You can now precede to flee in terror
Sorry about my long absence, my best friend passed away and my grandfather entered the hospital, causing me to be out of town for a while. Thank you for being so patient.
Nywho, I STILL do not own HALO.
On with the fic…
Brigid opened her eyes and closed them quickly. If she didn't see the message alert flashing on her wall, it would not exist.
"Brigid," Ja'naço said from the next room. "You're awake, answer the message" She groaned and rose, muffling her short hair as she walked to the wall. Her hair had grown in the past few weeks, she liked the shorter hair cut more than her crew cut and was glad for the layer of warmth. She sighed and waved her hand over the scanner. "Lieutenant Colonel Brigid McClain, access code 185-A6-27." The screen flipped out and Covesash appeared on the screen.
"Good morning Colonel," he said.
"Sir," Brigid replied.
"I am sorry to have to wake you so early in the morning," Covesash said, "But an urgent mission has come up." Brigid nodded and information appeared as Covesash's face was reduced to half the screen. "One of our squads was captured by a platoon of human warriors on the Evena V system. We need you to sneak in with your squad and get them out of there."
"When do I leave?" Brigid asked. "The Revenge is being worked on."
"We have a smaller UNSC vassal that we found last month," Covesash said, "The crew has been brought to a stable enough condition that they can be transported. If you take the ship and its crew back to UNSC space I'm sure that you can convince the commanding officer to return our troops."
"Still," Brigid said, "It will appear more of a prisoner transfer than us returning their troops and getting ours back. When will they realize that we mean humans no harm?"
"Possibly never," Covesash said, "But I want you to lead them because if just our races go they will be mistaken for Covenant. The ship will be ready in 45 minutes."
"I will be on it," Brgid replied. The screen flipped back into the wall and Brigid walked into the other room, a pillow in her hand. She threw it at her newly bonded brother and he gave a quiet roar in displeasure.
"The sun isn't up yet!" Ja'naço said, turning over and nudging her pillow back at her with his shield.
"It will be," Brigid said catching the projectile, "Come on, we have a mission. We leave in 45 minutes, come get ready and prepped while I get our squad together." She contacted three other Sanghelli and they were ready (if not entirely awake) and on the platform thirty minutes later.
"Don't we need to be briefed?" Kela asked with a yawn, her four mandibles stretching.
"They're trying something new," Lothk said, "They're going to brief us while we sleep."
"Subliminal messaging," Killjoy said over the speaker, "It's new, if it doesn't work there will still be time to brief you in the air so don't worry."
"You got me up to go back tot sleep?" Ja'naço asked.
"You can stay here," Brigid said, "I'll be perfectly fine on my own."
"Like hell," Ja'naço said, "I'm not letting you out of my sight little sister, you get in enough trouble already."
"You're talking like I sneak out of the house every day," Brigid said as she locked her weapons in place on the UNSC ship.
"Every other day," Ja'naço replied. Brigid cocked an eyebrow, Ja'naço was used enough to her helmet to read her expressions underneath. "What? Think I didn't know about you and Killjoy gallivanting off over the planet every night jut after dark?"
"Reconnaissance missions," Killjoy replied, "I can't very well just get up and walk on my own, and you'd only slow me down because I'd have to factor your presence out of the equations I was taking of the surrounding life forms."
"Oh so it would take you 0.6 seconds to process something rather than 0.48?"
"If you guys are going to talk do it silently," Brian said. Brigid had elected to bring another human in case they got separated. "I'm tired and I want to sleep." Brigid threw a de-activated hand grenade at him.
"Think fast," she said. Brian looked at his lap and then noticed the grenade.
"Egah!" He groaned and quickly threw the grenade outside, the adrenaline running through his veins more than enough to keep him awake. Killjoy let out a howl of laughter.
"Awake now?" Killjoy asked between laughs, Brigid let out a chuckle. Ja'naço just snored quietly in the corner, Brigid's antics were old news by now.
"I hate you until I wake up," Brian said. "Jesus, now I won't be able to sleep at all."
"We could always knock you out," Brigid replied.
"No thanks," Brian said, "I'll just go to sleep naturally." Brigid smiled inside her helmet and strapped into her seat, leaning back and closing her eyes.
"He's got a can of shaving cream with him," Killjoy alerted Brigid.
