Hopefully this is going to post properly. It was giving me an issue when I tried earlier today. If not, well, none of you will be seeing this anyway. Also, sorry for the delay. Again. I'm really getting bad about that now, huh? I'll try to have the next one up on time. In the meanwhile please enjoy this chapter and tell me what you think of it.

For the most part, the council stays away from personal questions. They don't pry into our day to day activities since the attacks or how our family works together. They begin by asking what I knew about the control chips before we were all implanted, and I relay the same lie mom told us all. They then ask what I remember of my time under her control, which is both very little and far too much. Next I am asked to recount the moment my mind was once again under my own control, and how I reacted. I tell of my attempts to break Gold of his own chip's control before finally abandoning him to find the rest of my team.

I describe the setting when I got back to our old base and found the rest of my siblings, and I explain our decision to run afterward. I tell them of how we first formed our plan to catch Dr. Han, and when we first decided we needed to find the AI Epsilon. The next few months after that decision, which include finding the sim-troopers and eventually catching mom, are all wrapped up in a few small sentences. I have a moment to enjoy the irony of how quickly my life can be explained with words while the council decides if they have any more questions.

They whisper amongst themselves for a moment before voicing a request, which Tucker quickly translates. "Tell us about your brother, Gold," he says.

I glance from him to the council. I've already told them his role in everything, and how he was being controlled the whole time. I'm not sure what else they need to know. "What about him?" I ask, trying to not sound as wary as I feel.

"Do you consider him honorable?"

"Yes," I say instantly. "Gold is one of the best people I know. He was my partner for years. He cares about his family before anything else, but he also cares about doing the right thing. He wouldn't have done any of this if it was his choice."

One of the higher ranked Sangheili holds up a holo-pad with some documents on it, though I can't tell what they say from here. He speaks as he does this, though I simply wait for Tucker's translation.

"He says one of their scientists has been looking at the broken control chip you gave them," Tucker says slowly. I glance his way and see that he looks unhappy with what he's hearing. "They determined it works by… changing one belief someone has, then allowing them to choose their next actions for themselves. So they think Gold was forced to hate all Covenant, then he chose to kill them."

"No," I snap. "That's not how it works. When that thing's in your head… it's like everything it tells you makes sense. You know it's not right in some part of your mind, but you can't control it. It makes you think whatever Dr. Han says is the right decision, and you do it without questioning."

Tucker relays the message back. "I don't think they believe you, Silver," he says eventually. "They think Gold and Boron must have been in control of themselves in at least some small way, since they followed Dr. Han for so long."

"They're wrong," I insist. "My brother is a good person," I continue, looking up at the council pleadingly. "He hates what he was forced to do. He never wanted to hurt anyone. All he wants now is the chance at a normal life."

There's a brief moment where the council whisper amongst themselves, and all I can do is hope that they believe me. Then the Unggoy representative addresses me.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Tucker translates. "We'll inform you of our decision after we've taken the time to talk to the rest of your family."

I stand and leave with their dismissal, Tucker instructing me to send Nick in next. I frown and nod. I can't be sure, but it didn't sound like they trusted my opinion on Gold. Maybe they'll change their mind when they talk to him. I hope they do. I don't want to lose this chance at freedom that my family is so close to, but I know I would throw it all away in an instant to protect Gold.

I wait as each of my brothers and sisters here in the Covenant base speak to the council one by one. Most report having answered similar questions to what I did, though I notice none of them mention Gold. I'm worried about this. If they decide not all of us are innocent, I know there will be little chance of us escaping.

Finally, they call Gold in to talk, having apparently saved him for last. I shoot him an encouraging look as he walks past. I haven't been allowed to talk to anyone who hasn't been questioned yet, so I can't warn him of the council's suspicion.

I find myself pacing with my hands held nervously behind my back while waiting. The others are waiting in a room they provided for us, which I took a long time convincing Yttri wasn't a cell, but I don't want to go there yet. I want to be here the moment the council has finished with Gold.

After the first few minutes Wash arrives.

"Nick said you're worried about something," he says, clearly concerned.

"They think Gold might be guilty," I say in a low voice, hoping to keep the conversation private.

