[Disclaimer: All names and information is taken from the game or the book. Makayla, however, is my own creation. Everything else is owned by X-Box, the authors, and Bungie.]
[Rex's Notes: Yes. There is romance now in this fic. It should add to the drama and as requested there'll be action soon. I'm trying to figure out where I'm going with this as I write it. I'm one of those people who believes in the "write first, think and revise later" method.
Some people need to realize this was written before the third Halo book came out! I had written this when Fall of Reach was new. It is also suppose to be an alternative to First Strike.
People also say I wouldn't necessarily be frozen for writing a lemon. --;; That's beside the point. I just don't want to make it go there. Sorry. If you really want me to, I could always somehow write one and e-mail it to you.
I'll admit some of the dialogue last chapter was a bit odd. Sorry. Most of that was written during lunchtime the school year before and ended up a bit odd. The suit disassembly was all spur of the moment after typing up what I had written in my story binder.
I've been rereading Fall of Reach and I found that Spartans could 'virtually see in the dark'. Here's the thing. These findings were after they did the augmentations. The surgery was done before the augmentation. So she can see perfectly in the dark.
I am a bit annoyed by the fact that B.R. Wells pointed out, what had already been stated that UNSC personnel are use to seeing each other nude. I know. It was also explained that Makayla was not use to it because of her solo missions and isolation. That and she never had the luxury of not wearing something under her suit. It's all there in the text. Normally, I don't mind constructive reviews, but I hate (and I don't hate much) when people tell me I'm doing something wrong when it is explained to as why!
Another person pointed out that her hair shouldn't be as long as it is. I have read the book and I do know about their policy. You also have to remember SPARTAN-116 is a solo agent and was often on missions for weeks at a time collecting intelligence and such. It was either pointed out last chapter or will be this chapter that protocol has been a bit different for her. Besides, no one is really supposed to know she even exists. However, I do thank Harlequinny for pointing this out and about there being no bridge on a ship the size of a Pelican. That has been fixed. As for Cortana not putting two and two together with the human and the armor, in the books, it mentioned as smart AI get older, they produce errors. Let's just blame it on that. ;;
Someone else commented on the kissing. They're human and they still have emotions. You can't whack that out of someone no matter how hard you try, and believe me, I've tried.
Also, I am sorry this is late. I was sick for a whole week and between that and school, well, you get the picture.
As always, I appreciate the reviews and I plan to fix any errors. I would list names, but I've taken up a whole bunch of space the way it is, and you probably want a story already!]
Code Name: Shadow Wolf
By Rex Rodentium
Chapter 3:
Mental Health (or 'You Want to What?!')
The Master Chief was grumbling the whole way to the deck, "This had better be important," he barked at the hologram.
"You're out of your suit!"
"What is it you need to talk to me about?"
"It's Makayla."
"What about her?" he asked, looking a bit curious.
"She is emotionally unstable. I am guessing even more so than when these files were recorded."
"Pull them up."
The Spartan skipped down through the file name and other protocols until he found what he was looking for.
SPARTAN-116, now currently twenty-three has been acting oddly. One minute she is smiling and acting like a child, the next she acts like a veteran soldier and is incredibly quiet and cold. I worry that the isolation has caused her to develop manic depression or maybe even bipolar disorder.
Medication is out of the question, unfortunately. I'm unsure of what kind of side affects it might cause. And if I told her that the night vision isn't really in her helmet, but something we engineered in her brain and an experimental surgery with her eyes; she would probably flip out. I hate keeping it from her, but she is too important too our espionage and intelligence gathering plans. I just hope she doesn't have a mental break down, especially out in the field.
John was a bit startled, though he didn't show it, "Experimental eye surgery?"
"I found the report if you want to see it."
"No," he replied apparently a bit angry by the way that his jaw was set.
"Are you going to tell her?" Cortana asked, studying the Spartan's face.
"No. She is best not knowing. Dr. Hasley had a reason for not telling her."
"You seem a bit different," the AI said slowly, eyeing him, "At least ever since Makayla showed up."
The Master Chief shot her his patented glare.
"Fine, fine. It's none of my business. I'll go back to sorting through and compressing the Halo data."
"We should probably start heading back to Earth," he said, before leaving the deck and going back to where Makayla was.
"What was it?" she asked.
"Just new information about Halo."
"All right," Makayla said with a nod, looking nervous.
"I'm sorry about what happened earlier."
"Why are you sorry?"
"Well..." he started, before closing his mouth. 'Why am I sorry?!'
"You were acting human."
The corners of his mouth twitched up slightly, "I think you are right. I just didn't mean to offend you or anything."
Blushing, the woman shook her head, "Actually, it was a pleasant experience."
Twitching up a bit more into what was as close to a smile that the Master Chief would ever wear, he kissed her again. This time, Makayla kissed him back softly, surprising both of them. He pulled away slowly.
The woman's expression turned thoughtful. "Are you sure we should just head back to Earth?"
"What else is there to do?"
"Kick Covenant ass."
The Master Chief stared at her for a moment; "You are still recovering!"
"I am fine,' she replied stubbornly.
"Even if you were," he began, "Just targeting a few ships isn't going to hurt them that much."
"What if we find one of their bases of operations?"
"And how do you expect we do that?"
"I am sure there are other Covenant ships patrolling the area in hopes of finding survivors."