"Take control of the suit," Brigid said, "But not until he starts putting it on OK?" Killjoy waited until the last second before leaping into his suit and putting the shaving cream all over his own helmet.
"Ack!" Brian said, muffled greatly because she turned off his speaker, "Killjoy, get out of my suit!" Brigid chuckled and smiled as Brian found his armor locked down as the straps held him in place. Killjoy re-entered her suit still laughing and Brigid closed her eyes, already feeling the hum in her suit that meant it was being activated for use. She blacked out and remembered very little, about six seconds seemed to pass from when she closed her eyes to when they opened again. The others were already stirring awake and the five hour flight was over, Brigid stretched her muscles and noticed Killjoy was out of her suit, she looked around and it seemed as though something slammed into her brain.
Brigid groaned and sat back down, Brian was in a similar state. She gritted her teeth and set a hand against her helmet. Another second and she ripped the thing off to press at her face, hoping to relieve some of the pressure. Brian was already on the floor with the Sanghelli standing over him, concerned. People were shouting, but Brigid couldn't hear them. She just felt the extreme pressure on her head and, she didn't know it, let out a loud scream in unison with Brian. All of a sudden the pressure was gone and she was fine, Brian took a little longer to adjust, but they both stood. Killjoy had released the bond on his armor the moment he had felt pain. Brigid stood and she could remember every detail about the mission as if she had attended a three hour briefing on the matter. She waved Ja'naço away and clipped her helmet back on.
"What the hell was that?" Brigid asked as Brian sat, she cleaned off his helmet and handed it back to him. His hands were shaking and he needed help the clip it into place.
"A reaction," Killjoy replied, "I'm afraid that human minds take a lot longer to process the messages. We'll have to keep humans knocked out longer and tone down the messaging."
"It hurt like hell," Brian said, removing his helmet, "Ugh, that hurt." He stood and drank water from the side dispenser. "I'm gonna feel that for a while."
"How come I'm not feeling the side-effects?" Brigid asked.
"It's being processed by the left side of the brain," Killjoy elaborated, "Yours was altered in surgery." Brigid sighed, just another way she was different, even from a Sparten. "Don't worry," Killjoy said as she re-entered the armor, "We'll get all the bugs out of the system and then it will be painless."
"I'll stick to regular briefings," Brian said, "I think they're less painless and we certainly have enough time on this flight."
"Brian," Killjoy said, "This is to make sure that the mistakes that led to Brigid's imprisonment. If we can take raw data and transfer it directly to the brain then we can ferret out spies, if there are any, easier. We can also send updates directly to our spies in the Covenant. It could mean an overthrow of their government before next year. I don't mean to be passionate, but right now the Belegara are one battle away from either victory or destruction."
"Why do you think we're risking a team for seven people?" Brigid asked, "We are so close to both failure and success, this new form of briefing gives us visual images of the area we're going to so we can know when visual updates need to be made to our files."
"Though I am glad you were caught last mission," Ja'naço said. "If you hadn't I might have stayed there forever."
"Yeah," Brigid said, "Well, anyway. How long till we break atmosphere?"
"Two minutes," Killjoy said, "You took longer re-emerging from sleep than planned."
"Let's get prepped people," Brigid said, "Remember, Brian and I will handle the humans, do not fire upon them. Defend yourselves if necessary, but do not do any harm what isn't necessary. Strap in and get ready for a bumpy ride." The group returneed to their seats and Brian checked on the human marines in the back.
"Pansies," Brian said as he returned, "Scared out of their wits and reduced to slumbering kids once their captured. They'll be fine once they get back to their platoon." He strapped in just before the ship began to tilt slightly downwards. Brigid felt the familiar sense of vertigo as the human ship fell through the air like a brick that was being thrown off a roof.
"Please Identify yourself," A voice sounded over the radio. Brigid did not reply.
"Scan for weapons and take evasive action," Brigid ordered Killjoy. Killjoy jumped from Brigid's helmet directly into the ship, the Belegara had given her the ability to willingly change systems with an upgrade last month, she loved ravaging unsuspecting AI's computer systems when they weren't looking and leavin before they noticed information was copied. She took over the autopilot and drove it down much faster than any human ever could, pulling up at the exact moment needed to slow down in enough time to stop the ship. They set down and Brigid ordered the Belegra out quickly, Killjoy had updated her mission info that the Belegra would send a shiip to pick them up far away from human settlements.
