The Rabbit and the Wolfe
Sorry it took me so long to get this out. School got in my way and the writer's block wasn't helping things any. We pick off where we left last chapter. I didn't like this chapter so much, but I have some good ideas in my head and they will make themselves known later down the road. Enjoy this chapter and don't forget to favorite, follow and review!
03: Small Steps
November 23, 2561
Imber Surface, New Bristol
1430 hours
Patricia covered the younger woman with her body as the heavens opened up and roared. More powerful than an earthquake and louder than a freight train in a tunnel, the decaying rooms around her were ripped apart by lead. One moment she was nursing a nasty gash as three armored men stood above her, blood spraying her clothes the next. Panicked voices were instantly cut short as golden flashes flooded the ruined structure, bathing the Spartans' vengeance in an after worldly glow. The widow felt a hand roughly grasp her arm as she struggled to protect the young girl from the chaos around them. Fear welled up inside her as her attacker meant to make good on his promise. Only he never got the chance. Something yanked the hand away, causing her off balance. There was a sickening wet crack, the agonizing scream that followed was unsettlingly cut quiet. Swallowing her fear, she looked up at her assailant. His dark eyes were opened in fear as his corpse swayed heavily on the blood red sword that impaled him to the wall. One of his arms hung limply beside him, clearly broken.
She scrambled backwards, eyes wide with fear, as the Covenant weapon dredged up memories from her past that she desperately wanted to keep locked away within the deepest recesses of her mind, never to be opened again.
"Are you alright ma'am?" Patricia heard the question but did not answer, her eyes locked on to the blade which seemed to personify evil and hatred. It was as if the weapon itself had absorbed the blood from all the enemies it had claimed. A mass of teal blocked her vision, forcing her to look up into the dark yellow visor.
She swallowed thickly. "What? W-who are you people?"
"Were Spartans, here to help. Are you alright?" Spartans. She had heard about them from the news. Their strength, their courage, their unflinching resolve. How they had turned the tide of the war. While she wholeheartedly believed that some of their exploits were embellished for both viewer entertainment and to keep up morale, she also believed that without their influence, humanity very well would have lost the war.
"Y-yes. Just…" She trailed off, unsure how to finish.
"Shocked?" The Spartan offered. She nodded dumbly, horrifyingly fascinated by the carnage before her. Her roaming gaze caught a black armored figure tending to the other woman. Refocusing her gaze, she asked, "I am a little thirsty though. You wouldn't happen to have any water on you, would you?"
"Didn't you hear the stories? Were robots. We don't need such mortal amenities." The man's words bounced around in her head for a few short moments, before a frown overcame her features.
"If that was your attempt at humor, young man, I have to say, I've heard better." He just chuckled and shrugged his shoulders as she offered a small, if hesitant, smile in return.
"Wait here." He stood up and wandered off in search of a canteen, his teal armor disappearing behind a broken, bloodstained wall. Turning her head, she saw the person, no, criminal, she told herself, who tried to attack her now collapsed unceremoniously on the floor. Mercifully, the red blade was no longer in sight. Forcing down the rising bile in her throat, she focused her attention elsewhere. Two of the soldiers were talking in the corner, though by their posture, it looked more like an argument. What about, she couldn't tell. With nothing to do until the soldier returned with some water, she pulled a folded photograph from her pocket. Though crumpled, singed and yellow with age, the faces imprinted upon them conjured joyful memories of a simpler time. A happier time. She was still a young woman at that time, brown hair and a modest black dress doing its best to show off her post-baby body. The man, her husband, though forced into a stiff suit which did not please him in the slightest, wore a beaming smile. But the most heart wrenching piece was the young girl in the middle. The young child was only five at the time and it had been a constant hassle to get her to do anything she didn't want to do, like get her picture taken. Only after the promise of ice cream were her parents able to find some semblance of relief. The little girl's white dress was offset by her blue hair and her even bluer eyes, which shined like sapphires. My little sapphire, she thought somberly, caressing the photograph, before placing it back in her pocket.
Looking up, she took in the teal soldier who was standing a few feet away from her, wanting to respect her privacy. Wordlessly, he handed the canteen to Patricia, who took several greedy gulps, the cool liquid doing much to revitalize her tired body.
