Time Setting: A few days prior to the beginning of Halo 2: Cairo Station level.

Chapter 3 Tour

"You're joking right?" asked Zen with a smile on his face.

"No Zen," replied Johnson. The smile was wiped off Zen's face which was replaced by his mouth opening in an 'O'.

"This is not happening; this can't be happening." said Zen to himself.

"Where am I anyway?" asked Zen snapping out of his trance.

"Uh…You're in Cairo Station." answered Stahn, a little bit surprised at the question.

"Cairo-What?" asked Zen.

"Cairo Space Station." answered Stahn calmly.

"Space?!" exasperated Zen; He immediately jump out of bed and approached the nearest window. What he saw confirmed the space thing. There was a vast black space outside. He could faintly see planets at the distance. He started fidgeting around only to be scolded by the Medic.

"Hey watch yourself. That scar on your chest still looked fresh."

"Scar?" then Zen lifted his shirt and sure enough there it was. The scar looked like nothing of a scar. It had this weird odd design to it. It seemed like it was embossed on his skin.

"Where did you get that scar?" asked the alien.

"I obviously don't know do I?" retorted Zen.

"Why, is it important Nira?" asked Johnson.

"Yes, because that is a Forerunner Symbol."

"A what?" Zen asked.

"A Forerunner Symbol is something very important. To have it on your skin, then it must mean you're a Creator." explained Nira.

"Where have you been?" asked the medic surprised he hadn't heard of the word 'Forerunner'.

"Well… I was going to a mall. Then I saw this white orb then the next thing I knew I woke up in a storage room, see these… these…"- couldn't say the word aliens in fear of provoking Nira. But Johnson said to him that they were Sangheili. "Sangheili people and I got scared ok… And I ran and slip and passed out."

"Can you guys please tell me what's going on?" asked Zen sitting again on the bed putting his hand on his face. Everything didn't make any sense. Sergeant Johnson, feeling sorry for the kid, sat next to him and started explaining to him the recent events that had happen. Explaining who the Sangheili are what they were doing at the Cairo Station and what was Halo; along the while Nira introduced herself as Nira 'Evanam.

But as Johnson explained to him almost everything, Zen's mind wavered to the things happening around him. The orb, his scar, it being associated to Creator which was as Nira explained a being which was said that lived among the Forerunner back then and had extraordinary powers. Problem was he did have powers he didn't know how to activate them to begin with. But then it dawned to him that he was in technically another dimension as he deducted. He had read about these things about people having powers, getting teleported to other dimension but mostly in fictional stories. Nothing made sense anymore. His world completely became upside-down.

"And that's It." said Johnson finishing his explanation.

"Um… What do I do now?" asked Zen trying to make his voice even but deep down he already knew the answer. He knew he was in another dimension not like his own. He knew he couldn't survive here, let alone live for a day.

"That depends…" Zen bowed his head looking down on the floor.

"Can you hold a gun?" This question made Zen look at Johnson surprised.

"Uh…"

"Yeah you can you're a Man anyway." interrupted Johnson teasingly.

"So… where do I sign-up?" asked Zen letting out a sigh.

"I'll handle that Sergeant." said Stahn.

"Oh good." said Johnson looking at his watch. "Oh... Gotta run I have a meeting." and then he left the room; leaving Zen with the other 2; the medic going back to the office.

"Ok, Zen lets get you up to speed." said Stahn and with that they left the infirmary followed by Nira.

"Can I ask Zen?" asked Nira from behind Zen.

"Ok go ahead."

"Have you had any training on weapons before?"

"Um… No actually." Stahn chuckled. "Of course he doesn't."

"Well I was just going to ask if he would mind that I taught him how to." Zen was surprised by this but didn't say anything.

"Why would you do that?" asked Stahn.

"No reason." but Stahn noticed her mandibles twitch hiding a smile but he didn't comment.

"Where are we going anyway?" asked Zen.

"Cafeteria." answered Stahn.

"Oh, ok." and a few moments of walking they now arrived at a large sliding doors that slid open revealing a large mess hall.

There were soldiers eating there along with Sangheilis with the company of their same species. The trio relatively ate in silence but Zen couldn't help notice that the people gave curious glances to him. He then realized he was the only one wearing clothes that seemed out of place. Almost everyone was wearing pants and shirts that were mostly dull in color whilst was wearing a blue shirt and jeans. After a few minutes later the 3 of them finished up and headed out. Nira bid the 2 goodbye saying she had to go somewhere.

After a few moments they arrived at a door with a keypad at the side. Stahn pressed the digits and whispered to Zen the code.

"Ok, Zen now that you know the code, this is where you'll be staying. Your personal quarters, obviously I'll be your roommate." Zen couldn't help but smile at Stahn who smiled back.

"I'm just going to do something ok. Top bunk is mine yours is bottom."

"Like I had any other choice." said Zen smirking.

Zen went in the room which vaguely reminded him a college dorm. There was a bed with a top and bottom bunk.

There was a dresser for clothes and a window that showed outer space. Zen approached the bottom bunk and removed his shoes and socks. He didn't know where to put his socks so he just placed it in a neat pile in the corner of the room. He lay in bed thinking of what just happened. A few moments later he got bored and sat upright. Zen, being a creative person, he was a very talented being a good singer and he can play almost any instruments he could lay his hands on. He looked around the room hoping to find a guitar and to his surprise there was one at the corner next to his socks.

'Was that there earlier?' He thought to himself and shrugged.

'Must be, maybe I just didn't notice earlier.'

He stood up and grabbed the guitar. He started choosing a song on his head to play on the guitar. A few moments later he strummed the guitar singing, the lyrics completely memorized, to the song 21 Guns by Green Day.

"Do you know what's worth fighting for?
When it's not worth dying for?
Does it take your breath away
And you feel yourself suffocating?

Does the pain weigh out the pride?
And you look for a place to hide?
Did someone break your heart inside?
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I"

He finished strumming his guitar after the chorus. He didn't notice that someone stepped in the room since he was so absorbed by his singing. He looked to the doorway he saw Stahn standing with a smirk. He was carrying a box which he laid down the side.

"Very nice Zen, you're the first person I saw play a guitar for a long time." he approaching Zen.

"Really, I thought the guitar was yours." replied Zen.

"No. Where did you get it?" asked Stahn getting the guitar admiring it.

"It was here in the room so I thought it was yours."

"Well, let's just keep it here for the time being." he said while putting the guitar at the corner of the room.

"Well anyways, that crate"- he pointed to the box earlier-"is your clothes, and ID." and with that Stahn went to a corner removed his clothes and wore a yellow shirt and knee high shorts. He climbed up the upper bunk and said "Last one up, lights off."

Zen sat up and approached the crate. There was an off white shirt in there and a knee height shorts. He quickly changed and slept on the bed, his body exhausted.