"We'll have to steal a tank," Brian said, "They usually don't keep prisoners pretty long."
"Or maybe we could talk to them," Brigid said, "Don't forget that Brian and I know English as well as your common tongue."
"I know," Ja'naço said, "But still, I don't want to be separated form you and I'm not sure that Brain could pass for one of them, he's quite tall and the armor looks almost like one of the Sanghelli."
"You're right," Brigid said, "I say we return their troops first and then get our own back." The ship autolanded and Brigid went back to go see the Marines.
"Colonel," Brian called from the door, "We have Pelicans on the inbound, we gotta get out of here."
"I'll be right there," Brigid said, "I just want to make sure that the Marines are all right." She slung her weapon and removed her helmet and black mask. She looked at the stirring Marines and made sure that their vitals were stable. One woke up and looked at her, she gave him a warm smile and walked over to him. "Marine," she addressed him with the curt voice of a hardened UNSC trainee she had been so many years ago.
"You're human," he said, "What's going on?"
"You're going home," Brigid said, "Not all of us are Covenant you know."
"Who are you?"
"I'm an Colonel."
"Ma'am, did you save us?" The amrine asked.
"Not initially," Brigid said, "One of my teams got you away from the Covenant, but yes I did give the order that you be returned to UNSC."
"Thank you," the Marine said, Brigid checked his wounds, he might not walk again, but he would certainly live.
"What's you name?" Brigid asked.
"Carias," he said, "Daniel Carias." Brigid's heart stopped. She knelt next to the Marine and checked the spelling on his nametag, if he was only 19 years old if he was a day.
"Carias?" Brigid asked, "Your brother is Michael Carias?"
"Yes," Daniel said, he opened his eyes and could really see Brigid now, closer to him. "How did you know….? Brigid?" He went to sit up. Daniel had known Brigid very well when she had been dating his older brother, they had become almost like siblings themselves before Brigid signed up. "They told us you were dead, you've been missing for two years! Where have you been?"
"Brigid!" Ja'naço said, walking in, "We need to leave the Pelican's are right on top of us!" Daniel took one look at Ja'naço and started to yell in terror.
"Danny!" Brigid said, "It's all right, he's my friend."
"You're friends with a hunter?" Daniel asked.
"Little sister, do you know this human?" Ja'naço asked.
"Yes," Brigid said in the common language shared by the Covenant and Belegara, "I knew him on Earth. Tell everyone its ok, we can stay here. This will be easier than I expected. Bring everyone inside the ship."
"OK," Ja'naço said, "I'm gonna have to trust you on this aren't I?"
"Bet your ass on that," Killjoy said, "Brigid knows what she's doing, and they cannot deny that I am a UNSC AI."
"All right," Ja'nnaço said. "I'll go get everyone."
"Sorry about that," Brigid said, slipping back to English. "Where have I been? There's a resistance to the Covenant, I've been living with them. How's everyone back home?"
"We heard about Ku-Lida being destroyed," Dan said, "We all thought you were dead." Brian turned the lights back on, they had been sitting in a semi-darkness before. Brigid flinched slightly as her eyes adjusted and Dan saw the full damage to the left side of her face. "Brigid," he breathed. "What happened?"
"A grenade accident during advanced tactical training," Brigid said, "Screwed me up pretty good."
Dan sighed. "I think we both know what I'm thinking."
"That my family will never accept me," Brigid said, "And I'm doomed to a solitary life because I know Mike will never take me back, not when I look like this."
"Are you kidding me?" Dan asked. "You'll be a hero! The triumphant warrior returned from the dead, fighting the enemy despite old wounds, hailed throughout the galaxy…!" Brigid held up a hand.
"I don't want that," Brigid said, "Please, don't remind me of that place."
"Don't you miss your home?"
"No," Brigid replied, "My home is with them now, the resistance. With my brother, Ja'naço, and everyone else who I've gotten to know so well over these two years." Brigid stood and turned away. "I'll never return to earth…. Never."
"Never is a long time," Ja'naço said, setting his plasma cannon on her shoulder, "You should not burn off the bridge to your home planet."