"Can you move on your own?" He asked, taking the canteen back. Patricia raised a skeptical brow. She was no longer in her prime, yes. But that didn't mean she was old, or slow.
"If I was 40 years younger, I could run circles around you." Bretts chuckled at the challenge and gingerly helped the woman to her feet, escorting her to the rest of Oasis who were waiting a few floors below.
Imber Surface, New Bristol
1700 hours
Linda lay prone in one of the ruined buildings on the outskirts of rally point Bravo. Behind her, UNSC troops began the slow and painstaking process of evacuating the citizens of New Bristol. Civilian transports slowly filled with terrified, confused people before the large engines rumbled to life, lifting those aboard to safety. When they arrived, Master Chief had instructed Kelly and Fred to assist in any way they could while he reported to the officer in charge. Then he told Linda to cover their backs. That is why she was currently hidden in the shadow of a concrete slab of a partially-toppled building, offering the sniper an almost unrestricted view of the street below. Taking slow, even breaths, she allowed her mind to wander, assured she could keep one eye on the open corridor below.
Megan Dikos. Her aquamarine-haired friend had been a part of many of her musings as of late. They had accidently bumped into one another when Megan's nephew had engaged the legendary Spartan in a rapid-fire questionnaire, making the red head uneasy from all the attention. Thankfully, she had been saved by the ocean herself with the offer of dinner before Megan ushered her nephew out. That offer had not worked out well. Not only did the sniper bail at the last minute, but she had nearly blown her date's head off to boot. From there, Linda still didn't know how or why, their relationship had transformed into an uneasy friendship. That bond had only strengthened over time, even as Linda desperately tried to keep the woman at a safe distance. And although Megan was thoughtful and understanding, she had a stubborn streak that could stop Linda in her tracks like a chieftain with a gravity hammer. She was her only friend outside of Blue Team, really her only friend at all. Admittingly, they had become close over the past couple years, to where Megan considered her a 'best' friend. How that distinction was any different from 'just a friend' was lost to the red headed sniper.
"Any contact?" Chief's deep voice pierced through her mind as her focus returned to the street. Motion trackers and visual were clear. There was no sign of Oasis or any hostiles.
"Negative."
"Copy that, Linda. Mission update when they arrive."
"Affirmative." Chief cut the link, allowing her to scan the street once more. Besides the bodies they had passed on the way in, nothing was out of place. Her sights were clear, allowing her to once more delve into the recesses of her mind.
She may not have understood the varying levels of friendship, but she could identify startling similarities between her friendship and Kelly's romantic involvement with her teammate. That thought alone terrified her. Tendrils of fear slid across her mind like a squid trying to capsize a sailing ship. They lasted but for a few moments before her implants engaged to help shred every atom of the negative emotion. As the last remnants of the cloud dispersed, Linda allowed herself to relax, molding into the stock of Nornfang. I will not be compromised. Kelly adapted but her efficiency in combat has degraded. That cannot happen to me. I miss, I react to slowly, someone dies. Yet, as she reassured herself, a single sentence from Megan's last message lit angry embers inside her mind.
I found someone.
Those three words conjured a nasty, bitter feeling in her chest, the likes of which Linda had never experienced before. Her glove coiled around the grip like a python and for the first time in her life, hoped that a Covenant patrol meandered around the nearest corner, just so she could blow their heads apart. Linda knew she had no right to feel this way, but over the years had protected Megan on a number of occasions, becoming her guardian of sorts. Finding out her duty had been usurped by some unknown individual unnerved and angered her to no end.
Relax. Her protection is not your mission.
Oh really? I thought it was your job to protect Humanity? Her mind shot back.
It is. But this is one person, not Humanity at large. Your interest is not beneficial, merely holding you back.
You want to tell her that?
…
Thought so. You find her interesting, enjoy her company? She makes you...happy?
…
…yes
Then why don't you-
"I will not be compromised!" She hissed. Glancing down the street, a lone URF soldier was creeping along some toppled buildings. Linda didn't hesitate to put a fist-sized hole in the man's chest, the sharp crack of the rifle reverberated down the blood-stained street, vocalizing her denial.
Your angry. You need to calm down. Emotions are a liability you can't afford.
