The fabric above me rustled softly in the wind. I could see the sunlight cast through the thin material. Taking in the sight and sound, as I laid there, I simply processed everything.

I felt... Good.

Despite the terror I felt at every moment before, despite having nearly died due to my own efforts to keep everyone alive.

There wasn't any tearing at my consciousness, I wasn't really in pain. I was tired, oh so tired, but victorious.

We had won. Everyone lived. We were away from the Covenant.

I laughed even though my throat was as dry as a desert. I sat up, the action smoother than it should have been considering the state I was in.

They had let me rest in some kind of field medical tent, one of the pop up ones left in the basement of the complex. There was one part of my surroundings that really caught my attention.

"You're awake." Six- Zachary, said groggily to me, a small smile on his face. He didn't have his armor on, just fatigues that I had been changed into as well, and it seemed as though he had been sleeping next the bed I was left in.

I smiled back, "Yes." There was a note of finality in it. Feeling mischievous I felt my face morph to a grin. I raised my arms at him, palms open. "Carry me."

He raised a brow and sighed, despite this act of defiance he still moved to pick me up in a classic princess carry. "Why exactly do you need me to carry you? You are an adult right?"

I settled into his arms easily, Zachary clearly not straining in the slightest. I gave of theatrical scoff, and responded with an arrogant tone, "A lady as elegant as I should not have to walk among peasants." He gave a snort at that before I continued in a more serious tone, "Ah, but really, I'm too tired to even move my limbs a lot right now." I felt like I had been running back to back marathons.

He nodded at this, "The medics that had a look at you said that you were extremely exhausted but otherwise healthy."

I tilted my head and looked at him with an eyebrow raised, "Nothing else, really?" We both knew very well what I was bringing up.

He hesitated when he met my eyes, opting instead to lock his eyes ahead and start walking out of the tent. "We'll talk later." He clearly wanted to avoid the subject. I gave a small hum in response.

Zachary seemed eager to change the topic, "Don't expect this kind of treatment after you've recovered. I'm not one of those sycophants that are held up in the temple."

That was clearly something I needed to deal with. Before I could pry that information from him, however, he had already.

My first reaction to the outside was to squint at how bright it was, my second was to just take in the sights around me. Lots of people simply moving place to place, some looked focused on whatever goal they had and others moved listlessly.

I trailed my eyes down the long stretch of tents that had been propped up. "It looks like a good chunk of the personnel from the complex are moved up here." I noted, it wasn't bad thing really, everyone had been cooped up in the complex for almost a month.

Zachary nodded at this, "It's been better for everyone up here, mentally, I mean."

"Even you?" I asked, his well-being was my concern after all.

He seemed to consider the question a moment, before rolling his shoulders and nodding. "Even me." I hadn't noted it before but he seemed less... Intense, or maybe stressed was the right word.

His walk was easier even, not as much marching or stalking. This was good.

We simply watched for a moment as people passed us by, some of their eyes flashed in recognition for a moment but they still walked forward.

"What's the state of command right now? Who's in charge?" It was important to have an idea what exactly was happening right then.

He gave me the side eye in response, "You are, now that you're awake anyway." I blinked, my confusion must have been evident because he elaborated, "Everyone pretty much fractured after we were... transported. Cohesion only lasted up until we could get temporary shelter up." He gestured at the tents around us.

I spoke slowly, still not quite understanding why I was in charge. "Okay... but why does that make me the leader here?"

Again, he gave me a look. One I was beginning to have the urge to punch him for. "You led us all through our stand against the Covenant. Without your preparations and organizing, everyone there would have likely been taken off guard and slaughtered."

I considered that, but the only real reason I was able to do that wasn't because of any skill. It was because I was in the position to do so as the facility's A.I.

"Also, you're the only one that can use the fabricators still." He tacked on for good measure. I let out a snort and shot him an unimpressed look, to which he simply shrugged.

Thinking for a moment I had my course of action. "Take me to the mess hall." I paused, "Can we locate a radio while we're heading there too?" I was hungry and it served as a convenient meeting place.

There were going to be many problems to deal with soon.

An above ground mess hall had been assembled, somehow. We didn't have a prefab for a mess in storage, so it seemed that some soldiers with ingenuity had cobbled together one and moved equipment from below ground.

I shoveled something that wasn't quite corn into my mouth as I considered the people around me. I remembered most of their files, those I could recall from The Index anyway. They had all come when I explained I needed them for something.

Waving a spork at the assembled group of around fifteen people I had handpicked, I began my recruitment pitch. "We need to do an inventory of what we have on hand. Beyond just knowing what we have left, I need to connect with everyone on the ground. Any takers?" Thus concluded my recruitment pitch. Stunning, I knew.