Wash picks up on my desire for privacy and steps closer, ducking his head to be nearer my face. "What if they decide he is?"

"We can't stay on the run forever," I say, "but I know they'll want to execute Gold, and I won't let that happen. If they try to arrest him, we'll have to run and hope for the best."

"I don't think it'll come to that," he says with fake confidence.

"Maybe," I hum, glancing at the door my brother disappeared into. I sigh after a moment, hating that I can't do anything about whatever will happen until it does happen. "How's Rho?" I ask, trying to distract myself.

"Fine," Wash says, still looking slightly uncomfortable at the thought of having an AI in his head. "She's restless, though. I don't think she likes having to stay quiet."

"No, she does not," I agree with a smile. She's often times voiced her displeasure of having to stay silent during missions.

"She's been helpful when she can, though," he continues thoughtfully. "I'd certainly be lost more often if it weren't for her."

"She is an exceptional navigator," I say teasingly, knowing she can hear me.

Wash seems to stare at a point just over my shoulder for a moment before finally cracking a smile. "She wants you to know she finds that insulting and that she has many more uses besides simple navigation." I smile, imagining her matching my own joking tone like she always does. Wash's eyes unfocus again before he speaks. "She has a question," he informs me.

"What about?" I ask, glancing around. It's already dangerous for us to talk too much about the hidden AI. If she's caught, she'll be taken and turned over to the UNSC, where she'll most likely be deleted. Still, I know Rho is aware of the danger, so if she's still trying to ask something it must be important.

"She wants to know what will happen to her once this is over," Washington relays.

"In what way?"

Wash sighs, getting ready to hold a long conversation on her behalf. "She knows you all want to settle down on a colony somewhere when this is all sorted out. If you keep her, there's no way you can carry her around and use her without people noticing. She thinks you'll have to put her in storage or something, and she doesn't want that."

A sympathetic look crosses my face. The same thought has occurred to me in the past, and I've yet to think of a solution. "Maybe we'll get one of those automated houses," I suggest. "You could help run it."

"She'd go crazy from boredom," he says for her, and the answer's so fast I wonder if he even waited for her opinion. "She was designed for combat, not housekeeping."

"I don't know," I finally say. "There's no good answer to this. I can't keep the whole family out in space running around on adventures, especially not with all the kids, but I can't see a way for you to fit into a domestic life." I wait for her to relay a message through Wash, but he stays silent. "We'll think of something," I promise. "I'll find somewhere you belong where you'll be safe. Don't worry."

There's a long pause, during which Wash tilts his head to the side as though he's listening. "She says," he finally starts slowly. "She wants you to remember that things don't always work out perfectly, and you might need to be willing to let her go."

"I won't let anyone take you," I say with conviction.

"But you don't have to be the one to keep her," Wash counters. "You said you want to let your family choose their own lives. All of them might not want to settle down." Wash looks me in the eyes then, and somehow I can tell that the next words come from him, not the AI. "I know you want to keep your family together, including Rho, but that might not be the best thing. Some of them are grown up, and others might not be ready for the transition from your project to the civilian world. You'll have to let them choose what's best for themselves."

I'm about to say something when the door behind me slides open. Gold steps out, followed by Tucker and Junior.

"They say they'll have an answer soon," the teal clad man says. "For now they want you to go back to your family's room."

"How do you think it went?" I ask, though Tucker simply shrugs before walking the other direction. I wonder for a moment where he's going, though I suppose it isn't my business. He and Junior have been trying to spend as much time as possible together since we arrived, and I assume this is just another one of those instances. They'll be back when we need them.

"Those guys don't like me," Gold comments when we're half way to the room.

"It'll work out," I say, hoping to sound reassuring as I wrap an arm around his shoulders. He leans into the simple embrace, which I'm sure looks comical with the height difference between us.

"They asked a lot about Boron," he says quietly. I doubt Wash even heard from his place a few feet ahead of us. "I wish I could have seen him again, without mom controlling us. It's been more than a year since we last talked as ourselves."

I squeeze him tighter, not knowing what else to say. He's still processing what's happened. I know he should have time and space to deal with this, but that's a luxury we don't have. I hope waiting until all this is over won't cause him any more pain than it already has.

I just want the family I have left to stay whole.