Karl woke up around 0700 the usual time for him. He then thought for a second of where he was, then he remembered, 'oh yeah right, fuck me' he thought as he got up and walked over to the small refrigerator he had in his room in the embassy. Then he heard a commotion outside and wondered what it was, it sounded like shouting. He quickly got up and grabbed his armor putting it on swiftly and threw his helmet on. On his way out the door he picked up his magnum on a table next to his bed and rushed out the door. He was met with Dao, "Karl we will need you, a mob is forming outside I need all the men I can get." Karl nodded and then asked, "How many?" Karl asked while loading a magazine of rubber bullets. "100 plus." Dao said sternly. Karl nodded and followed Dao outside where guards were holding shields in a crescent shape around the entrance. Karl could hear them saying things such as 'split lip' and 'kill it like it killed us' mainly in german but also some in english. He couldn't believe people came from around the world just to terrorize this place.
He walked outside and to his surprise many of the people were not armed only throwing food and such at the staff. "Alright people clear out or we will take action!" Dao said loudly at the croud, not even shaking them. Then Karl spoke up, "Alright everyone shut the fuck up right now!" He said loudly and sternly and to his surprise most of the croud did. "Now I want to make something very clear! How many of you people standing here were soldiers? How many of you have actually fought these things?" He said shouting at the people. "Maybe if you fought them you would have more respect for them, I killed a good amount of the split lips, but here I am guarding one. You know why?" He paused again, "Cause I am not a piece of shit you like you people are! Yes you lost family, but I bet 80 percent of you standing here this morning have not even, lost any family." Karl said finally. "No clear out before we take severe action that will harm all of you, either you want peace and no death or you want war and more death, and then your families will die." Karl said taking a long breath. Most people stood there and just seemed to be thinking. Then after a few more minutes of shouting they left.
"One fine display, maybe you should be a diplomat." Dao said putting a hand on Karl's shoulder. Karl shrugged, "They have no idea what it is like fighting in a war I bet not a single person in that croud had been a soldier." Karl ended and walked back into the building. 'Now I am hungry, and I still need to clean my room and put all my shit where it needs to go' Karl thought as he rubbed his stomach.
He walked back into his room and closed the door behind him, locking it. He threw off his helmet and tossed it onto his bed, walking over to the fridge he found just some fruit such as an apple and a bag of grapes. Karl shrugged and took the apple, biting into it almost instantly. He looked around the room as he continued eating the apple. Well there are not many personal belongings I have other than clothes. Karl shrugged as he tossed the apple into the trash can, 'all those years of throwing grenades made me good at basketball, who knew' Karl thought as he smiled at himself. He put all of his clothes into a small dresser that was there for him and put all of his other things such as spare armor, weapons, and ammo into a neat collection in a foot locker at the end of the bed. With a satisfied sigh he walked next to his bed and picked up his helmet, putting it on he saw the HUD flash on and say "Shields 100%" with a nod he left the room locking it behind him. He just kind of sat outside his door for a moment looking around the hallway.
With a sigh he walked towards the office and walked in, it was empty still, so he walked in and sat in a char in the corner of the room, he didn't know what to do so he would just wait for her to get here, so he can do his job of course. 'Man this lady sleeps' Karl thought as he messed with the leaf of a potted plant next to him that looked very strange and not of this earth. Probably because it was, it was most likely from Sangheilios, 'probably makes her feel more at home' Karl though then he started thinking of home. His Mom and his sister. His dad had been an officer in the beginning of the war and had been killed. So his mom had to raise his young sister on her own. Which would be better for the young girl so she didn't join the military, Karl didn't want that for her as he held her in his arms for the last time before he had left to go to ODST school after he had been selected.
He then heard the door open and she walked in, not even seeing him in the corner, when she did she didn't even react other than slight wide eyedness, which Karl thought was just a minor surprised face. "You are here early Sergeant." she said as she went and sat down in her chair. "Well ma'am I had to stop a riot, looks like you are quite the celebrity in this city." Karl said as he leaned back and put his hands behind his helmet. She just nodded. For a while they just sat there silently, her doing her work and Karl sitting in the corner not even being phased by a slight sound. "Are you asleep?" She said not even looking at him. "Nope." Karl said plainly, crossing his leg over the other, looking as relaxed as possible. "Just enjoying the view." He said as he pointed out the window of her office. She turned an noticed him pointing and nodded.