Inhaling and exhaling slowly, Linda counted her breaths to calm herself, a trick she learned as a child. The oranges and purples of the evening sky bathed Imber in a temperate glow, a soothing gift from Mother Nature herself. The sniper felt at ease, scanning the street once more before her radio crackled to life.
"Blue Team, this is Oasis."
"Acknowledged, Oasis. Path is clear." Linda responded.
"Understood. Inbound." Starr said, severing the link. From her perch, Linda was able to see the four Spartans make their way through the street below, along with two civilians. Waiting until she could no longer cover them from her perch, she backed out from under the slab, clamped her sniper to her back and jogged down the twisted and broken staircase to rendezvous with Oasis. The mission was not over yet.
Kelly and Fred jogged into the open atrium, its concrete walls spiraling up into the orange heavens above. In another time, the spiraling glass and concrete building would have been an engineering marvel, with its unique curves and slants, filling all that viewed its majesty with awe. Kelly didn't really care for its uncommon artistic outlook as long it was structurally sound, though it did remind her of something Deja taught her. A faint memory of a molecule that carried information that made each of them special in their own way. Gave each and every Spartan a competitive edge against the Covenant. DNA;that was what she called the molecule.
This particular reconstruction of concrete and glass looked corroded, almost terrifyingly so. Distant explosions caused the makeshift HQ to shake and groan under the stress, dust settling on the shocked and relieved faces that were cramped inside the area due to lack of room in the courtyard beyond the doors. The scout could feel rather than hear the transports as they took to the skies.
"Glad to see you haven't slowed down in your old age." Sandra teased her in a low voice, gently bumping her hip.
"Funny." Kelly replied dryly, but couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes at her lover's playful demeanor. Killing other humans had never been easy for any of them. She appreciated the distraction. "Still playing nice?"
"You wish." Sandra broke off to hand a small toy to the awe-filled, tired eyes of a child. She smiled behind her helmet. There was always a spark of light in the darkness if you looked hard enough. Fred picked up his pace, eager to distance himself. Kelly wanted to continue their conversation, maintain the delusion of normalcy. But this was neither the time nor place.
"Sandra." Kelly warned, before they entered into a small office that branched off the main atrium. Master Chief waited until both teams were situated before he began.
"The mission has changed. There have been multiple reports of an Insurrectionist command center further within the city. We are to infiltrate the camp and remove the commander. Questions?" He transferred the schematics of the camp to the other seven Spartans.
"Civilians?" Fred questioned.
"It's a dead zone." Sandra thought she heard the word theoretically attached to that statement but she couldn't be sure, and she wasn't about to question it. Though she did have a question of her own.
"Not to beat a dead horse here, but why us? I doubt we're the first team going in there if the intel is this good." It was beginning to feel like Teash all over again.
"Fireteam Tiger was dropped in four hours ago." But they never reported in Sandra finished. She gave the legend a quick nod and left, followed out by the rest of Oasis. Linda cast a distracted glace at the open door before voicing herself.
"She's still a civilian, Chief."
"She's smart. She would figure it out eventually." Fred shot back, mildly impressed at Blue 5's abilities of deduction.
"Kelly?" She looked at the Chief, who had his palms up and gave her a slight shrug, an indication that he would like her opinion.
"As a civilian, she should not be privy to classified material of any nature."
"But?" Linda interjected, placing a hand on her hip, a clear sign that she was annoyed.
"I wouldn't stop her if she stumbled upon it." Kelly finished, proving that she was still on the blonde's side. Linda dropped her hand with an almost imperceptible huff and stormed off as angrily as her stoic upbringing would let her.
Fred shook his head good naturedly, following the peeved sniper outside, the other two heroes trailing silently behind him. Kelly took her leave, marching up behind her purple armored pup. Sandra glanced across the atrium, her green eyes catching the focused movements of Blue Team's resident sniper. Sandra could feel the redhead's glare bore into her skull as they locked eyes. Suppressing a spike of fear, she shot Linda a quick gesture. It had the desired effect. Linda stiffened, anger and annoyance projecting themselves in her jerky movements. Shooting Blue 5 a quick hand gesture of her own, Linda left the dusty building, eager to be rid of the infuriating blonde, at least for the moment.
