Hello everyone. I hope you all like this next chapter. Again, this chapter was made quite quickly so don't get used to so many updates. Some times it can take days and weeks.

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo, if i did Spartans would never die.

Chapter 3: Sleepy Spartan

I first woke to a beeping noise that I couldn't place. It was a familiar sound but no matter how hard I focused I couldn't remember where I had heard it before and the more I focused on the sound the sleepier I got.

The second time I woke I decided it was time to get up, or I'd be late for school. I let out a loud yawn and tried to stretch, but I found my body unresponsive and kinda numb. Focusing on that numbness left me tired and sleepy.

Before I realised it I woke for the third time and this time I wasn't numb. No, this time it was agony. I leapt up like I was on fire and as soon I hit the cold floor every fiber of my being felt like it was dissolving. I crumpled to my knees and started crying, the pain went on and on.

I felt two hand help me to my feet and lead me to a bed. The hands forced me onto the bed and again I felt everything going numb again. But I forced myself to stay awake. I opened my eyes and found blue eyes staring at me. "Finally awake are we?"

I knew that voice, it was the doctor. What was she doing here? Where was here? What happened to me? All these questions were whirling through my dazed and sluggish mind. With everything that happened to me I couldn't speak properly once again, "What?"

"I take it you want to know what has happened to you, I'm sorry I never got the chance to explain before." She paused and I really hoped she wasn't asking for some sort of cue to continue, I don't think I could have done anything right then. I think she saw that and continued anyway, "The option I offered you, the place I've given you, you are now a soldier, the best we can make you. Well without any training maybe not among the best yet, but we're not finished with you yet."

My brain couldn't function properly, I was supposed to become a soldier. I've never thought about joining any military service, I'd never even considered anything that could lead to combat not even police. Not that I'm a pacifist exactly, but I just don't seek out or desire violence.

"Anyway, when we get you back to Reach, we'll have you run a crash course of unarmed and armed combat. We'll get you up to speed on tactics and basic skills you'll need." Her voice was calming and brought me out of my thoughts, long enough to process what was waiting for me.

"What's happened to me?" It was the only question I wanted answered at that moment, the others could wait but at that moment I needed an explanation to the pain and the numbness.

"Sorry, I forgot to warn you. We have to augment you if you're going to blend in with the others and become a Spartan. We've enhanced everything from you bones to your muscles to your eyes and even your nerves, to a simple mind, think of yourself as a sort of Human 2.0, if it makes it easier to understand. We've had to keep you on morphine since the operation took place yesterday. You were never meant to wake up so soon." Her voice sounded apologetic, guilty even.

"I'm glad to say though that even though you woke early, you have been one of the successful ones. We've lost many Spartans already during these operations, and several aren't expected to make it. They're the lucky ones, several will be left deformed and disabled. More than half won't make it." I could feel her guilt and sorrow as she told me the fate of these Spartans. I felt guilty just sitting there, why did I make it, there were many better people who deserved to be successful.

"I won't lie and say that the operation hasn't changed you. You're in for a small surprise when you look in the mirror. But don't worry I think it suits. Now onto your cover story, your name is Alexa, just Alexa. Your designation will be 016. You've been apart of a special project to try to create the perfect lone wolf operative but after these losses we're changing the project. Your background is all set so when anyone looks into your past they'll find a fully recorded history, like all our other Spartans." Doctor Halsey really had thought of everything, except how to get me home. I felt this option becoming more and more permanent.

I almost cried. Everything was just becoming too much, I was now a soldier with a full background. I was in some part of the galaxy nobody had even known existed where I came from. How was I going to manage, how was I supposed to change so suddenly and expect to remain here? "Don't worry, I'll look into where you came from and how to return you. I'm also here for you if you ever need a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen to you. I swear I'll watch over you. Now get some sleep, doctors orders."

