Karl was walking around a courtyard area of the keep which he had been told by Soya where formal events were held outdoors and not inside the great hall. Karl was intrigued by the large amount of exotic plants that were here it was almost as it was a giant garden. Then he spotted a large field, he walked to it and just noticed how sunny Sangheilios was. 'Glad I won't get 'sun' burnt' he thought as he walked into the open field and just looked around himself. He was amazed at the sight, from here he could see just how large the keep was and also how large this so called courtyard was, considering he was the only one around, he decided to do some exercises, which he had not done in a long time and he needed to stay in shape to kick ass.

Karl took off his sunglasses and balaclava. After that he took off his vest and thick shirt as well as his pistol holster, but kept his knife. He then laid down and bent his knees up and started doing sit- ups. 'One, two, three...' he was counting to himself. After about 100 he stopped and put his legs down and flipped to his stomach, getting in push up position. He the lifted one arm off the ground and put it behind his back and started to do one armed push ups. After about 30 on each side he took a drink from his canteen. "Ah, fuck yes that is good." Karl said out loud. 'Finally have someplace to be in peace' Karl thought as he looked around.

He was now just sitting under a tree in the shade while taking his brief rest. He saw a guard patrolling around but he had no need to fear the guard because he was not doing anything wrong. He got up and put his shirt on and after that his vest, then quickly strapped his pistol holster back on and put his balaclava and shades on. Karl also rolled up his sleeves because it was very hot.

Karl walked out of the large gardens and to the 'training area' where all the young and old alike would go to train or duel. He didn't really see anyone around except one lone sangheili just hitting a wooden target. Karl sat down in a small seating area and just took a look around seeing everything there was. He was watching the sangheili now and saw that it was a very young one, maybe a preteen. He just watched it fight the fake enemy.

Soon the sangheili stopped and looked at Karl who was just sitting there staring nonchalantly. Karl just waved in a friendly manner, "What, nervous a human is here?" He asked as kindly as possible. Karl did not get a response he just kept staring. So Karl got up and walked towards him.

"Look I mean you no harm, actually I was just watching you fight. Well. More or less." Karl said as he approached the young boy. He pointed at the sword in the boy's hand and the boy gave him the sword. "You have gotta go for more decisive blows kid, stop targeting legs and arms, that won't kill your enemy." Karl said as he did some quick movements while pretending to dodge some strikes. "See simple, you try now." Karl gave the sword back and watched as the kid did them, instructing corrections if he did the movement wrong.

After the boy did it correctly finally he turned to Karl, "Human, this seems better than what my master shows me, but I cannot deny his teachings and take up your unless you fight him for the position." Karl just shrugged, "Well then don't tell him I helped you out a little," Karl then crouched to eye level with the boy, "But on your next class I bet you will kick some ass." Karl sat up and took a deep breath.

"Oh, well thank you human, I hope I will win some fights now." The boy then left the large training area through a set of doors in the side.

"You are good with children." The voice made Karl jump but he knew who it was, "It is not much Soya but it works. I have some experience." Karl said as he turned around and Soya was walking towards him. "Oh, do you have children?" She said as she took a seat in the observation area. "No, but I did a lot of care taking when I was younger, and sometimes I helped out refugees of the war." Karl said as he also sat down.

"Were there many orphans, during the war?" Soya asked. "Oh yeah, hell I would have been one if I didn't protect Earth when the covenant invaded. And I bet the whole human race would have been orphans, that is our home planet after all." Karl said and sighed.

"Are you stressed Karl?" Soya asked. "No, just having memories, memories I don't want. If you dwell on them you can get very mentally ill." Karl said as he remembered how he had blown up Rogers's body to kill a squad of enemies.

"I know what you mean human, my brother was killed on that blind crusade of a war." Soya said. "It was indeed crusade, but you guys didn't expect much resistance did you?" Karl said with a smug look on his face. "I was not for the war in the slightest, however I was very young then and saw any war as a honorable thing to fight in but us females don't really have any choice in our lives." Karl's eyebrow went up. "And how's that?". Soya sighed, "We don't really have much choice to do what we please, but my father is a very nice keep lord to say the least, he allowed me to pursue anything I wanted, and I chose diplomacy." Soya said.