After another hour or so someone walked into the door, it was Hood. Karl immediately stood up and gave him a salute. "At ease." Hood said while waving his hand down, with a nod Karl sat back down and go in his previous position. "M'lady." Hood said while taking a seat on the other side of the desk. Soya nodded and looked at him, Karl just sat there not wanting to intrude on their conversation, but they were close so he mine as well snoop. "So how is your new guard fairing you, did I choose well." Hood asked her, "Well it is only his second day so I can't really for an opinion, but he has saved my life once, well twice if you count the mob." She said in a very monotone voice. "Huh, well I just got a report from head of security that Kuhn defused the situation quickly, most likely to protect you." Hood said. Karl was trying his best to not blush under his helmet considering all the attention he was getting, he hated it but loved it.
After a few more moments of Hood asking some other useless questions that Karl could care less to hear about, without a word Hood left the room and the door closed behind him. Karl then got up and walked over to Soya, "Ma'am if you don't mind me asking, could I be dismissed for a couple of hours. My family lives nearby and I have not visited them since I joined the ODST, which was about 5 years ago." Karl said while walking in front of the desk. "I suppose, but hurry back please I do not want to be unprotected long." She said in sarcastic voice. Karl left the room and quickly headed out of the building. He nodded to the security at the front, which had increased since the mob this morning. He looked at his watch on his HUD and saw it was about 1200, 'I will be back at 4' Karl thought as he walked out into the less busy street. It was Sunday church was lessening the croud, which Karl thanked the all holy religion for.
After a few minutes of walking and people avoiding his presence he made it to his families house which he hoped they still lived there. And he hoped he looked like he did a few years ago, clean shaven buzz cut, still a very smooth but serious looking face. 'I just hope they live here still' Karl thought as he walked up to the town house.
Karl knocked on the door and waited for a few moments, he took off his helmet quickly and put it under his arm. Looking as least a bit threatening as he could in his armor, then he pressed a button on his arm and deactivated the shields so if they went for a hug they wouldn't bounce off of him. Soon the door opened with a soft "Guten abend" from he knew it was his mother, he recognized the voice almost instantly. "Who are you-" She stopped and looked at Karl's face. "Kara, get in here now!" He heard his mother say and she quickly wrapped Karl in her arms and started kissing his chin, which is all she could reach. He could tell she was crying but didn't say anything. "We knew you were alive because we never got a letter from the UNSC, why do you never write us.." She was rambling, just so happy to see Karl. Karl just kissed her head and walked with his mother still clinging to him, into the house and closed the door behind him. Then he saw his sister walk in, now in her teenage years, she looked a little like Karl but she had darker brown hair and a slightly softer face. "Oh my god, Karl!" She ran towards Karl and hugged him tightly, barely really getting through his armor though. Both women were now crying and hugging him. Karl sighed.
"Alright enough ladies, enough." Karl laughed as he said this, it was a real laugh not a fake one like he usually did. They both let go of him and were now just staring at him. "Well, we were about to have lunch, if you would like to join us." His mother said softly now wiping away her tears. "That would be lovely mother." Karl said walking over to their dining room. 'Still looks the same as it had when I left' Karl thought as he walked into it and put his helmet onto the counter. "So are you staying in town somewhere, if you have to you can live here." His mother said walking up behind him. "I would love to mother, but I am actually on a mission right now, I am just visiting temporarily. I know it sucks but it's a part of life." Karl said as he sat down in the 4 chair dining table. "Well I will have you know your sister is doing very well in school. Like you never did..." She said jokingly at the end. Karl scoffed, "You know I was always going to be in a life of military, I am not dumb mother but I just hated the idea of school, I still learned, I just never did any of my work." Karl said with a chuckle, "I think I'm too old for a scolding anyways." Karl finished. "You are never too old for a scolding young man." She said shaking her head and grabbing what looked like sandwiches.
Kara soon walked in now wearing glasses, which was a new feature that he had never seen, but he thought she looked pretty in them. "So have a boyfriend yet Kara?" Karl asked looking over to her. "No, I don't want one, yet." She said sitting down in the chair to his left. "Why not?" Karl asked sitting up a bit now, less relaxed. "It would mess with my studies." She said plainly. Karl chuckled, "That's what I want to hear, less heartache more headache." Karl leaned back in the chair again.