I felt my body just submit to the numbness of the painkillers. And again I was asleep. I woke up again for the fourth time, this time though I felt refreshed and almost nothing hurt anymore. I was about to leap up again but I couldn't move my arms, or my legs. I was stuck to the bed, "Sorry about the restraints but the doctor told me there was a good chance you'd exert yourself after you wake up. It's been almost three weeks since your operation. We placed you in an artificial coma after you woke up early but it lasted longer than necessary. Don't worry though all your friends are in a similar state to you, they might not have been unconscious but they were restricted in an attempt to make them take it easy and they're only just now starting to practise again."

I looked up and I was faced with a woman a little older than myself, she was dressed similarly to the doctor with the white lab coat. She was similar to Halsey but didn't appear as dangerous. She untied my restraints and slowly let me sit up with my feet over the side. She tried making conversation, "You're the last one up, you must be a heavy sleeper."

I appreciated the attempt at making conversation, but how was I supposed to reply, so I ignored her and focused on lowering myself onto my feet. I finally managed to stand with a little help from her. "You're a little short for a Spartan."

All I heard was short, "I'm not short! I'm just vertically challenged." Why was everyone calling me short everywhere I went? Just because she was a few inches taller than me.

"My name's Ellen, Ellen Anders. I'm going to be doing your regular check ups until you're cleared. So I hope we get along well together." I could tell she was enjoying my reaction, and she probably wasn't going to stop bringing up my height.

She made me sit down again while she ran several tests on me always asking if I was feeling any pain. After she finished she gave me some plain casual clothes for working out and led me to my quarters. "Well this is your room, I recommend lots of bed rest and high protein meals, got to make you big and strong. If you want the cafeteria it's that way, and if you want the gym it's down that corridor, and the bathrooms are that way. All the rooms in this corridor are designated for Spartans. Now I have to run, so you'll have to forgive me for not tucking you in and checking the closet for monsters, okay." With that she darted down the hallway.

I was just left outside my room, I was mad at the implication I was a little child, so I headed to the gym to see if there was something to punch. I navigated my way down the hallway in the direction I was told would lead to the gym. When I got there I was shocked at how big it was, and there were so many different apparatus. I just walked over to the punching bag, as soon as I spied it across the room, and punched it with all my pent up frustration at that infuriating doctor. But as soon as I hit it, the bag flew off it's restraints and landed several feet from me.

I could nothing but stare at the bag several feet away. Now I've never been to a gym before or used a punching bag but I was pretty sure that this was not supposed to happen. Before me lay three options, one I could leave, two I could move on and if anyone comes in I'll say it was like that when I got here, three I could try to fix it, but having never come across one before then the chances were slim.

So I chose to move on. I wanted to examine this fluke, there's no way that was me as the bag clearly must not have been set up right, but I was still left with a sort of desire to find out how strong I really am. So I moved over onto to some dumbbells on a rack and selected a light one and picked it up, maybe this was broken too as it really wasn't heavy, so I moved to one of the much heavier ones. This time I could feel it had some weight, but it was still light, so I reached for the heaviest. It wasn't much different.

How did I get like this, I wasn't weak in the first place, but the first one I picked up would have been enough for me. Before I noticed it my grip on the dumbbell failed, I don't know why maybe I was distracted or had sweaty palms, but just before it hit the ground I instinctively snatched it up again. It felt like it was going in slow motion.

I almost dropped it again when I realised how fast I must have done that, unless I claim gravity and time were broken. But after everything that had happened lately I wasn't going to discount it. I looked for a clock to see if I could time myself as I run a lap of the clear section of the room. "Hey, if you want I could time you?"

I looked around the room for the source of the voice until I came to a man who didn't look as fierce as all the other soldiers I'd run into, but definitely gave off a sort of military feel. He wasn't a scientist, or a soldier and he wasn't that strange shouty man I met when I first woke after leaving wherever I came from. I obviously was stuck in my own little word of thought as I analysed this new man who didn't fit into any of the categories I knew of.

"Hey little girl, do you want me to time you or not?" That snapped me out of my thoughts.

