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However, originial characters belong to me.
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Chapter 17 R&R
Zen stretched as he tied the laces of his boots. Currently there was nothing to do in the Crow's Nest. They had arrived yesterday along with the civilians they had rescued in the city of Zanastra. But particular group of civilians kept popping up in his head. It was N'Kev and Jessica. He was worrying about them since he still hadn't found their parents yet.
The 2 children were in the medical bay because it would have seemed that they harbored more illness than they showed. Apparently, their rescue mission was a little too late. The pirates that siege it had been there for the last 3 days. The civilians were tortured into submission if they didn't follow the orders of the Loyalists. Others were killed.
It was just that yesterday someone managed to get out a radio call that alerted the UNSC about the problem. Zen shuddered at the thought of what N'Kev and Jess went through. Both had bruises and cuts that still bled when the medical checked them. Had a few broken bones here and there; and they were on the brink of starvation. Death was literally right in front of them.
Unluckily though the guys, Z'jo, Zide, Johnson, Thel, Master Chief and a couple of marines and elites failed to take the leader of the loyalist out. The loyalists managed to escape on the ship they brought but not without suffering losses themselves.
Zen winced and grimaced as he looked at the bruise he had on his chest. Along with being nearly dying by a fatal stabbed of an energy sword, being hit by a tree trunk; Zen had now endured being hit by a gravity hammer on the chest; luckily though his armor managed to absorb most of the force exerted by the hammer. He only came out with a bruise on his chest in a pattern of a square.
He just sighed as he covered his chest with a black top and headed out to the hallway. Even though Crow's Nest was a military base it still had facilities that provided entertainment for the soldiers who were stationed there. Especially now that the war was over, almost everyone was there, except for those who had important business and was stationed as guards.
He created himself a headset as he walked down the hallway. It was loaded with his favorite songs and was currently playing 'Ain't No Rest for the Wicked by the Cage the Elephant'. Soon he was bobbing his head and sync with the beats of the music and was singing along while heading for the cafeteria since his was hungry.
CHORUS:
"Oh, there ain't no rest for the wicked,
Money don't grow on trees.
I got bills to pay,
I got mouths to feed,
There ain't nothing in this world for free.
I know I can't slow down,
I can't hold back,
Though you know, I wish I could.
No there ain't no rest for the wicked,
Until we close our eyes for good".
The soldiers that passed him was given him odd looks but he just ignored it. Soon he arrived at the Cafeteria, the headset was now playing: Insomia by Craig David. There he saw the at one table were, Z'jo, Zide, Nira, Thel, Stahn, Johnson and a soldier that was very white like he hadn't seen the sun in ages. He was a muscular man that had well toned body.
Zen took a tray of food and he headed down to their table, singing and bobbing his head.
" Because I can't sleep til you're next to me
No i can't live without you no more
Oh i stay up til you're next to me
Til this house feels like it did before"
The chatter stopped when they heard Zen singing.
"Feels like insomnia ah ah, Feels like insomnia ah ah
Feels like insomnia ah ah, Feels like insomnia ah ah"
He sang this as he sat down. That was when he noticed that they were staring at him, with dumbfounded expressions. Zen removed his headset and placed it at the side. He looked at them and said innocently,
"What???" he asked. They were still staring at him then Thel asked,
"Is this normal for him?" Thel asked the white marine.
"Well no… Zen from what I heard you saying, have you developed insomnia?" His voice was deep and it somewhat reminded Zen of somebody… Then the memories of voices he heard played in his head and then he recognized it.
"No, I have not developed Insomnia, I was singing a song titled Insomnia; and is that you Master Chief?" he asked.
"Well, well, your right Zen, I am the Master Chief but I'm John today. What gave me away?" Zen looked at him and said,
"Your voice." John just nodded.
"Well, anyways." said Zen
"What were you guys talking about before I interrupted with my singing." said Zen raising an eyebrow.
"Well we were discussing on what to do today. Since it's practically our day-off." said Zide.
"Well we decided that we were going to go the Crows' Mall." said Z'jo.
"There's a mall here. In a military base?" asked Zen bewildered.
"Yeah, it was actually closed during the war but now that it's over, business resumed, and you know…" answered Stahn.
* * * *
"Wow." mumbled Zen as he surveyed his surroundings.
They were at the mall, and heck it really looked like a mall. There was no trace of military things here. There were shops and business open, which were accepting customers. Light passed into the mall by the huge skylight at the top.
"Well what are we waiting for?" asked Zen excitedly.
* * * *
"Well that was nice." said Zen as they sat at a table of the restaurant, 'The Amazon'.
"Yeah, this place never changes." said Johnson.
"Hey Johnson, when was this mall built?" asked Stahn.
"It was built the same time this base was built. The Crow's Nest actually served as a trading station back when there was still no war." answered Johnson.
"And now that the war is over, do you think trading between Sangheili and Humans will begin?" asked Nira.
"Its very likely." said Thel.