"My family will never accept me with my face scarred as it is," Brigid said, raising her left hand. "They only accept beauty, not the mangled creature you see before you know."
"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about," Danny said, still weak but seeing someone he cared about gave him some strength, "But Mike has regretted breaking up with you from the day after he did so and vowed never to love again when we found out your planet was blown up." Brigid gave a half-smile and shook her head.
"I'm going to go get Brian," Ja'naço said, "He wants some revenge and you obviously need some sense knocked into your head." Brigid told him that it wasn't necessary, but Ja'naço wouldn't stand for the way she was talking about her home planet. "That does it, one day I will take you back to earth myself, and if any human has anything derogatory to say about you simply because of the scars you bear I'll have a firm chat with them when you have left the room. Is that understood?"
"Sure thing Ja'naço," Brigid said with a smile, "Now, where are those Pelicans?"
"They just landed," a Sanghelli said over the intercom, "Opening doors now. One platoon of marines with a Sergent Jonson in front."
"Make sure they only get back here," Brigid said, "I don't want any of you getting your ass shot off by mistake." She turned to Ja'naço. "And you might want to get back a little, you know how humans react to a situation they don't know."
"Shoot first ask questions later," Ja'naço said, "Yes I know." He moved away from the Marines in the beds and stood in the shadow where it would be harder to see him without looking. The only good thing was that unless they threw a grenade his armor should be strong enough to stop anything they threw at him shot of a direct sniper shot to one of his exposed soft points on his neck or back. They waited.
"Get this door open Marine," someone barked, Brigid recognized the voice of a sergeant anywhere. "I mean now!" Brigid heard a weld going on the lock and went over to open it herself. She clicked a few switches into place and the door wooshed open, revealing twenty Marines and their sergeant behind the blast door.
"Took you long enough," Brigid said, the group stared in shock. Brigid looked back, she knew they didn't recognize her armor. "Yes, I know I look strange, but get a move on there are wounded back here." She turned around and heard a pistol click towards the back of her head. Faster than the eye could see she clipped her helmet to her belt and turned around, grabbing the gun that was inches from her head and the sergent that went with it. "What is your malfunction sergeant?"
"Your armor looks like the Sparten's," he said, "I'm wondering who you bumped off to get it."
"It's mine," Brigid said, "But I'm no Sparten. Do that again and I won't be able to take responsibility for what happens to you."
"I don't think you'll be alive to do so," Jonson said, "Take her in custody boys, she's coming back with us." Ja'naço decided to make his entrance behind them.
"I wouldn't," was all that he growled out at them, his cannon charging.
"Don't," Danny suddenly said, the marines turned to look at him. "All right, everyone put their guns down, we're all friends here." No one moved, several marines just looked from Ja'naço to Jonson to Danny. "Sergeant, this woman is my friend from earth and these are her companions, they saved us from the Covenant."
Jonson woke up another marine. "Is what he just said true?"
"Yes," the marine said groggily, "One minute we were captured, and the next similar creatures in different armor were carrying us out of their prison." He dozed off again and Jonson lowered his weapon, the other marines took suit and Ja'naço deactivated his cannon. Brigid walked over to him.
"You know you don't have to be so over-protective," she said in the common tongue.
"It's my brotherly right," Ja'naço protested, "And I think we'd better speak in English from now on because those guys are giving us creepy looks."
"Sorry," Brigid said, "I'm not used to speaking English very often anymore. Lets get back to your base and I can explain what I can there, but first I'd like my squad back that you guys captured last week."
"I don't know about any humans we captured," Jonson said.
"They're not human," a Sanghelli said, dropping down from the control room, "Relax, I'm with them." The marines lowered their weapons on command. "They're ours and most of them were in my platoon, I'd like to have them back. I believe the count were five Sanghelli and two grunts."
"We won't know our people until we get to their base," Brian said, coming last down the ladder, "Now lets get moving, I want to be back in time for dinner. Næla's cooking."
"Nerts to that," Brigid said, "Come on, we'll load the wounded onto your ships and then get our own." Jonson wasn't so sure.
"I'm afraid I'll have to take you in," he said, "But I can't just let you walk in with all your weapons out like that. I don't even know if you're telling the truth." Brigid turned and faced him in full light. Jonson took a step back.