"I am not little! What is it with everyone calling me little?" The man took a step back with shock, he wasn't expecting such a strong reaction, then with a small chuckle he showed me his watch.

"I said I could time you if you're thinking about going for a run. I'm about to do a few laps, need to keep fast helps me get where I'm going." I decided that although he called me little, I would tolerate him until I found out how fast I am. So I nodded as he offered to time me.

"Well if we go over here, the length of the hall is just a little longer than a hundred metres in length, slightly shorter widthways. But we'll start here and then when you hit the other wall I'll stop the timer." I was amazed that the gym alone was that big, but if I'm honest I did think it was massive when I first got here, and it is rather full with small exceptions for running and other non equipment based things. "3, 2, 1, go."

With that I shot off, I didn't know how fast I could run now, or how fast I used to be able to run, all I know is that I reached the other side faster than I expected, maybe I blacked out slightly while running.

When I made my way back to him I realised I wasn't out of breath and that he was kinda staring at me. "How are you so quick? You ran it in a little bit over five seconds. I can barely run it in seventeen." I really didn't know if that was good or not until he told me his time. He didn't look unhealthy so he shouldn't have taken so long unless that was more the norm.

"Oh, so I guess the stopwatch is broken then?" Maybe there was another explanation to all of this, he just shook his head and put his watch back on his wrist.

"Okay, race me then. I know how fast I am, we'll compare you to me." He had a large grin on his face; maybe he thought he was going to beat me. But I wasn't going to loose to a man who called me little.

"3, 2, 1, go." We printed for the other side of the room again, I passed him ease and made it to the other wall and turned to see him still running my way. He seemed to be moving in slow motion. As he made it to the wall heavily out of breath, he wheezed, "How are you so fast?"

"I don't know." It was all I could say, how was I so fast, so strong, why did everything feel like slow motion. I was about to leave the gym and head to my room when I heard him yell at me from across the room.

"Hey, that was fun. If you ever want to do that again, just head to the hanger for pelican bravo-205, I'll be there." I looked back and although he was still out of breath, he was waving goodbye with a smile on his face. I think I made a friend and not a friend for a reason, not because I was their job or I was interesting, but because we got along.

I was almost to my room before my stomach reminded me that I hadn't eaten in days. So with an exhausted sigh I turned around and headed to the lunch hall. As I got there I was surprised again by the size of the room, except this time it was quite full. I realised I'd stopped in the entrance of the room and quickly walked on so as to not attract attention to myself.

I soon realised that there was a line by one side of the room; I guessed it was the line for the food so I joined it. In the line I actually realised I was small. Or at least smaller, some of these people were at least a head taller than me. Not all of them but I don't think there was anyone shorter in the room. Back home I was considered average, but here I felt tiny.

I was almost at the food when a larger than normal man stepped in front of me, skipping the entire queue. I looked around and nobody was doing anything, they were looking any direction but him. Now I never was one to seek out confrontation, but petty things like this really irked me.

"Excuse me, there is a queue for the food, they won't run out by the time you get there." I tried getting his attention, when the woman behind me placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered into my ear.

Her breath was warm and unpleasant in my ear. "Listen, you don't know this man, he's an ODST, and he's not a pleasant person. Everyone in my unit avoids him, even our CO. Don't get in his way."

Well that settled it, if people just let it happen then things would never get better. I poked him in the back this time and spoke up, "Hey, there's a queue, they won't run out of food by the time you get there. So start at the back."

The man just turned around and in the blink of an eye threw a punch. However I saw it coming and caught it, there was little room to dodge, but that worked both ways as I threw my own punch and it caught him square in the chest. I could hear something snap and the man feel to the ground in pain.

After he fell I looked around and all eyes were on us. One man stood up from the masses and walked over and helped the man up and took him out of the room. I would expect it was to get him some help. As soon as the door closed a cheer went up from horde. While I was left shocked by the applause a few of the soldiers came up behind me and lifted me up and carried me to the front of the queue. I was still in shock as I selected my meal and was carried to a table full of equally tough looking soldiers.

