Chapter 13 R&R and Enjoy

Daybreak

September 18, 2554

05:30 Hours, Earth Time

Ship: AESIR's Headquarters

Former Nova team Tech Specialist Catherine Armin

Status: Unknown

Location: New Mombasa, Southern Kenya

[Play Under Cover of Night: Halo on You Tube]

Armin looked up at the dreary night sky with contempt from the peak of AESIR's New Mombasa Headquarters. The sight of glistening stars broken apart and hidden by the sight of incoming clouds, combat smoke and the newly arrived covenant carrier hovering overhead that seemed to split the sky in two. She gulped, the taste of fresh gunpowder and ash present. She looked around at the city beneath her feet, the sparks of muzzle flashes and the sound of distant gunfire permeated throughout. The city felt gray and without mercy just as did so many years ago. Armin stood gazing at the sky above, dressed in all black armor with the occasional red similar to the armor she once wore as a trooper, but different. As different as she was from her former self. The helmet and shoulder pads of her armor were completely missing, instead beside her feet lay a Mjolnir Powered Assault Armor/R variant helmet (Recon helmet) and on her left forearm rested a datapad of some kind.

"Fucking A." she said in an irritated tone, "I'm running out of time aren't I."

"Ma'am." She heard a voice call out to her. She turned allowing him to see the irritation in her eyes.

"What the hell is it now?" she shouted

"Ma'am the boss needs to see you." the man said concisely, "The situation has changed."

"No shit." Armin said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Wonder what the boss lady's thinkin'. Guess there's only one way to to found out."

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As Armin entered the large room a cold breeze washed over her causing a chill to go down her spine, She quickly shook it off and smiled, She had grown to enjoy the company of those who could make her feel like this. The walls of the room were oval in shaped, and the lighting was so thorough it seemed as if a shadow could not exist within it. Although there were many scientists that dotted the room only one had an aura that was both sophisticated and frightening. Her work-space was at the center of the far wall. Her back was to Armin a shiny computer screen stretched out before her as she immersed herself in her work. At her side was a large Elite wearing the red and violet tattered armor with a small compact helm similar to those used by the heretics.

"You wanted to see me Lady Sergei?" Armin turned to the Elite and grinned. "Well well well, if it isn't the king of the split chin freaks. Taking orders from humans, how the mighty have fallen."

"My people are as mighty as the day we set foot on this decrepit world of yours." the Elite commander spoke. "But, if you're in need of evidence I'll consider it a personal pleasure to wipe your existence from the face of the galaxy."

Armin laughed, "Always the charmer aren't you?"

"Silence vermin!" the Elite yelled, "Before I.." was all he had time to say before Armin forced the barrel of her M7 SMG into his mouth.

"Vermin huh? Ya know." she grinned, "I always thought that Sangheili males looked so much more attractive with a couple of holes in their skulls. I'd be more than happy to help you get a couple of your own if you'd like."

"That's enough you two." the woman spoke while turning to them in a tone that was both stern and seductive, "If your gonna flirt, do so on your own time." She had long rough blonde hair, snow white skin and an aura that radiated maturity. She had lifeless pearl blue eyes one could only acquire after seeing the horrors of war, and a sharp scar carved into the left side of her face separated, into two by her left eye.

"What can I say?" Armin grinned holstering her SMG, "I just can't seem to keep my hands off of him."

The Elite Commander growled, "The moment our business here comes to a close, I'll grind your bones to dust human."

"Careful now." Armin smiled, "Boss lady already warned us about fraternizing in the workplace." The Elite let out a small roar before taking his leave. "Fun guy."

"Why have you taken it upon yourself to make our dealing with the Sangheili all the more difficult?" the scientist asked passively.

"It just so happens that I'm not to fond of pirates or aliens. He just so happened to hit the double whammy is all." Armin shrugged.

"As long as your squabbles don't interfere with your work for the company I couldn't care less." Lady Sergei says nonchalantly as she placed a fresh cigarette in her mouth. "If both of you end up dead in a ditch somewhere I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep."

[Play Halo Wars OST Bad Day Here on You Tube]

"That's a pretty specific example." Armin exclaims, "Any truth to it."

"Wouldn't you like to know." Lady Sergei smiled, "Regardless, the data recovery is currently at fifty-eight percent and progressing nicely and the Elites have managed to keep the UNSC off our doorstep for the time being. All that leaves is you. We've been here for months and yet you still haven't acquired the one thing we hired you to get. If we had it data recovery would have been completed weeks ago."

"What do you want me to do?" Armin shrugged, "I mean you;re asking me to find a fragment of the Superintendent AI that was more or less completely wiped out years ago."

"I didn't ask for excuses." Lady Sergei declared, "I'm demanding results... or else."

Armin eyes sharpened,"Was that a threat?"

"No!" the head scientist clarified in the same nonchalant tone, "It was a warning, your only warning."

Armin could fell the same chill run down her spine as she responds with decisiveness in her voice, "You sure know how to add fuel to the fire don't you boss. I'll take care of it." She makes her way towards the exit, "Count on it." she says under her breath, although she was not entirely sure who it was she was trying to convince.

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She exits the building with helmet and weapon dawned and a sense of uncertainty in her gut. She looks up at the carrier overhead only to see something rather unexpected, under the cover of night, hidden by the bright lights and dramatic entrance of the pirate commandeered covenant carrier were four ODST-issued SOEIV (better known as drop pods) hurtling towards the surface. The untrained eye would have thought them nothing but falling debris pushed out of the Earth's orbit by the Covenant carrier, but Armin knew better. She smiled to herself as nostalgia took hold, a ray of sunlight from the new day founds its way into her eyes, encroaching on the night's embrace.

Author Notes: Special thanks to Aurum-Animi and 1 for helping me get this chapter out in a timely fashion and at a quality that makes it seem like I actually know what I am doing XD. Hope Everyone enjoyed reading it and I'd appreciate any feedback to help me produce a story worth telling.