"Why do you do that?" Kelly asked, exasperated, once they established a private channel.
"Because it's fun? Seriously, she needs to get laid."
"Linda is a Spartan." Kelly responded flatly, intending to end the conversation there. But when have things ever gone her way when dealing with Sandra?
"True. But she's also a woman. A woman with more than thirty years of pent up sexual frustration. That would make anyone go insane!" And just like that, Kelly was drawn right back in the conversation. The things I do for this woman…
"Do you remember how difficult it was to get me to open up?" Sandra nodded, examining the bolt of her battle rifle with great interest. "Not only are her implants functioning correctly, but she was always more reserved than everyone else, minus the Chief. I don't think trying to get her to 'loosen up' will end well. You're just pissing her off." Sandra nodded solemnly. It was not often that she was this quiet. Kelly waited patiently, busying herself with Oathsworn, keeping the channel open if her pup wished to add anything.
"I wonder…" Sandra spoke quietly. Kelly bumped her arm in an effort to get her to continue. Whatever it was it must be serious if her ever-rambunctious lover kept quiet for this long. Sandra looked at her polarized faceplate for a few terse seconds, lowering her gaze to the ground once more. Kelly glanced around quickly for anyone that could eavesdrop on their conversation. No one hardly even noticed the two Spartans sitting together with all the commotion surrounding the atrium. Giving Sandra's hand a reassuring squeeze, she leaned in until their shoulders were nearly touching.
"Take your time, little pup. We don't leave till dark." Sandra sat up straight, emboldened by her lover's words.
"I wonder…if she prefers the Sapphic Shuffle or the Penile Polka?" Kelly stared, dumbfounded. Sandra had spent the last ten minutes pondering this question?! Their visors met and Kelly could see her lover shake with silent laughter. Her fists curled fiercely around her shotgun in a conscious effort to prevent choking the love of her life.
"Why the bloody hell do I know you?" She deadpanned, before severing the private channel, leaving the younger Spartan to laugh herself silly. Love was never an easy emotion to understand, always moving, always changing. It took just as much as it gave, wrenching the heart back and forth at its whim. Today, love had strengthened her sense of humor, quietly snickering as she joined the others outside.
November 25, 2561
Unknown Location
1130 hours
The URF cell leader scrutinized the video file before him, tapping away the ashes of an expensive cigar into a crystal ashtray beside him. His cold eyes tracked every detail, memorizing them, storing them away for future use. Taking another draw from his cigar, careful to keep any ash away from his immaculate suit, he watched as the Spartans of Blue Team and Fireteam Oasis cleared out what his agents had deemed a 'temporary internment camp'. He wasn't all that surprised of their existence, nor was he unaware of their reputation for cruelty and abuse. Camps such as these had emerged during the Human-Covenant War, and while the ones back then were much milder in their treatment, the premise had not changed.
Simple-minded, arrogant fools. Once they have a taste of power, they always crave more. Their want for more is often short lived and rarely ends peacefully. But I suppose such simpletons have their uses. They allow those with real power, true control, to assess their enemy's strengths and weakness. What makes them thrive, what makes them fall. The children of the UNSC would die, him most of all. A wickedly gleeful grin spread across his face as he pressed a button on his desk. I know just the person.
"Kathy, could you bring me a whisky on the rocks? The 2550 Highstream, if you please."
"Of course, sir. Anything else?" Was her airy response. Thank god for secretaries. Money may make the world go round, but nothing would get done without them.
"Yes. Could you pass a message along to Major Reilcat, it's time to move our plan ahead. The usual method should suffice."
"Of course. I will be but a moment." The line went dead. A few moments later the black oak doors opened, admitting a young beauty into the room. She met him behind his desk in a few short strides, and held out the expensive drink for him to take. He raised the crystal to his lips and took a long swallow, enjoying its smoothness.
"The security forces you requested are downstairs in the lobby." She chimed, earning an understanding nod from her boss. His computer chirped, pulling his attention away from his secretary. With a wave of his hand he dismissed her.
"I will be down in a few moments." If she gave a response he didn't catch it, as he accepted the encrypted call. "Were moving up our timetable. Everything is ready." His statement was met with grumbled cursing.