As I looked around the table I saw everyone looking back, it was a little intimidating, all I came for was some food and then I wanted to scurry back to my room. But that wasn't to happen.

"So brave for such a little person." The voice sounded familiar as someone sat next to me. But I never thought about the voice, just the words.

"For the last time I'm not little!" My voice was filled with as much rage as I could muster, but all I got was a round of chuckles and the occasional laugh from everyone nearby. I was never going to win was I.

"Alright squad, give the girl a break, she has more balls than the rest of us so maybe you should cut her some slack about her height." The man who carried the giant away from before had returned and was standing behind me. He must have come straight back.

"Yeah but you know that'd be no fun LT. Besides when Matt realises he was beat by this shrimp it'll destroy him." That girl was really starting to annoy me. First she was thinking I was weak and even now was comfortable calling me short. I'm not short.

"Piece of advice Lucy, don't wind up those stronger than you. Might be bad for your health and I don't feel like carrying two people to the infirmary today." I was grateful for the lieutenant's help, but the way he made me sound as if I could beat them all up was a bit unnerving to me. I've never been much stronger than anyone before.

Anyway I was glad when Lucy appeared to concede defeat. "Okay, maybe the girl's earned it this time. So guys think she's mad enough to hang with the helljumpers?" As she shouted this last question a roar went up from the table. "I think that's a yes. You should feel privileged."

After that things settled down a little, but only a little. As I ate I learnt all about them and their particular role on this ship. As mad as they were supposed to be, I felt quite at home among them. I was surprised when nobody really questioned my origins but then again nobody really spoke about much in a personal way.

Before I realised it, hours had passed. According to the clock I'd been here several hours talking with my new friends and I was beginning to get quite tired. So I said my goodbyes and left for my room once again. On the way there I bumped into Anders, who was surprised to see me in that hallway. "How are you doing, are you perhaps lost?"

I didn't know what she meant by that as I knew where I was heading or at least I thought I did, "No, I've just come from the cafeteria and I'm heading to my room. It is this way isn't it?"

She checked her computer pad for a second. "Yes, your assigned room is that direction but your cafeteria is down that corridor." She pointed down another corridor from the one I just came down. "The cafeteria you just came from is the one for all the servicemen. The one I pointed you to had been specially reserved for Spartans, to give you guys some space."

I looked back down the hallway I just came and then shrugged my shoulders, I didn't mind and I didn't need privacy. Despite the short remarks, I liked them and I'd probably head down there again.

"Oh well, I hope you had fun making new friends." Anders smiled at me and continued down the hallway. I watched her go and continued to my room, I felt really tired all of a sudden.

I was beginning to like it here, I'd met all sorts of nice people. I wondered if I'd have as much fun tomorrow.

So how was it? I hope it was okay. If I'm honest I'm a little unhappy with the ending of this chapter, so please tell me what you think.

Review responses:
Koriat Cyredanthem: Thank you for your reviews, they really do help motivate me for another quick update, however I would like to disagree about the augmentations. A normal human would have the same chance of success, but just wouldn't be quite as effective with the results. The original Orion project, or the Spartan I as it was later renamed, used standard people. Although they were fully grown adults, so Alexa may not grow anymore due to the skeletal and muscular enhancements, she should be okay. Puberty wasn't actually accelerated, but it was a risk of those who haven't been through puberty that sudden growth could disable them. An implant was given to regulate hormones and increase growth but that was done at the same time as the other augmentations.

MissFabulous09: Thank you for your review, your review was much appreciated. I would like to say that there are several Halo stories with an original character from our world, but not many. I've only come across about ten of them. I've only come across with one other with a female original character from our world. But if you just mean an original character at all then there are a fair few Halo ones. But I'm glad you like my story so far.

So thank you all for reviews and for reading my story. I'm grateful for all the views and reviews and they really speed up my next chapter.

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