His mother put down the sandwiches and they began eating after a short prayer. Karl didn't mind praying if it was with his family, but he was never too religious, but respected his family's religion. After some catching up and Karl telling a few war stories, but of course under exaggerated because he did not want to go into detail about what actually happened. "So what is your mission you are here for?" His sister asked. "Well, I guess I could tell you, but I have a job at the embassy. helping guard a VIP." Karl said, hoping she wouldn't ask who. "Who are you guarding?" She asked, 'For fuck's sake' Karl mumbled in his mind. "Well it is an ambassador from Sangheilios." Karl said. "No way, a sangeili!" His sister shouted. Karl sighed, "Yep." He said casually, while also finishing his sandwich. "What are they like when they are trying not to kill you?" His mother actually asked, more angry in tone now. Karl shrugged, "They are decent, more than I expected especially since it is a female, they seem more civilized and up for the job than men are." Karl said taking a sip of water from his canteen. He just heard his mother grunt, probably out of frustration. "How many did you kill?" Kara suddenly asked him. "Now Kara, it is very informal to ask soldiers that question, or don't ask if they killed someone. It is uncomfortable for soldiers to say that kind of thing, only people in the right mind will tell you the same thing I did. If anyone else tells you how many they killed, you know they are probably fucking crazy." Karl said getting up from his chair. "Watch your mouth Karl!" His mother shouted at him. "Sorry, I picked up that mouth being in the navy mother." Karl said rubbing the back of his head. His mom always knew how to scold him, even if he was a grown man.
"So anything you guys want to do while I am here?" Karl asked, "I have a couple more hours to stay here." Karl walked over to the couch and sat in it. "Well actually Kara has to go back to church soon and I need to go into work for an emergency after lunch, so your visit may be short lived". Karl shrugged, "Alright I can head to the bar or something." Karl said as he gave both his mother and sister a goodbye hug and kiss and walked with them to their car. "I will visit as often as I can, to make up for lost time, I promise." Karl said as they drove off and he waved them goodbye. He put his helmet back on and headed for the local bar to spend the rest of his free time getting some cold drinks.
He made his way to the bar and walked in keeping his helmet on as he walked in, basically forgetting he was wearing it. He walked over to a corner booth and sat in it stretching his feet out onto the table and leaning back. He took his helmet off and laid it next to him. Taking a deep sigh an attractive waiter came up to him and smiled, "Hello sir what may I get you?" She asked him. "Just a couple cups of budweiser please." Karl said monotone. A lot of thoughts were hitting him, if he was even going to be able to keep his promise with his family. "Okay sir I will be right back." She said and walked off. Karl just stared off into space for a few minutes until she came back, "Here you go, you also get a discount if you have a soldier ID, even though it's pretty obvious" She said with a chuckle at the end. "No need ma'am I will pay full price, I am feeling generous today actually." Karl said looking at her. She nodded and walked away and Karl took a sip from one of the cups of cold beer. "Ahhh." Karl was enjoying this, because he didn't drink often when he did it let some pressure off his head.
He continued to drink the cup of beer slowly, and just observing his surroundings. There were a group of what looked like just normal patrons in the opposite corner in the other booth and a couple of women at the actual bar. It was pretty empty though, considering it was a Sunday afternoon, that was probably why, but he liked that it was empty. He didn't mind it at all, less people to bother him.
After he was done drinking the 2 cups, he barely felt intoxicated, he put his helmet on and went up to the bar tender and put the money he owed on the bar, getting a worried look from the two women next to him as he was putting the money down. He just waved at them and walked out of the bar.
As he walked down the street towards the embassy he could see obviously about three people following him at a fast pace. He shrugged, knowing these guys were probably the butt buddies of the guy he fucked up yesterday. Because he saw the same guy in front of him, probably dumb enough to think he was actually drunk. But his senses were still top notch, he could take all these guys. The man stepped in front of him. "Sup asshole." He said in somewhat broken english. "Hi, just passing through, don't mind me sir." Karl said as he turned and saw the three men a few feet behind him. "You should have let me kill that sangheili bitch!" He yelled at Karl's face, but he wasn't intimidated. "Well I'm sorry I am a soldier and not a civie who believes whatever the planet's propaganda tells him." Karl said as he tried to talk past but the man put a hand on his chest stopping Karl in his tracks. "If you are not with humanity you are against." He saw one of the men behind him pull a 9mm pistol, Karl's shields weren't on but his armor would easily stop the bullet. So he let the man shoot him and it just pinged off and his the concrete.