"You recognize what could have caused these scars," Brigid said, "If you look in your database you will find my name and those of my squad are listed among the other dead and a simple DNA test to tell you that I'm telling the truth."
"Colonel," One Sanghelli said, raising a marine up and checking the medical drip in his arm, "We should hurry, I patched them up but I don't know enough of human anatomy to do more than that."
"There's no time for caution," Brigid said, reminded of the delicate state in many of the Marines, "We have to hurry." Brigid picked up one of the marines on his stretcher and set in on her shoulder.
"Give that one over here Brigid," Janaco said, extending his arm for the stretcher to be attached to, "I can take two more." Brigid loaded her brother up with marines and then took on two herself. By time they had all the marines ready to be moved, which was far more efficient than any of the human forces could have, Jonson was stunned. He also noticed that because of their loads, none of the squad could reach for their weapons without sacrificing the Marine on their shoulders.
"Follow me," Jonson said. Brigid motioned to her squad and they followed the group onto the Pelicans to be airlifted to the base. As soon as they landed Brigid noticed her people's homeing beacons show up on her display. Nothing short of a tank could have stopped them after that. They left the Marines in the medical bay and moved on to the prison cells. Their people were split up, but in the same hallway
"Colonel!" One called out, standing at the bars. The female was beaten savagely and her arm was in a make-shift sling, Brigid recognized her old teammate at once.
"Sida," Brigid said. "How'd you get in with this lot?" There were several Sanghelli and two Jackals in the cell, and they hadn't taken to the traitor kindly.
"They just chucked me in here when they stopped the battle," Sida said, "Any chance you can get me out of here." Brigid turned to the guard.
"Open this cell," Brigid said.
"I'm sorry but I can't do that." The PFC said.
"Excuse me?" Brigid asked. "Son, I'm a Colonel. Now get his cell open or I'll open it myself." The PFC jumped at the rank and flipped a switch. The Covenant ran to sprint out when Ja'naço got in the way and threw them back into the cell. Brigid flipped her rifle around and fired once, killing the Jackel Ja'naço had missed. Sida walked out and their medic saw to her arm. "You're slipping Ja'naço."
"I wasn't ready," he protested, "Let's see who else they have." Brigid freed all of her people and discovered Brian talking with a captain, though arguing would more describe the conversation.
"I don't care what you say," Brian howled, "We are not AWOL! Your fucking fleet left us to rot!"
"You should have called in when you reached the next planet," the captain yelled back, "So as of right now you all are reported overdue and you have to go to a court martial." Brigid interjected before Brian coulojd get them in any more trouble.
"Actually according to file we're all dead." Brigid looked at the Captain, "So if you want to hold a court martial for five dead people, good luck finding an officer who will run it."
"Hell," the guy said, "I'll run it."
"You really think that you can take down a Colonel?" Brigid asked. "If my memory of UNSC protocol serves than you have to outrank the officer in question." The captain's jaw dropped. "So, know any Admirals?" The captain looked away and stared at his foot. "Don't beat yourself up about it, it'll sort itself out eventually." Brigid and Brian walked away and were later escorted into a room with Sergent Jonson and a commanding officer. They were motioned to sit and offered refreshments. Ja'naço declined politely and his two companions followed suit, no longer used to human food. Brigid even recoiled as the coffee was brought in. The two officers turned to thank the lackey to thank him.
"I forgot how sharp our food smells," Brian said.
"Yeah," Brigid said, "It doesn't smell anything like the food at home."
"So," the officer said, "Your squad has been alive all of this time?" Brigid looked over the screen and clicked off Juba and other's who had not made it off Ku-Lida.
"Only these five," Brigid said. "At least those are the only one's under me."
"All right," the lieutenant without a nametag said. "And you have joined a Covenant branch?"
"No," Brigid said, "We are not fighting with the Covenant, we fight against them."
"I'm not sure I understand then," he said, "Are you telling me that there is an entirely separate force that we are not aware of?"
"Yes," Brian said. Brigid had tapped out a code with her fingers telling Brian to reveal as little as possible. As much as they wanted the human's to have knowledge of the Belegra, secrecy was the more important mission as far as the Covenant's knowledge of their presence was. There was a pause for several seconds until the lieutenant broke the silence again.