"Don't worry, you'll still get your chance. Imber lacked the desired effect. We have to try a different approach. We hit them when their guard is down. If that plan fails, we will draw them out into the open."
"How?" Alex questioned. He knew to keep his responses short to protect their plans.
"Don't worry about it Alex, at least for now. I know that is not the response you want, but I still need to correct a few last-minute mistakes. Until then, the plan stands as-is. Keep clipping those eagle wings and when you think the time is right, knock the nest out of the tree."
"And if the nest is still there after I throw some rocks at it?" Wilhelm could hear the agitation in his friend's voice. It pained him to admit it, but he had to keep some secrets from him, if only to preserve the integrity of his operation.
"Then we go with plan C: draw them out." Wilhelm released a tired sigh. The day's events were really starting to wear him down. "I will have Kathy pass on the necessary info. I must go to a meeting. Good luck, brother."
"Good luck to you as well. Some of those politicians can be worse than an Elite." A smile leaked into his chuckle as he cut the connection. Over the past few years the two of them had spent months planning this operation. Though initially wary of one another, they soon became fast friends. There was no one he trusted more. Gulping down the last of his whiskey, he locked down his office and boarded the elevator at the end of the hall. The pieces were falling into place. Now all he had to do was wait.
November 25, 2561
UNSC Infinity, S-deck
2200 hours
The raid deep within the heart of New Bristol was successful. Although the level of its 'successfulness' depended on who you asked. Fireteam Tiger's information was not as clear cut as Blue Team first thought. Although it housed a command center of sorts, its main priority was controlling civilians. "It's a damn internment camp." Tiffany had told the others. So they adjusted their mission parameters. Then they found Fireteam Tiger. What remained of them, anyway. They had been used for target practice and left to die from their injuries. Slurs and curses had been sprayed onto their armor, an artistic rendition of the hate and anger the UNSC seemed to create in the wake of colonization. The treatment of their fellow Spartans left them bitter and angry as they awaited reinforcements. That was two days ago.
Sandra shook her head angrily, her ponytail whipping around like a golden hurricane. They murdered Tiger. Her nails dug pointedly into her palms as she repeated the phrase over and over. Those bastards! Sandra pummeled the bag before her without a thought, anger clouding her mind. These three years had given her freedom to express her emotions in whatever way she wanted. Such freedoms rarely came without a price. Sandra had become complacent, allowing her emotions to lead her. Trying to fit back into the emotional mold of the military was not an easy task. She had allowed her emotions to get the better of her on Imber and it put her team in danger.
"You hit like a girl." Sandra smothered a growl as she turned to face the newest annoyance of the day.
"What do you want?" She snapped. She was having a hard time as it was, that she had knowingly placed her team in danger. Sandra was in no mood to deal with Tiffany's bullshit on top of it all.
The woman gave an airy laugh. "Just stopped by to let you know that Oasis is back to a three-man team. You know, like it was before you shoved your nose where it doesn't belong. Without you." Sandra met her smug smile and pointed hazel eyes. Tiffany was probing for a reaction, but Sandra wasn't about to give her the satisfaction.
"Makes sense." She answered noncommittally. She completely missed the surprised look cross the raven-haired Spartan, instead taking a swig of water and wiping the sweat off her face with a small towel. Tossing the damp towel over her shoulder, Sandra was met by an angry glare. Frowning, she raised a blonde brown in question.
"Don't even think about trying to get all cozy with Bretts. He's mine." Oh. That's where all that extra hostility came from.
"What you do with that swamp of yours is none of my business."
"Swamp?!" Tiffany shrieked. Her face blossomed red as Sandra donned a smug grin of her own. Pointing a shaking slender finger at the blonde, she spoke through clenched teeth. "Like you would even know what to do with one. And even if you did, they would have to be mentally inept or just blind to not run away screaming at the sight of you." Sandra shook her head sadly at the childish insults they were throwing back and forth. She was tired, ached all over and was in a generally bad mood.
"Oh, go choke on a big, fat koi." She snarled, pushing past the fuming Spartan, intending on collecting her things and taking a nice warm, if brief, shower.