Karl stayed clam and composed as the other two went in to grab his arms, instead they hit the concrete as Karl shoved both of his elbows back and hit both of them in their noses. The original man and leader of this gang tried to pry off his helmet from the back, but the helmet was locked onto his armor and it would be no use. Karl turned and grabbed the man's arm when he went in for a punch and twisted his wrist making the man shriek in pain and fall to the ground, "This time you are under arrest mister." Karl said as he cuffed the man to a pole. The other guy with a gun was now just pointing it at Karl as Karl called the local police. "Yes I am being assaulted, 7th Gross street, yes." As he was talking to the operator he pulled out his magnum and shot the man with the pistol several times in the legs and arms, making him fall to the ground in pain. Karl walked over to him and took the pistol and took the clip out and pulled the cock back so the chambered round would fly out. Karl threw the pistol on the ground next to the other two men who were holding their now broken noses.
Karl zip tied all of them to the same pole the leader was on and watched them all argue with each other until the police arrived who came with several squad cars and took them all. Karl gave his report, and took a breathalizer test because the men claimed he was drunk and attacked him. He came out clean so he gave his report and left, going back to the embassy finally. By now it was 5 pm, he was very late.
He walked into the embassy to be met with an angry looking sangheili. "You are a little late, and by a little I mean a lot human." She said angrily looking at him. "Yeah sorry I was held up on my way here by stabby boy from yesterday and his butt buddies, but I took care of it and had to stay to give my report to the police of what happened. Sorry for being late." Karl said turning around and showing the bullet mark in his clean everywhere else armor. She nodded in understanding and waved for him to follow her. He walked up next to her. "So, you friends with admiral Hood?" Karl asked, "We are acquaintances, when the arbiter is not able to visit he does." She said plainly. "Huh, the arbiter huh? He is the leader now right, exposed the prophet's lies?" Karl asked, "Yes indeed human, he helped our people come to light that the prophets were liars." She said while rubbing her mandibles. "Well why did you start a war against the humans?" Karl asked in real curiosity. "We were told by the prophets that you were pests that had no real use and needed to be exterminated." She said in an actually sad tone, to Karl's surprise. "Well we were not people to be messed with were we?" Karl said in a somewhat harsh tone which he didn't mean to come out. She just nodded. "Did you ever kill any of my people, when you were fighting the covenant?" She asked, which surprised Karl even more, but he wanted to be honest with her. "Well, yes, I killed many, but I was just defending my species, you would have done the same to humans." Karl said in a serious tone. She nodded as they continued down the hall to her quarters. "Well I must rest I have had a long day in the negotiations, good bye human." Karl nodded as she closed the door and he walked off back to his room.
He made it back soon and stripped his armor and helmet off and got into athletic shorts and an athletic shirt to sleep in. He laid down in his bed and thought about everything that happened today and hoped those assholes didn't see his face and or saw him with his family. His family being in danger would be the death of him, he would do anything to protect them. He promised himself if anything or anyone ever threatened his family he would do anything to kill those people, but those pricks did none of that and would enjoy a few good years in prison, at least he hoped. He had told the officers that he was with the ambassador and he attempted to assault and possibly kill her.
Finally losing these thoughts and clearing his mind he drifted off to sleep.
He opened his eyes to be laying in a bed, a different bed than he was laying in when he went to sleep. He saw a women next to him, after further inspection he saw that it was Brandy. She was peacefully sleeping, with slow and steady breaths. Karl looked around and saw that he was nude, and she was nude. They must have done the deed. 'Would this have happened if she had not been killed?' Karl thought, he started to think, 'I could have saved her, if only I was faster and closer I could have prevented this whole thing from happening' he then started to cry, but subtly and not very loudly. But Brandy awoke and began hugging him, he then heard her sweet voice, "It's okay there is nothing to cry about, I am here for you Karl." He stopped crying then smiled, what kind of tricks was his mind playing on him? Why was this happening to him?
Karl opened his eyes and he was back in the real world. Was that a nightmare or a good dream? He couldn't think straight as his mind was flooding with memories of his friends. He would have trouble going back to sleep tonight.