Chapter 5
Unknown Labs and Facility
'Takimee was bandaged up and rested for awhile, but awoke to go to Sven and Shinji's congratulatory meeting with the others. He was escorted by a short alien creature, known as a Grunt, to the room. The Grunt wore orange armor, a large tank on his back that contained methane, which he and his kind breathed and were required to wear the gas masks on Earth, otherwise they would die. Though they were often cowards alone on the battlefield, Grunts still had numbers, which they used against the Abaters. Plus they were very gentle and kind creatures outside of the battle, and very loved by people they met.
"Here you are sir." The Grunt, named Hular, said. 'Takimee nodded his respects and proceeded into the room. Victoria, Dr. Winchester and others were present in there. Sven still wore his armor, for he seemed naked without wearing it now, where Shinji was out of his Eva armor. Princess Susan was still there, as she was safer with them than she was than with her parents, who were still in London-02, heavily guarded however. Fred stood with his arms crossed and his sunglasses on, smiling for Sven and Shinji, not many of even the best in the US military could fight off a Slicer 'n Dicer, let alone multiple ones. The Elite continued to look about, most of those present he didn't even know, or ever saw for that matter. Hular waddled up beside 'Takimee, eyes wide at the Spartan and Eva.
"Who are they?" He asked in his high-pitched, squeeky voice. 'Takimee looked down on the Grunt.
"Aren't you supposed to be on duty?" He asked, not to sound rude or anything. Hular looked up at the spec ops commander.
"Nope." He said joyfully. "Kekily took my spot today." The blue-skinned little guy looked back to the two soldiers. "Who are they again?" He repeated. 'Takimee held his head up slightly higher.
"They are our best bet for all of us, the Master Chief and Eva Unit 01." He said.
"Are there others?" Hular asked.
"Yes, actually." Victoria interrupted as she walked over beside 'Takimee. "Almost fifty young men and women have been assigned their rank and armor in the past 24 hours, and they're still awakening." 'Takimee hummed with interest.
"Really? Just how many were 'assigned'?" He asked.
"Well, I can't tell you the exact number, but I'd say about hundred." The dark-haired scientist replied. The Elite, human, and Grunt looked forward aster Dr. Winchester had finished his speech to the two young men, which apparently no one else had really paid much attention to either, however they still clapped at the end of it.
Dr. Winchester walked over to the Spartan and Eva, shaking the hands of both of them, and congratulating them on a job well done.
"You know Sven; you can take your armor off now." He said to the towering Master Chief. Sven, who felt like himself in his armor, and shy and timid outside of it, hesitated, and slowly shook his head.
"I'm quite content with my current state sir." He said. Winchester shrugged.
"Very well then." He turned and let the others get ready to go back to work or talk to the two when he felt Sven's hand grip his shoulder, as gently as the Spartan's armor could allow.
"Um…I-I've been wondering…sir…" He began. Winchester turned, with a humble smile on his face.
"Anything Sven." He replied.
"Can…I see my parents?" He asked. Dr. Winchester's smile faded, as well as everyone else's happiness.
"Oh boy..." 'Takimee muttered as he crossed his arms and looked down at his hooved feet.
"Well, Sven." Winchester started, swallowing the lump in his throat and pushing his glasses up. "That's quite impossible." He said.
"Are they in one of the safety camps? I'll go there if I need to. I just want to see them again." He said. Winchester looked down, wetting his lips nervously, before getting eye contact again. Shinji looked around the room; people were slowly slipping out of the room, to avoid the upcoming moment, both Fred and 'Takimee were looking down, Susan stood staring at Winchester and Sven, wondering what was happening, Victoria was pretending to write something on her clipboard, and Hular stood watching, as innocently as Susan, in question.
"Yes Sven…they fled to the Minneapolis safety camp in Minnesota…apparently you had some other relatives there." Sven smiled happily under his helmet. "But…an Abater raid came through; the shields failed against their attacks…everyone died…" Sven's smile faded, and his arms slowly lowered to his sides.
"Oh…I see…" He said and nodded weakly. "Thank you sir…" Mostly everyone left the awkward, sad moment and returned to work, while people like Victoria, 'Takimee, Fred, Hular, Shinji, and Susan remained. Sven looked back up to the doctor.
"I'm very sorry Sven." Dr. Winchester said softly, patting Sven on the shoulder. Sven nodded, everyone couldn't even begin to fathom the pain he was feeling then. Dr. Winchester looked over at Shinji, seeing how tired he looked, and he couldn't imagine how they must have felt. "How about you and Shinji get some rest. You deserve it." He said, giving Sven another, much more appreciative pat on the arm before he and the others left.
Shinji and Sven walked side-by-side down the halls to their cabins. Thankfully they lived across from each other, which got them to become better friends and comrades. Sven's head was hung, staring blankly at the floor, and Shinji didn't want to become any part of his depression, and he and Sven were never actually given a life to learn and aid each other in emotional difficulties. In an attempt to lighten up the moment, Shinji smiled, Sven was really one of the few he smiled in front of, and looked at his friend.
"Did you see the way the princess was looking at you? I bet you she likes you." He said. Sven turned his emotionless helmet at Shinji, smiling faintly underneath at his friend's attempt to make him happier.
