Chapter Two: Roses are Red...
UNSC Infinity War Games Simulator-Map: Ragnarok, September 4, 2559, 6:23pm
Ginger dove behind the Mongoose as the rockets impacted the base, causing the ground to shake.
"Incoming!" A Spartan in orange Gen II Mark VI armor ran out of the base, and and over to a pile of rocks to hide behind. The Spartan's armor bulged around the waist, making it seem as he were over weight...
"Grif! You're supposed to yell that before the rockets hit!" Simmons yelled. Ginger had met his team, and he really wasn't impressed. At least he didn't have Lachlan's team.
"Sir! I suggest we send Grif out on a scouting mission," Sarge said. He was the one that Ginger had apointed second in command, mainly because he was a military man.
"Why should we?" Ginger asked.
"Well, if he dies, then we won't have to listen to him anymore," Sarge told him.
"He'll just respawn know that, right?"
"Wait, really?"
Grif ran back into the base. "You shouldn't have told him that!" Sarge took off after Grif, and a few shotgun blasts echoed in the base.
The words 'Sarge betrayed Grif' flashed on Ginger's HUD. Ginger rolled his eyes. "I hope you guys won't do that. It makes our team lose points."
"But killing Grif should be done. It's like when a mosquito lands on your arm. You kill the parasite. When you see Grif, you kill the parasite," Sarge explained, cocking his shotgun.
"But we have more important things at hand," Ginger said pointing at the Mantis that was advancing on their position. Grif respawned and sloppily jogged into the base. "I'm going to take a nap. If you need me, don't wake me!"
Four sharo cracks echoed in their ears, and the Mantis fell down burning. Simmons tossed aside the empty clip in the Sniper Rifle as he ran over. "Enemy Mantis down, sir."
"Thanks, at least you did something right," Ginger praised. If Sarge seemed slightly offended, he didn't say any thing. "That means we only have two kills to win, right?" Simmons nodded. "Okay, then we move out toward the Binary Rifle, and Sarge, you take point."
"Yes sir!" Sarge saluted, and took off running, with Simmons and Ginger struggling to keep up. Before Ginger could issue another command, Sarge was struck with hard light, falling to the ground as his body disintegrated into orange particles that rose in the air like ashes from a fire.
"And of course, someone beat us to it," Simmons said, right as he was struck as well. Ginger aimed his SAW in his hands, advancing with the utmost caution. He was going to kill who ever this was.
"S'up." Lachlan stepped out into the open, tossing the empty Binary Rifle away. He reached for the shotgun on his back, and walked slowly toward Ginger. "I only need one more win to win the match, and you are it."
Ginger fired the entire remaining thirty shots in his SAW at Lachlan, who raised a Hardlight Shield, blocking the bullets. Next Ginger tried a frag, which Lachlan countered by charging straight at him, firing a single shot when he was close enough. Ginger felt the pain from the shot, and fell to the ground, and died.
"Dammit," Ginger muttered as the Simulation room returned to the normal white that it was, and the Hardlight terrain and weapons and vehicles disintegrated, leaving the giant empty room.
"The winner is Fireteam Violet!" the announcer shouted, apparently overjoyed. Ginger pushed himself up, and headed to his quarters.
"Sir?" Simmons walked over. "Shouldn't we plan a strategy for the next match we're in? You know, so we're prepared?"
"Simmons, go talk it over with the rest of the team," Ginger yawned and strecthed before adding; "And don't let Grif be the lookout in any of plans." Simmons ran off to find Sarge and Grif, while Ginger reached his room and plopped down on his cot, which groaned under the wieght of his armor.
"I'm sorry you lost," Destinee appeared on the terminal in the room. "But there was a strict 'no AI' rule."
"It's okay." Ginger removed his helmet, and dropped it to the floor. "How are the samples?"
"There are holding up, and they should be fine, just like the last thousand times you asked," the teal AI chirped, brushing back a bit of her lime green hair. "Still no word from Eray."
Ginger sighed. He hadn't expected them to find anything, even though they had only been looking for a few hours. His eyes wandered to the wall, where he saw a picture frame. Inside of it was a haiku. He stood up and read it, finding little comfort in it. It was just the ravings of a rampant AI.
"Destinee, get me a pass. I'm going down to Earth to drink the night away."
Seattle, Night Club-Pandora, September 4, 2559, 8:42pm
Ginger was now in his casual clothes, blue jeans and a leather jacket, and walking towards his favorite night club. He and Lasky met there sometimes, just to talk and drink, and try to pick up chicks.
Getting in was easy. All he had to do was flash his Spartan ID tag, and he was in. And he got free drinks, since he was one of the leading figures in the Reclaimation of Earth. The inside of the club was decorated with items salvaged from the fallen Elites and Prometheans, mostly weapons. Behind the bartender were two full operational Light Rifles, crossed on the wall in an X formation. It was illegal to own them by UNSC regulation, but Ginger wasn't about to report them.
Sitting alone at a table in the very back was Lasky, and for the first time in a while, he looked sober.
"Mind if I sit here, sir?" Ginger asked as he approached the table. Despite Lasky was no longer in the UNSC, Ginger still called him 'sir', because he was used to it.
"Go ahead." Ginger sat opposite of Lasky, noting that the former captain had a nearly empty plate of cheese fries in front of him. "What's the news?"
"Nothing much, just the War Games Simulation Tourament. My team got creamed in the first round," Ginger said, as he waved at a group of girls while pointing at his Spartan tags. They giggled and smiled, apparently taking interest. Ah, this Spartan life.
Lasky scoffed at him. "You always seem to get the girls." He stared off into the distance, or in this case the empty plate of cheese fries. Most of the cheese had landed on his shirt. "Both of the ones I liked died."
Well, that was unexpected. Ginger stared up at him. "Sir?"
"I don't want to talk about it right now. Can you leave me alone? I just want to be alone."
"Yes sir," Ginger replied, and stood up to follow the group of girls. His phone vibrated in his pocket. As he pulled it out, he noted that it was Destinee. "What do you want?"
"Nice to see you too. I got a message from Eray. He said that they might have found another Cloning Tower. The one they found is different in design, but it is completely in acessible. Once they get inside, they will let you know." Destinee cut the call, leaving Ginger in a state of suspense.
"I hope it is," Ginger muttered to himself.
Unknown Location, Unknown time-Year-2559
Alone. Abandoned. Forgotten. That was how he felt. It had been a while since he had seen civilization, being stranded on this desolate island. It was tall and plateau like, with a smaller one nearby, and an even smaller one farther out. There were a few scattered trees, and wild birds and other animals were his source of food. He was sick of them.
He looked off the edge of the plateau and down at the ocean. It would be easy to jump and end his life. But with his luck he would survive. He always did.