"But I know one thing that is very likely." said Zide smiling.
"What?" John asked.
"Food's here." said Zide.
The group all ate along with relative chatter. Zen thought it was quite odd to see Sangheili eat; he couldn't stop himself from smiling as he saw the Sangheilis try their best to eat human food. It was very hard for them since they had four jaws, meaning 4 places for the food to spill. Then there he found out also that there were some foods that make Sangheili ill, such as they can't drink orange juice, since their throats will react to the 'acidity' of the drink.
Now that they were now partially done eating, each person started having conversation with one another. Zen was talking to Nira about 'who will win a fight between a Spartan and an unarmed adult Sangheili with military training.'
"Well it's obvious that the Spartan will win, since he is strong." said Zen.
"But how can he be strong, his just a human." replied Nira.
"Don't forget, Spartans have augmentations." said Zen
"But Sangheili soldiers don't rely on augmentations to help them win. They just rely on skill." replied Nira.
"Well yeah, but a Spartan can easily win on a firefight." Nira raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you say that?" she asked.
"Well… They have superior shields-"but Nira cut him off.
"Superior Shields?"
"Yeah, look at John, he hasn't died has he? And he's been a Spartan for a long time."
"Yeah, but he doesn't count he has luck on he's side." snorted Nira.
"What? Luck has nothing to do with this." replied Zen.
"Yes it does. Ask Cortana on the odds stacked against John that he will die." said Nira.
"You do not wanna know about that." said Cortana emerging from a nearby Holo-Panel. Nira looked at Zen smugly.
"Well I'll still say that a Spartan will win in a fight, even if luck was on his side." said Zen crossing his arms on his chest.
"Why is that?" asked Nira raising an eyebrow.
"Well, look at John, he fought hundreds of Covenant not to mention the flood and destroyed Halo and he still hasn't died yet. I doubt that he'll die easily by being attacked by a Sangheili." said Zen
"Yeah, but a Sangheili will win in a fight if he were to use weapons in close combat." replied Nira.
"No, he won't the Spartan can easily blow him away using a shotgun." argued Zen
"No, he can't the shields of the Sangheili can easily take the force of it and will still have enough time take the weapon away from him." replied Nira hotly.
"That's impossible, the shield of a Sangheili isn't that strong." replied Zen hotly.
The two were so deep in their argument that they hadn't noticed that everyone was now staring at them, even Cortana, who was at the Holo-Panel was watching attentively. But Zide on the other hand was watching the two argue with a smile. He was amused at how the 2 defended their opinion quite nicely. He thought of a good comment and then said to them with a smirk,
"Wow, your already having a lover's quarrel I see."
John and Cortana stared at the 2 curiously. Stahn was completely dumbstruck. Johnson was smirking, interested on how this will end. Thel was drinking water at this time and choked as heard this statement. He coughed and after stopping he asked, his tone completely surprised, "What?"
Zen and Nira stopped arguing and all of them stared at each other.
"Wait...you two...like each other?" asked Thel, looking back and forth from Zen to Nira.
'Oh no.' thought Nira. She was hoping that her father wouldn't find out about there relationship. But since they were caught red handed they might as well just say the truth.
"Yes," said Nira honestly
"But...but he's..." Thel trailed off dumbly.
"That doesn't make a difference," Nira said.
"I knew it! I just knew it! You two really are a couple." said Stahn excitedly.
"Yes, Stahn we are a couple; happy now that you're right?" said Zen rolling his eyes. Stahn just nodded.
"...and you expect to live on his planet...or him on ours?" asked Thel after recovering from the shock.
"Well, they could live at Bonn Ridge." said Johnson smirking.
"And where is that?" asked Thel.
"It's on Earth. It's a neighborhood that is actually becoming an immigrant hotspot; meaning many humans and Sangheili live there. It's actually a nice neighborhood, low crime rate, fires etcetera, etcetera." said Johnson.
"What about children?" asked Thel sharply looking back to Nira and Zen.
"Adoption," Zen said. Nira looked at him in surprise, and saw in his eyes that he was serious with her, and she felt amazed for it, that solidified his wanting to be with him; forever. Thel blinked, still staring.
"But your still so young," said Thel in a pleading tone. Nira looked at him with an annoyed look.
"Father I am an adult now, I passed adolescence when I became 15." Thel blinked again, and then at the corner of his eyes he noticed that Zide and Z'jo were snickering. He faced them and said in the most fatherly voice possible,
"And you two knew about this?" the 2 stopped snickering and Zide answered,
"Yeah."
"And you didn't tell me?" inquired Thel further.
"Well, we may have forgotten…" said Z'jo.
"Wow…" whispered Stahn to Johnson's ear.
"This is even better than watching a soap opera." he said smiling.
"Heck yeah." said Johnson's smiling a bit.
"This is the best recreational thing we have ever done, we should do this more often." said John hearing Stahn's comment. Stahn and Johnson smiled at him.
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