"How was she looking at me? I didn't see anything special." He said, a little lightened up. Shinji shrugged.
"Something about her eyes, how they just couldn't tear themselves from you. Maybe she was just staring at your armor, but you never know." He said, smiling. They stopped at their doors, nodding at each other.
"Try to get some sleep." Sven said.
"Yeah, you too. Sorry about…you know." He said. Sven simply nodded, and opened his door, walked in, then closed it. Sighing, the hurt eighteen year-old pulled his helmet off with a hiss of escaping air, and set it down gently at his desk. His cabin was cramped and dark, only a single lamp sat on his desk lit the room. There was his bed, desk right by it, facing the wall, and a closet. Sven figured that he should take off his armor and sleep in the under armor material. It took almost ten minutes, but eventually he managed to get the armor off, realizing how much easier it was to have extra help.
Slumping onto his bed, Sven stared up at the ceiling, its chalky white paint made the room even duller than it already was. He heard footsteps coming down towards his and Shinji's cabins, and he knew one of them was getting a visit, for their rooms were at the very end of the hall. His green armor sitting in the corner of the room and his helmet staring blankly at him, Sven wanted to be sure that if they were calling on them again, he'd be ready. Instead, he heard Dr. Winchester's voice.
"He's right in there." His voice said, heard even through the thick wooden doors. He waited and listened to the doctor's footsteps slowly fading until he heard nothing, then came a knock on his door. He sat up, surprised it was for him.
"Come in." He said. The door knob twisted slowly, as if the one behind the door was hesitant on coming in. Then it opened even slower, the lovely blonde's head poked in.
"Um…Hello." She said, softly. Sven swung his feet over the bed so that they were planted onto the floor; he still sat on the bed and looked up at Susan.
"Hello Princess, what brings you here?" He asked. Susan didn't walk in or even open the door more, just her head poking out of a hardly-opened door.
"I was just wondering if you were okay…about…you know." She asked calmly, but hesitant on what exactly to say; Sven wondered if it had anything to do with the intimidating MJOLNIR armor he wore. He nodded.
"I'm fine, thank you." He said politely. "Would you like to come in?" He asked, seeing leaving her just standing at the doorway seemed both rude and awkward. Susan seemed surprised, and hesitated, but slowly nodded.
"Thank you." She said, walking in fully, and closing the door. Feeling as though he should be as much of a gentleman as he could be, Sven motioned for the seat at his desk.
"Would you like a seat?" He asked. Susan slowly nodded.
"Yes please." She said. "Thank you." In a lady-like manner, she sat down and clasped her hands on her lap. Susan was wearing a pink dress this time, and her gloves were gone, but she rubbed her arm with her other hand, looking at Sven.
"So…any reason for the visit?" Sven asked, cursing at himself for he felt it seemed rude.
"Well, I just wanted to see if you were okay…since, well, we're kind of going through the same thing right now. Both don't have parents to go to now." Sven smiled, and looked at her. She reminded him of his mother, whose gaze was just as gentle as Susan's.
"Yeah." He said softly. He got a glimpse of a faint smile from her too, her prettiness beginning to blossom.
"Oh. and I wanted to thank you again for helping me get into the..."
"You're welcome." Sven interrupted. "It's what I do now…unwillingly." Susan looked at him again.
"Unwillingly? You mean, you didn't want to do this?" She asked. Sven sighed, and nodded, slinking down and resting his elbows on his knees.
"I was five, in preschool; they kidnapped me and put me into some tube, for thirteen years. I just awoke a few hours ago." Susan brought her hand up, hesitated for a moment, and gently placed her soft hand on Sven's shoulder, to comfort him.
"I'm so sorry. Having your childhood robbed away from you to be some…soldier. And…your parents…" Sven shivered, he hadn't been touched in so long it felt strange. Susan felt as if she had made the situation worse by touching him and shot her hand back. "I'm sorry." She murmured. Sven sat up, staring into her sapphire eyes.
"No, no, that's alright." He asked. The princess paused for a moment, blinked once, then spoke.
"Can I be your friend?" She asked. Sven looked away from his helmet's emotionless visor at her, seeing her facial expression, and knowing she was serious about the question. "I never had friends back home in the mansion." Sven paused, and nodded.
"Sure Princess, we can be friends." He said politely. Susan smiled brightly.
"Thank you, and...call me Susan, please." She said.
"But..." Sven began.
"I've been called Princess all my life Sven, please, I don't want to be treated any differently than any of your friends." she cocked her head to the side. "You do have other friends right? Like Eva-01?" Sven thought for a moment. Shinji, 'Takimee, Victoria, and Dr. Winchester could be called friends, but he still hardly knew them. To avoid complicating the conversation, he nodded.
"Yes, he's my friend." He said, smiling. Susan smiled kindly.
"I'll leave you to get some rest." She stood up and headed toward the door. "Good night." She said.
"Good night." Sven replied. Susan's smile still grew as she opened the door and walked out, closing the door gently after her. Sven pulled his feet under the blankets again and closed his eyes, and it wasn't long before sleep overcame him, with the thoughts of his new 'friends' holding back the sadness in loosing his family...