he felt sick.

He moved away from the center of the room and to the conference table between the two doors leading into the rest of the base. With a heavy grunt, he placed his hands on the edge of the table and leaned onto it, quickly his hand down his face.

"Fuck, why am I so worried? I've never even felt this sick about my own squad being gone."

Turning himself around, he leaned the back of his waist against the table and rested his forehead into his hands. He's had this feeling before, but it's never been so intense. Why is it so bad now? He trusted Mim, she was going to be back soon, yet he still felt worried sick. And if something did happen, he only had himself to blame.

"I don't… she's just all I have. But… I'm not in…"

He paused, unable to let the word out. He knew what he was feeling, but he just couldn't believe it. To fall in love with an alien woman? Not just an alien, one who's species and higher powers are trying to exterminate his entire race. Not like any of that mattered, she ran away from the Covenant, and she certainly didn't want him dead, quite the opposite.

Leaning against the table, hanging his head, he groaned, "I fucking fell in love with that bird, didn't I?"

He couldn't believe he could fall in love with her. He wasn't even against the idea, but he's never really fallen in love before either. Sure, he's had a girlfriend a long time ago, but that relationship was empty and pointless. His parents didn't show him love, no one showed him love, he didn't have any real experience with this.

As he internally discussed, he slowly realized he wasn't worried about falling in love with Mim, he was worried about screwing it up. Rubbing his eyes, he grunted and slammed his hands on the table behind him. If this falling was love, then he wasn't going to let go. Mim could be in danger, and he wasn't going to let her get hurt. He needed to find her, find out where she went, see if she was okay.

With grunt, he went to push himself off the conference table, but his weight suddenly made the table slide across the ground a bit. McArthy caught himself on the table before he fell, then spun around to look at it. He thought the table was bolted down like the rest of the tables, but apparently not. As his eyes quickly gazed at the table, he saw something peculiar underneath it. Right beneath where it's bottom once was, he saw a square looking hatch. It looked just big enough for someone to fit in.

Curious, he pushed the table fully away and grabbed the hatch. There was a lever on it, so he pulled it and watched the hatch open up. He peeked down to see a small room of some kind. He swore under his breath at the sight. He's been in this base for so long, and he only only now found this little secret?

Quickly climbing down the small ladder leading down, he shortly ended in a very small room. On one side of the room were multiple cabinets, which he quickly checked, only to find they were all locked. Turning to the other side of the room, his eyes widened at what he saw. This side of the room held a desk, sitting on the desk were multiple magazines for an SMG and pistol. He raised his eyes to see the two weapons hanging on small hooks.

He couldn't believe his luck. If Mim was in any real danger, he had only a magazine for each weapon. Now, he had enough to actually fight something. McArthy swiftly swiped the ammunition up, taking a last spin to see if he missed anything useful. When he didn't find anything, he quickly climbed back up and out of the hidden room.

Carefully putting the magazines down next to his weapons, McArthy quickly began putting his armor on. He's never put it on so fast, this fear of Mim being hurt or killed fueling him to move faster. Once his armor was on, he grabbed his weapons, placing them on both of his thighs, then placed the extra magazines on his body.

Without a second of thought, he put his helmet over his head and ran to the door. He quickly slipped through it once it opened, then shut it behind him and bolted off. Honestly, the best case scenario was that he ran into her while she was heading back, but he doubted that would happen. He couldn't play fake scenarios in his head, he had to be ready for a fight. He wasn't planning on letting the Covenant kill her and pumped his legs, moving as fast as he could push himself through the snow.

#

Mim was sitting on the cave floor, one knee raised with her hand sitting on it. In front of her were bars tightly spaced together, no real door to be opened. As it seemed, the zealot didn't plan on letting her out, not alive at least.

Raising her head, she looked up to see the golden armored zealot standing right outside the cage, lifting her belt up and peering at it and the few objects attached to it. She watched as he plucked the energy sword from it, gazing, then put it back with a huff. He cast the belt aside, Mim watching it land against the cave wall, too far for her to reach.

The zealot then turned to face her, leaning against the wall, and asked, "So, I assume that energy sword is one of a zealot, correct?"

Mim didn't answer, only staring daggers at him. The zealot chuckled at her silence, then shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't need an answer from you, for I already have them all."

Pushing himself off the wall, Mim watched as the zealot walked up to the bar, lightly gripping the bars, "I already looked through every file on you. From your entrance into the Covenant military to the last combat report. And trust me, Mim, you cannot surprise me. Now, how long until this human should show?"

Mim turned her head away from the zealot and quietly said, "He won't."

"Hm? What was that?"

Spinning back with a snarl, she loudly said, "He won't!"

The zealot stayed emotionless for a second, then began chuckling. It was unsettling for Mim to watch the zealot chuckle.

Once his chuckling fit ended, the zealot sighed and said, "You are not good at lying, Mim. You and I both know he'll come. I know because I know what he's done for you before. Based on detailed reports from soldiers present at every encounter, plus post-fight proof, such as a very interesting dent on the hull of a certain ghost."

His grip tightened on the bars as he leaned closer, "This is no different. That's why I know. Why you know, that is another story. A very shameful, disgusting, horrid story of its own. Hiding with a human, a race that is a stain on the universe."

Rising from her sitting, she took a step towards the bars and said, "He's not a stain!"

"He is and he will be cleansed! You are attached, and you are a pure disappointment to your entire race! To your ancestors! You betrayed the Covenant, and you will be cleansed along with this human!"

The anger in the zealot slowly dissipated, then he began chuckling again. It was more unsettling this time than the last as the zealot let go of the bars and took a step back from Mim's prison.

The zealot ignited his blade, then placed it between him and the cage, "In not too long, the human will be standing here. And you'll watch as I push my blade through his back. I'll rip his helmet off and force you to watch the life leave his eyes. I will leave you here to stare at his corpse for the day as my guards watch the cave, then I will return in the morning and put you down like the animal you are."

Mim hissed and grabbed the bars, "I'm not the moron wasting his time talking to some 'animal'."

Before she could back away, the zealot shot his arm between the bars and gripped her chin, Mim gripping his arms with a hiss. Chuckling, the zealot moved her head to the side and said, "I would be careful with your words, little heretic. I will make sure the human suffers longer now for that."

With that, the zealot drew his arm back, narrowly passing through the bars before Mim could bite down on his fingers. Chuckling, the zealot turned around and disappeared around the cave's corner, leaving Mim to back away and sit back down on the ground. She ran her hands through her feathers, feeling as a tear ran down her cheek. There was no way out of this, she could only hope that McArthy never came.