A/N: No, I won't be filling this with descriptions of the War Games. We have all played enough of those, and I want new, interesting stuff.
On the subject, you can actually download Laser Flag. I built the game type and quite like playing it. Please enjoy both the story and the game type.
For context, I think Halsey had a small guard around her room even before she was put in gaol.
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Microsoft, Bungie, or 343 Industries. This is for my enjoyment and, hopefully, the enjoyment of others. I do not receive a profit.
Seperated at Invasion
Raj groaned, massaging his shoulder. "You all right?" Logan asked.
Raj shrugged, wincing as his shoulder cried out in pain. "Mostly. That last War Game had a lot of guns pointed at my shoulder. The phantom pains really stink."
Logan nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Tell me about it. I was actually glad we got guard duty so that I wouldn't have to do go through the War Games right now. You?"
Raj set his helmet on the bench and sat down. Although it was technically against regulations to sit down while on guard duty, Raj's muscles ached. Besides, Halsey was a boring prisoner, just sitting there tapping on her data pad. It was also against regs to not wear a helmet, but Palmer never followed that rule and Logan had assured Raj that it was okay.
"Personally, I just hope we get a mission. Sitting at base is boring, and I like a bit of action. The War Games never get new rules."
Logan shifted, moving to sit down opposite Raj. "Well, have you tried Grifball?" Raj nodded. "Rock 'n' Rail?" Another nod. "Binary Slayer? Because that's my favourite." Raj just nodded for third time. "Oh, what about Laser Flag?"
"Laser Flag? Is it new?"
Logan nodded in earnest, causing his orange curls to bounce gently. "Yes. Some SPARTAN named Kinvar created it. Basically, it's like laser tag, but with deadly weapons. No contact, just Spartan Lasers and Capture the Flag."
Raj started. "Oh! I like Spartan Lasers, but they don't have the charge time and shot capacity to be useful. So I have been working on this for quite some time." Raj pulled a cylindrical contraption out of the storage box on the leg of his armour with a flourish.
Logan peered down at the contraption and asked, "What is that?"
Raj shrugged his shoulders as he said, "A prototype. Do you remember that ONI Secure Facility that was broken into two years ago?"
"The one that turned into a huge mess because some of the brass was convinced that Innies had orchestrated the break-in?"
Raj nodded and said, "Yes. The only thing that was stolen were plans for the M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle. I know because, well, I was the thief. Dumb A.I. are really easy to spoof. Once I had the plans, I started working on my miniature Spartan Laser, but I have had some difficulty. It didn't work well enough to fry a Grunt two days ago during my turn to watch the area known as Sniper Alley."
"Ah. And how was babysitting?"
"Boring as all get out. We all just stood around taking potshots at the Covenant brave or stupid enough to attack the area. I killed a grand total of two Grunts in the ten hour shift."
Things lapsed into silence for a minute while Halsey tapped away at her data pad.
Eventually, Logan asked, "So, have you figured out the history behind Marcus and Cara that we were so randomly introduced to?"
Raj gave a low chuckle before responding. "Oh yeah. I eavesdropped on their conversation in the vents. I just followed Marcus at a safe distance until I he climbed a crate and opened a maintenance panel in the ceiling. Then I listened.
"I heard his voice first. 'Hello, Cara. Please, do tell me what happened to you,' he said.
"She responded, 'The day we . . . were separated, I saw my mother frantically signalling me to come to her. As I ran, I looked back and saw a Jackal claw your face. It was . . . horrible. In fact, I was about to turn around and help you when a great beast with leathery skin jumped in the way. It had on vibrant blue armour and was facing the other way. I now realise that that was an Elite, and if it hadn't been turned around, I would be dead. Even though neither of us had seen one, I knew I couldn't possibly fight it. So I ran back towards mom, who was cowering under one of the covered picnic tables.
"'I have no idea how long we huddled like that, but at some unknown signal, probably silence, my mother peeked out from under the tablecloth and had me come out too. There was a mangled body that was only just recognisable as Charles. Other than that, there were piles of . . . of burnt human. It smelt awful, and I couldn't see how you had escaped the notice of the Elite. I assumed you were dead, but that didn't stop me from looking.
"'I signed up to join the Marines, the Navy, even the Army, in an attempt to find that Elite and wring his neck until he told me what had happened to you.' Her voice turned bitter here, Logan. 'But I was rejected time and time again on account of my hearing, until, at last I found out about the SPARTAN-IV program.
"'I signed up and they augmented me and did a really complex surgery on my inner ear so that I can hear in the heat of battle. The surgery probably cost as much as my set of personalised armour.
"'I have no clue if I ever did find that Elite, but the Storm Covenant's rampant genetic modifying so that the Elites have scales leads me to belive that I probably won't find the Elite. I mean, I don't even remember any distinguishing characteristics about him like a neck tattoo.' Marcus snorted before Cara asked him his life story.
"I left then because I didn't want to get caught and I have already heard Marcus's sob story. Basically, he didn't want Cara to be attacked by that Jackal, so he jumped it, beat the living shit out of it, couldn't find Cara, and ran, at which point he was evacuated."
Logan nodded and then stood up, saying, "Mealtime for the professor." Raj nodded to Logan's retreating back and then stood up and waited for Logan to return. The shift was almost over.
Logan came back carrying a tray. Raj pressed the button to open the door and Logan stepped through. Halsey looked up at the whoosh of the door sliding open and noted the tray. She set down her data pad and crossed the small room, sitting at the small, utilitarian table. As Logan put the tray down in front of her, she said a quiet, "Thank you." Logan stepped back through the door and Raj pressed the button again. The door slid shut.
Now all Logan and Raj had to do was wait to be relieved. In preparation, the pair grabbed their helmets and put them on.
They didn't have long to wait. Two SPARTANs, one in dark blue Ranger armour, the other in black and dark red Infiltrator armour, came down the hall.
As they neared, the one in blue said, "Captain wants the two of you in hangar 10. Something about a mission." Logan and Raj practically ran towards hangar 10, excited as they were for something new, even if it was a bit deadly.
A/N: Short chapter, just an interlude. Please tell me if you notice any mistakes. Thanks.