"Are you suggesting we have Cortana hack in and find the location of one of these bases?"
"Or I can," she replied, "That is my job."
John scratched the back of his head a bit, something he wasn't use to doing, "The information from Halo could give us quite an edge over the Covenant if we get it back to Earth."
Thinking on her feet, as every Spartan had been taught to do, she kissed him softly, smiling to herself a bit. When she pulled away, John just shook his head. However, she spotted the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"Fine," he replied, "One ship. If we do not find a base, then we are going to Earth."
"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Makayla squealed and hugged him.
"I am only doing this because you were so persuasive," he replied.
She grinned, "I can be much more persuasive if need be."
He raised an eyebrow, his tone almost playful, "Oh really?"
"Yes. Really."
"I like the sounds of that," he whispered.
"I thought you would. However, work before pleasure."
"Fine," he said, almost sounding disappointed, but he knew it was their duty, and duty came before everything else, "Any suggestions?"
"We get eight hours of sleep and then get suited up. We should probably try to stay undetected if possible."
"You go off to bed. I'll inform Cortana."
"All right," Makayla replied, yawning a bit and heading off to bed. She was still a bit weak from being sick, but after eight hours of sleep, she would be good as new, "Night John."
"Good night, Makayla."
"Let me get this straight," the AI said, putting her hands on her hips, "116 wants to go after a Covenant ship and hack into it to find the location of a base?"
"That's pretty much the whole gist of it."
"We should be heading back to Earth with the Halo information!"
"I know, but..." He scratched the brown stubble of hair on his head, "She is quite persuasive."
"Persuasive?"
"Just try to keep us undetected, all right?"
"Fine," she replied, watching as the Master Chief turned to leave, "He isn't'... No... That's just absurd," she muttered to herself.
Exactly eight hours later, Makayla woke up to find the Master Chief lying next to her. His head was propped up on his hand, which in turn was propped up by his elbow. "Good morning."
"Morning, if you could even call it that," she replied, stretching a bit, "What were you doing?"
"Watching you sleep."
The woman blushed, "For how long?"
"Not very long."
"We should probably get you suited up first."
"What about your armor? Doesn't it need repairs?"
"I'll work on that after you're suited up. Chances are it'll take a bit to find the Covenant. They only pop up when you don't want them," she replied, going to where she had stacked their armor, "The energy shields and the HUD still function properly and that is all I really need. It is just a few other little things that I have problems with."
"Won't you need help getting into your suit?"
"Nope," she replied, "Mine was designed to be easily put on by one person. Well, easier than the normal suits. Less talk, more undressing, but keep your slacks on until I get the cuirass totally on."
"You need to get over seeing someone naked."
"It's not my fault I was trained in isolation. Very little human contact, remember?"
"We need to get you use to seeing others naked, because I am pretty sure they're going to put you with me and some other UNSC personnel and you'll have to get use to it."
"What?" Makayla said, looking horrified, but still kept her back to him.
"It's true and you know it."
"Let's just worry about that later. We need to get you suited up."
He quickly began to undress as the woman checked his equipment over. There didn't seem to be any major glitches or problems with his armor. Looking up, she blushed, seeing the top half of him and noticing it was bare.
"That's a mean trick to pull."
"Who said it was a trick?"
"It seems like one to me."
"It's basically getting use to seeing others naked. I doubt you'd be as uncomfortable if I were a woman."
She fell silent, contemplating his comment, "Well, no. But that's because they don't have something hanging between their legs!"
"Just put the armor on already," he replied, a bit annoyed.
"Fine," she grumbled, placing the greaves on first, keeping her eyes on either the armor of his upper body.
It didn't take long until he was suited up except for his helmet. She glared at him, "Happy now?"
"Not quite."
"What now?" she grunted.
His eyes seemed to smirk as he kissed her softly, holding her gently, knowing that one false move and he could seriously injure her despite the enhancements. Makayla smiled softly, "Is that your way of saying 'thank you?"
"You could say that."
She kissed him back quickly, "That's a 'your welcome' then."
The corners of his mouth twitched up slightly, "Try to fix your suit pretty quick. Just incase."
She smirked and saluted, "Yes, sir!"
Pulling on his helmet, he made his way to the deck. Cortana's form appeared on the black disk, "Now we're suited up again, aren't we?"
"We are looking for a Covenant ship. It would be stupid to finally intercept one and not be in armor," he replied, nonchalantly.
"I see."
Makayla sat working on her armor with a few tools she had that were carried in a built in compartment of her suit. She bit her lip as she turned a screw like item a bit. "Stupid Covenant," she muttered, "Just had to come along and try to eliminate mankind."
It took a good part of two hours before everything seemed to be fixed and up to fighting standards. As she finished putting on her greaves and boots, a familiar voice came over the PA system.
"Covenant ship spotted! Have your suit on and get to the bridge on the double!" the Master Chief's voice said.
"Shit!" she muttered, pulling the rest of her suit on and running to the bridge, "As always, they come when you don't want them."
[I have an interesting question. Should I somehow bring in Linda and others from First Strike? Tell me in your review or you can always e-mail me. I love getting e-mail... Unless you're trying to sell me something. --; You are not getting my $55 for the Limited Edition Halo 2! Forget it! MINE! .'
Anyway, I'm going to say the next chapter will be up in a month. Sorry, but I have reports, papers, and tests to work on. And friends and a boyfriend to hang out with.]