Chapter 4

The next morning, Jun rapped on my door until i sleepily dragged myself out of bed and opened it, rubbing my eyes comically and yawning.

"Wake up Spartan, you're in the army now, not in some lazy town on Earth!" He chirped with a voice that was too happy for the ungodly hour it was. "Get yourself suited up and meet me outside, then we can do your first stealth mission to scare the hell out of Jake when you wake him up."

Smiling at the idea, I quickly donned my armour and checked the time on my HUD. Shit. It was 0500 hours. Back on Earth, i would still be dead to the world at this time, but surprisingly enough, i wasn't missing it. My new spartan features were demanding that I get my butt into gear, and I was rearing to go.

Meeting Jun outside, we snuck up to the door of Jake's quarters, and Jun overrode the lock with his security clearance. I stopped for a moment to take in the sight of Jake lying sprawled out in bed, looking absolutely adorable as he was fast asleep. We tiptoed in and i slipped into the bathroom, and, after soaking a flannel, i slapped it down across his face. He woke up with a yelp and he grabbed my wrist. Performing some crazy ninja move, he managed to shove my helmeted head into the mattress and he whispered, "Don't you ever do that again or i will bloody well kill you in your sleep."

Jun started guffawing at the grumpy Spartan. "Well, Six, i guess we learned our lesson. Note to future us: don't wake Jake or we will regret it."

After a dose of vitamins and breakfast...

"Today, we will be training," Jun said.

"Why? I know everything I need to know, Jun," I replied, a puzzled tone in my voice.

"The reason we are doing this is to get you both up to full strength. You are a lot faster, stronger, and taller than you are used to being. You need to learn how to use your new body properly," Jun said. "Both of you have been equipped with a special ability. Six, yours is jumping. Yes, Spartans can jump pretty well, but you can jump much higher, and further, than any other Spartan that exists. Jake, yours is speed. You are ten times faster than any other Spartan alive."

Before we started, Jun pulled me aside. He was holding a data chip in his hand, and he gestured to my helmet.

"Beth, you have been equipped with an AI slot. Her, or rather its, name is Deja. Treat her nicely," he spoke. He moved behind me, and as Jake walked up to us, i felt him push the chip into the slot in my helmet, and suddenly an ice cold feeling flooded my mind. I felt another entity in my mind, and i presumed this must be the AI Jun was talking about.

Hello, Bethany. I am Deja, don't worry about me getting in the way of your life, or thoughts, i will only activate when you need me, then i automatically go into standby.

The silvery voice startled me, but then i relaxed and got my head back in the game of training.

Training was, well, easy. I cleared every situation I was put in with ease. I saw Jake found it easy too. Jun, however, put up a certain course that ended my 'course clearing spree'. He set off quite a few holographic elites, and explained to us that all their attacks would feel real. For example, if a needler hit you, you better run because if any other needles hit you, they would explode inside you. Ouch. That didn't sound good.

Training started, and I ran for cover. Yeah, I was a lone wolf, but I did try to stick close to Jake.

Jun had let us choose our own weapons, and I had chosen a Sniper Rifle and a Shotgun. Climbing up on a ledge, I lay down and prepared to snipe. I had 12 bullets, so I could afford a few misses. An elite carelessly tripped over a piece of shrapnel, and gave away his position. I took aim, and fired, pumping his brains with a bolt of lead.

Another elite came over to see what was happening, and I shot at it. I missed. "Damn!" I said out loud to myself. Being more careful, I shot again and clipped its shields. "Really?" I asked myself. Shooting again, I took it down.

I could help you kill them more easily, Beth.

no thanks Deja, I have to do this on my own. You will be extremely helpful in battle though.

As you wish, Beth.

I saw Jake running into a group of four elites with a shotgun, and cleverly taking them all down. I was impressed, and decided I could do better. Jumping off my ledge, I ran through several elites, sniping each one of them. My Sniper Rifle ran out of ammo, so I chucked it down on the ground and got out my Shotgun and prepared for action. I saw one elite standing about seven metres away from me, so I started to go towards it. Unfortunately, I walked straight into a trap, and I heard the sound of an energy sword being activated behind me.

"No!" I heard Jake shout in the background.

Beth!

Pain. I felt the burning sword of pure energy slice down my back.

I screamed in pain, and collapsed and faintly heard an alarm being sounded, and Jun running into the training grounds. Jake got to me first and knelt down beside me.

"Beth! Beth, it's going to be okay. Please just stay calm," I heard him say. Medics rushed into the room towards me, and the last thought before I passed out was "So you really are as pathetic as everyone back home always said you are..."