Kelly rolled her eyes as Sandra wearily batted her hands away once again. She had entered her room not a half hour ago to find the blonde sprawled out across her bed, one arm across her face, a trail of drool pooling on the pillow below. She's adorable. Like a little puppy.
"Get up Sandra. You need a shower."
"Noooo." She whined. Kelly released a huff of air through her nose. For being a Spartan, the blonde could sure act like a child. Obviously, acting like a responsible adult was getting her nowhere. She needed a different approach. It was unbecoming of a soldier, especially a Spartan, and she would be utterly humiliated if any of her siblings caught her like this, but it was Sandra. She loved the woman with all her heart, but her juvenile behavior called for a less…tactical approach.
"Do you want a kiss, little pup?" She asked softly. Crawling on the bed was humiliating, and she was terrified that Linda, or worse, Fred would enter her room. He would tease her to no end. But the thought of removing the blonde from her clean bed spurred her on. Green eyes met her own, tired but filled with boundless energy. The smirk on Sandra's face made Kelly question her decision.
"Don't fight a war you can't hope to win." Swallowing thickly, Kelly soldiered on. She was a Spartan after all. Winning was in her bones. Sapphires flashing in determination, she straddled her lover. Leaning in close, she nuzzled the crook of Sandra's neck, eliciting a soft, joyful sigh.
"I'm going to get you out of my bed, don't worry about that." Sandra tapped her chin for a few seconds, contemplating.
"No. I don't think so." Sandra replied smartly. Her smirk was quickly lost as Kelly nibbled her earlobe, ignoring the fact that her face was heating up. "If you wanted me in your bed all you had to do was ask, bunny. I would have hopped right in." Sandra said between breaths, her puns only irritating the veteran. Focus, Kelly. Don't let her get to you. Shower, remember? Nodding to herself, she drew herself back, to find Sandra had her hands behind her head, humming a silent tune to herself. Sandra was ignoring her. On purpose! Why you! Grinding her teeth in frustration, she pondered a way to pull her emerald-eyed lover back in.
Then it came to her. It was terrible, horrible even. But if Sandra actually took a shower, all the humiliation would be worth it.
"Roland?" She called.
"Just an empty room, Petty Officer. ONI can try, but they won't find anything. Aura is running interference. She's is scarily good at it. Though Cortana would have something to say about it."
"Thank you, Roland." Out of the corner of her eye she could see Sandra trying not to look interested. But her eyes betrayed her. I'll give you something to look at! Pulling off her shirt and tossing it on the floor, she stood up, letting her hair free from its bindings. "I am going to take a shower. A nice, warm shower. Since you are a civilian, you are not allotted any water time of your own." She removed her pants next, the lightweight material sliding gently over her smooth toned legs. Clad in just her underwear, she continued her deliberate, slow pace to the cozy bathroom. Strangely, the flair of her hips as she walked came almost as naturally as pull the trigger. "It would be a shame to deprive you of proper hygiene. But I am only taking one." She stepped through the open door, removing the last of her upper coverings. Looking over her shoulder, she gave Sandra the slyest smirk she could manage, relishing in the fact that the green pools of her lover were alive with desire, licking her lips in anticipation. Mission accomplished, she thought to herself, turning on the stream of water.
Bending over, she removed the last of her clothing. Kelly's face took on a new shade of red as she turned around, pushing her chest together with her arms, twisting nervously. Batting her eyelids bashfully, she spoke with as much confidence as she could manage with the monsoon of butterflies swirling in her stomach. If Sandra ever told anyone what she did, well…it wouldn't end well for her blonde. Biting her lip, she gazed deeply into the forests before her. "I'm cold. Can you warm me up?"
Stepping back, the closed door muffled the sound of rustling fabric as Sandra struggled to free herself. The curse that followed when she fell off the bed was not. Smiling to herself, Kelly entered the warm water, waiting for her second half to join in the festivities. She didn't have to wait long.
Come Back Next Time!
School was taking up a lot of my time, that is why it took me so long to get this chapter out. That and I was planning out this story (at least the major events) and outlining this story has been a task all on its own. Sorry if it seems rushed. I know it was not my best work and I struggled through the entire thing. I hope the next one will be a better read for you all. Don't forget to favorite, follow and review!
