Chapter 3 – Not Quite Human

It sounded like there were half a dozen jeeps going into the hills, just as Matthew and Lynch entered it. Instinctively, he opened a channel, but before he said anything, he took a look around. There were no other jeeps around. With an angry sigh, the link clicked off. He shook his head slightly, looking forward again.

Seraphim was there, responding to his actions. She was acting more like a psychologist these last few hours than a tactical AI, but that was because she was a 'smart' AI. They always had quirks, but she seemed almost useless in combat. He wouldn't admit that, though. Matthew was more than happy to have here there, alone with Lynch. He would have no idea on how to act around her.

"What…?" Her voice was frustrated. Matthew knew she had been trying to get his suit's long-range radio up and running, but she hadn't been able to get any human channels. There were several alien channels, and Seraphim had been trying to break the encryption. Matthew didn't know how she could look for humans, decode alien transmissions, and pay attention to him at the same time.

But he had to answer, so he did. Without hiding his frustration, he said, "Echoes. Off the hillsides." Seraphim paused a second to listen, then heard the same noises he had heard before. She didn't answer at all, though, just going back to what she was doing before. Matthew glanced over at Lynch, who was looking at Matthew with curiosity, and he could tell she had thought he was talking to her. Without admitting his fault, Matthew nodded ahead and to the right. There was a small outcropping of rocks against a hillside, and he could tell it would be a good place to stop for the night. He bet they could keep going, but Lynch had been right, and hadn't gotten a wink in at all.

With the sun half hidden behind Threshold, the planet Installation 04 orbited, shadows were being cast, and it soon appeared it would be dark. Resting for the night would do Lynch good, and Matthew was getting tired of driving. He could do it as long as he needed, but he didn't have to like it. "We can stop there, get some rest," he said, slowing the jeep as they passed into the outcropping. Five large rocks protruded from the ground, with several smaller ones providing more cover. He parked the jeep snug between two rocks, so that a Banshee flying overhead would really have to look for it.

Lynch and Matt got out, bringing their weapons and rations with them. One rock was at such an angle as to provide a roof, with two smaller rocks positioned easily as seats. It almost appeared to be designed for people to sit at, but there were other things on Matt's mind. With practiced movements, he reached up and broke the airtight seal that kept his helmet attached to his suit. There was almost carelessness in the way he dropped the helmet to the ground, but that was because he was sure it wasn't going to break. If it did break, it wouldn't help him in combat.

Matt ran a hand through his closely cut hair, letting his hair get a break from constantly being pressed down. He didn't like the feeling of air against his face, the way his motion sensor and the rest of his HUD was not there. He also knew that it would only take one shot to bring him down, and there was no way to describe how that made him feel. He glanced over at Lynch, who was looking at him strangely. "Yes?" Matt asked, quietly.

Lynch sat back, slightly put off. "There, it just… You SPARTANS, I never…" Her voice faded off. By this time, Matt was curious. He didn't really know how the marines thought about SPARTANS, except that ODST generally disliked them and the regulars were in awe. Finally, though, she finished her thought. "I just wondered that you were human. You don't… you seem like something different. As alien as the Covenant." Matt almost took that as an insult, but after thinking about it, had to decide she was right.

Well, she wasn't exactly right. She called him an alien. He called himself a robot. That was what he was. A weapon, a smart gun with legs. He had so many augmentations, so much training from such a young age, he was no longer human. It was a depressing thought, and the camp went quiet. Is was almost a minute later when Matt reached for one of those nutrient bars that tasted bad but fed you well. While Lynch had one, Matt had three, and so felt guilty. If he kept that up, he'd starve them both too early.

The sun was completely eclipsed by Threshold, and Matt looked up to see that stars. Far overhead, a covenant cruiser flew overhead, scouting the crash site of the Autumn. Lynch curled up on the coat she had been wearing. The shirt she had on underneath was a black t-shirt, one that accentuated her well, but Matt didn't even think about that. His training had made him better than that, or worse, if you considered normality to be the best way to think. When he was sure she was asleep, he stood, placing his helmet back on. Seraphim was thankfully quiet, not commenting on the conversation he and Lynch had just gone through. With motion sensor on as high as it could go, he snuck around behind the rocks, scanning for contacts. A banshee patrol flew overhead, about half a klick out, just close enough for him to see with magnified view. If they were searching for him, they were going in the wrong direction. It was a good thing, too.

Seraphim interrupted his thoughts, though, with her usual calm voice. That made Matt happy; she wasn't worried about their problems, so she had good news. "Reviewing images taken from when the Autumn was in orbit, I have found an alien structure about 60 klicks north of here, easily reachable tomorrow. Radio chatter says a small marine squad, Fireteam November, is holed up in there. They believe they will be attacked by the Covenant, and they could really use your help."

Matt nodded, staring off into the distance. Finally, he would be doing something he was good at.