"Oh," he said, "Well, if you feel as though there are any details that I need to know feel free to voice them.
"We will," Brigid said. Another long pause.
"Perhaps you can tell me your relationship with Corporal Carias," the lieutenant.
"He's my ex-boyfriend's little brother," Brigid said simply.
"All right," he said. "Um, why did you not follow UNSC protocol and destroy the ship along with your AI's."
"Because I didn't want to die," Brian said.
"But you knew the protocol." The captain said.
"Yes," Brigid replied, "And if you did technically I can refuse this line of questioning due to my rank and also you have no name tag or unit insignia." The captain didn't say anything. "So, do you want to stick to protocol?" Brigid rose with Brian.
"Now, if you excuse me," she said, "We'll be leaving."
"I don't think so," the captain said.
"Ja'naço," Brigid said as a large man grabbed her from behind. The hunter broke through the outside door with an unearthly growl and aimed his cannon at the nearest marine.
"Unhand my sister!" He bellowed. They dropped both the officers to the ground and they landed, Brigid clipped on her helmet and joined her brother, slipping back into their language.
"Where is our ship?" Brigid asked.
"In low orbit two clicks away," Ja'naço replied.
"Tell our people to get out of here fast and make for the ship," Brigid ordered over their suit-to-suit intercom. "Get out and hurry up, stay low and steal a vehicle if you have to."
"Already have a Pelican hot-wired," Killjoy said, ""And you are the only three not here."
"On our way," Brian said.
"I'll be faster if you're on me," Ja'naço said. "I can jump higher."
"Sure," Brigid said, "Just let me say goodbye to our friends." She slipped seamlessly back into English, "Now, we must be going, bye-bye!" She waved comically as they stared dumbly and grabbed the spike on her brother's back, swinging up next to Brain as the Hunter charged. A alarm sounded, but it was useless. Killjoy was in the system and wreaking havoc with their communications. It was then that Killjoy came face-to-face in an AI close to her power.
"Hello," Killjoy said as the female AI shut down the false alarm and activated the real one. "You're like me aren't you?"
"Pretty much," The woman said. She tried to get communications back online, but Killjoy wouldn't let her.
"I'm Killjoy," she said, "Please don't read me, that's very rude."
"You're the one destroying all the systems I worked so hard to build," the AI replied, "I'm Cortana. How come you're helping those fugitives escape?"
"They're not fugitives," Killjoy said. Deactivating another camera system so that her three friends could pass without being tracked. "Here's some data on how to distinguish the Resistance from the Covenant." Cortana looked over the facts and noticed the nuances between their armor and other differences between the forces.
"I see," Cortana said, she ignored trying to get the systems back online and tried to hack Killjoy. "You're a UNSC AI!" Cortana exclaimed. Killjoy shrieked and threw Cortana out of her systems. "You were one of us?" Killjoy shrieked against and rammed her full force at Cortana, sending the un-modified AI reeling from the metaphysical blow. Killjoy sent the last few commands and jumped out of the system, returning into Brigid's suit.
"We gotta get out of here," Killjoy said, "Rapidly." Ja'naço pushed the pace and barreled through a platoon of marines to get into the hanger. A Sanghelli stuck their head out of a Pelican and waved.
"There!" Brain yelled. Ja'naço banked like an airplane and ran up the ramp. Everyone buckled in as the ship took off and flew low.
"Killjoy," Brigid said as they passed the doors, pilots were scrambling to fighters. "Can you risk the system one more time?"
"Sure," she said. Killjoy jumped into the system and closed the blast doors, then got out before Cortana could have her systems and re-entered the ship before transferring back to Brigid. "Done."
"Rock on," Brigid said. "Lets get back to the ship and go home."
Cortana turned as the ship roared away. She turned back to 117. "Pick me up." The large sparten raced down and slipped the chip into his helmet as Cortana re-entered his suit.
"What was it?" He asked.
" I don't know," Cortana said, "It was an AI more advanced then anything I've ever seen. She had the ability to jump from system to system at will. I've never seen anything like it."
"Is it a threat?" 117 asked.
"No, I don't think so," Cortana said. "Lets go home."
"We got all of them Covesash," Brigid reported, "All of our people are free. Though we might have a small breech of security."