Unfortunately no one jumped at the chance. "Okay this is going to be harder than I thought." Humming slightly to myself in thought, and taking a bite of something approximating meat, I went over what I knew.

The gaze of of group in front of me collectively turned to panels only they could see. Fascinating, so that was what it looked like from the outside. A quest then?

Interesting.

I swept my gaze across them, gesturing for them to elaborate on what they'd seen. "So what'll it be then?" I pointed to a man I had noted when I was reviewing their files, "Just know he'll be the one in charge." He had everything I wanted from a logistics officer, experience, working knowledge of firearms, and the right temperament. He was perfectly average, a previous military background, really he was a man that would have been well on his way to retirement had the fall of Reach not happened. Graying hair, prominent stress lines, and a professional demeanor were his most defining characteristics.

The one in question raised his hand, "You need a logistics officer then, cataloguing new phenomena, and someone to do inventory?" His eyes flicked down, to the prompt I couldn't see. He seemed to have come to a decision already.

I nodded, pleased that the system was for once facilitating my goals. The man nodded back, and tapped on the air. Did they not know the controls were intent based?

Something had caught my particular interest though, "What do you mean by 'cataloguing new phenomena'?" I had an inkling of what it could be...

He seemed surprised by my ignorance, blinking for a second before responding, "Well, some personnel are exhibiting strange powers. Along with the fact it is far easier to become stronger or faster, reflected on our pages." He paused frowning, "Forgive me for my ignorance, but I had assumed this was all your doing. What with your prophet in the temple proclaiming you a god."

Right... My list of priorities just changed drastically.

Giving him a pleased and just slightly stilted smile, I motioned to him, "Now, you should introduce yourself to them, I'll leave the recruiting of quartermasters to you." It was both a test of his ability to manage his underlings, and a way to pass off work I would have otherwise had to do.

He raised a brow, "I'm assuming I need to bring a summary to you, whenever you set yourself up." I simply smirked. The newly anointed logistics officer sighed and stood from his seat, "We have a lot to do. My name is Frederick Carrington, and I'll be your logistics officer-"

I tuned him out after that, I hadn't even checked on The Gamer in a while. Idly I brought up the Quest page, that I had been tasked with so long ago,

Quest Completed: Ghost in the Machine!

Objective(s): [Completed]

Reward(s): [Distributed]

I hadn't received a Quest since then, which was good. It said the rewards were distributed...

Glancing up I saw that two of the staff I had called were leaving, Carrington simply shook his head when he noticed my stare. I made sure to remember their faces before they left.

Zachary had also noticed apparently, simply frowning at them as he left. I let my eyes linger on him.

Bringing up my stat sheet, I gazed at it.

Name: Rachel Adler

Title: Gaia

Level 7, Skills (6/7) - Subs don't count

Race: Human

HP: N/A

MP: 100%

Stamina: 62%

Strength (Str): 22

Perception (Per): 27

Endurance (End): 30

Charisma (Cha): 8

Intelligence (Int): 15 (20)

Agility (Agi): 19

Luck (Luc): 10 (Cannot be Modified)

Attribute Points (15)

There would have been shock, would have, had I not seen the skills I had acquired. I had risen beyond human limits physically, and indeed I couldn't be called an entirely baseline human anymore.

I shifted my eyes over to Zachary again. Looking away I simply sighed, everything had to be so complicated.

The temple was as ostentatious as the last time I had seen it. Admittedly, it was created with just that in mind, but I still cringed ever so slightly every time a pair of eyes had looked over at it.

Standing at its steps made that feeling amplify tenfold. The fact that people's eyes seemed to flash between me and the building, ruined any courage I could have had.

Placing my foot on the first step, I began my ascent.

I let out a low hiss full of self loathing, "I never should have made this place."

Raising an eyebrow Zachary seemed to contemplate that for a moment, his brows furrowed. "You made this place." It was less of a question, more of a statement. I nodded, hoping my chagrined expression would get him to avoid the issue. "How?"

I stopped and blinked, I processed the question for a moment. "I need to fill you in on a lot, huh?" He tilted his head in response, "Watch."

Raising a palm, I Created a 7.62 cartridge in plain view of Zachary and handed it to him. He stared silently at it before glancing at the temple, finally he asked, "What exactly is it you do?"

A laugh escaped me, I gave a simple answer "I Create things." He seemed to accept the answer but looked troubled.

We both silently resumed our walk to the top of the steps. The two of us contemplating the ramifications of such a revelation.