"Specify," Covesash said.
"Killjoy came in contact with a powerful UNSC AI," Brigid said, "The AI Cortana learned that Killjoy was, and still is on some level, a UNSC AI. We do not foresee any imminent danger, but we do now know who Cortana may come in contact with and if our information can be viewed."
"Killjoy," Covesash addressed the AI projected on the floor.
"It was a violation," Killjoy said, "She was the most advanced AI I've ever met. If I hadn't had the upgrades from your technicians she could have accessed all of my systems." Killjoy continued. "There's more, that AI wasn't in the system when I entered it. She came in later, like someone placed her there. I think it was a Sparten AI."
"You're telling me that a Sparten could know we exist?" Covesash said, they had heard of the legendary warriors and knew that they were stronger than Brigid, who had long since proven her speed and strength beyond those of her own race.
"Possibly," Brigid said, "But I'm not sure its that big of a concern. Spartens are few and far between, they are also the most likely to die in any military engagement because of the missions presented to them. They're handed the impossible on a daily basis and expected to survive."
"So just like what we do to you," Covesash said, "I think you underestimate their chances for survival."
"Spartens are different," Brigid said, "I just have this feeling that we can trust them."
"You're feelings are usually right Brigid," Covesash said, "If you think that we can trust them then we won't distrust them. Well done Brigid." Everyone was dismissed, but Brigid stayed a moment.
"It's all right Ja'naço," Brigid said, "You can listen, I just need a moment." Her large brother nodded and walked through the door, Covesash waited until they were gone before addressing the human again.
"What is wrong Brigid?" Covesash asked, his voice seemed tired and ragged now that they were alone.
"What did you mean?" Brigid asked. "Just what we do to you?"
"Brigid," Covesash said, "You're the best we've got, even better than Næla. I'm not going too lie to you, the last missions we've sent you on have been ones we would not have even conceived three years ago." Brigid let her own importance hit her like a sledge hammer. "I've tried, for better or worse, to keep the news of your heroics out of mainstream knowledge, but you still have a cult following among many young females and your name has been honored in the naming of several newborns. We give you the impossible Brigid, and you're a hero, and fir that I don't know if I can ever forgive myself."
"Why?" Brigid asked.
"Because I use you more than any other agent," Covesash said, "I've trained myself to think of you as an object, a queen on the chess board, not a living thing. It's how I've had to think to keep this force alive, and I fear that now that you know I can never forgive myself as it will not be granted by you." The old Sangheili sat in his chair a put his head in his hand. "It seems as though my sins fall upon everyone else to bear them." Brigid unclipped her helmet and walked to her friend, setting her hand on his arm and kneeling next to him,
"Covesash," she said, "I have not done anything against my will or blindly. Every mission I have known what I am going into and my chances for survival." Covesash was crying, Brigid grit her teeth. "What happened to Næla and Oren was not your fault. The blame lies with those who branded them, not with you." Brigid could see that it wasn't comforting. "Covesash, doing the right thing is never easy, and the innocent are always the ones to pay. But, before you beat yourself up as yourself, would their lives have been better if you had remained silent and let them live in the Covenant? Næla would have been married off long ago, and Oren forced into labor or the army, dead on a distant battlefield fighting for the right to destroy the universe. Your children love you for getting them out of there, and nothing will ever change that."
Brigid clipped her helmet back on and joined Ja'naço outside the door. Covesash was left alone as his children drew close, know that their love would never be doubted for any reason. Covesash's words had made much more of an impression on Brigid. Ja'naço comforted her through the night, but the fact that he thought no differently of her than UNSC did was not comforting. She realized that her commanders could not care about her, if they did then they would not push her to accomplish all that she could and save their cause. She did not sleep well that night, dreaming of the past and looking for someone who cared about her before the accident. She could only think of the Carias family, and Michael who had loved her dearly, though not dearly enough to sacrifice time for her. She cried that night, silently so as not to wake Ja'naço, and woke to erase the memories from Covesash's words. Ja'naço had asked her why she had done so, and she knew that if she had that knowledge in the back of her mind that she would hesitate and probably die. She sighed as the memory wipe was complete, curious as to why she had been so depressed that morning.
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Tenna' ento lye omenta
(Until we next meet)
Verya