Karl nodded. "Well being a soldier was a path I was going to pursue whether there was a war or not." Karl said as he scratched his nose. "It is all I really know, my dad was a soldier, grandfather, my mom even." Karl said. "I see, I feel sad for you that your race has exiled you." Soya said with actual care in her voice that is usually not there. "Don't feel bad Soya, I will get everything sorted out. I am going to make sure those responsible in ONI are put to justice." Then he mumbled under his breath, "Fucking assholes."

Then when Karl looked up he saw someone approaching and it threw him off guard as it was a fully armored elite major with all of his weapons and everything. "Soya 'Nadum, may I speak privately with you." It said, and then it looked directly at Karl. "Not unless I am there buddy." Karl said as he stood up and walked towards the elite which stood a whole foot taller than Karl. "And why is that human? Is she your mate?" It let out a chuckle, "No." Karl said with an look of anger under his mask, "I just am her bodyguard and I gotta make sure someone as shady as you doesn't try any funny business, eh?" Karl said trying to look as threatening as possible without his armor.

"Vaka, calm down, let the human come with us, but out of ears reach, but in view." Soya spoke up and walked over to the two. "Gah, fine over here." 'Vaka' said and Soya and him went over about 10 meters and spoke in their own language. In english Karl would hear them anyways. Karl just leaned on a wall and was observing both of their faces, though not human he had been around them enough to know the basic emotions on their faces.

Everything was going smoothly until he grabbed her throat, immediately Karl sprinted over and tackled him to the ground, "Mother fucker!" Karl yelled at him as he pinned the elite to the ground with his knee on his throat. "Move at all and I smash your wind pipe." Karl said as he put pressure to make his point. Vaka nodded and looked around frantically. Karl turned his head for a moment and saw Soya rubbing her throat and walking over to Karl. She put a hand on his shoulder, "Let him go." Was all she said. Karl nodded and got up and even offered the elite a hand. He just scoffed and got up himself.

"The fuck was that for man?" Karl asked Vaka who was rubbing his own throat now. "She didn't want to bang?!" Karl asked in an angry tone as he got up in the elites face as much as he could. Vaka did not get the slang but Soya being around humans a lot got the term and blushed unknowing to Karl. "Back off human before I crush you!" Vaka said as spit flew from his mouth. "Alright lets see if you can." Was all Karl said and he took a few steps back. "Karl this is unnecessary." Soya said as she grabbed his shoulder. "Oh yes it is but I gotta protect your dignity too, fucking asshole." Karl said. Looking at Vaka.

"What did you do to piss him off anyways aren't you diplomatic?" Karl asked. "I did not want his hand." Was all she said and that was enough for Karl to understand.

Karl patted his hands against his side. "Alright, let's fight asshole, if you win you get Soya's hand and if I win you don't. Fair enough?" Karl asked. "Indeed human it is fair enough." Vaka said and they started circling each other. Karl did discrete stretches, this was obviously not a fair fight, Vaka had armor, but Karl knew the weak points.

A crowd started to gather and Soya was off hiding in the shadows somewhere. "Winner gets to behead the other human." Vaka said before he charged at Karl. Karl simply side stepped and put his leg out tripping the large elite. Karl let out a small chuckle as Vaka got up and took a swing at him which Karl ducked under and punched Vaka in a joint that was exposed, Vaka let out a growl and reached for his energy sword, Karl went wide eyed when Vaka quickly swung it at Karl's legs, Karl reacted quickly and jumped over the swing and right onto Vaka's chest making both of them fall to the dirt.

Karl punched Vaka in the wrist which caused him to drop the sword, Karl got his knife out but before he could stab Vaka in the shoulder Vaka grabbed Karl's arm and obviously had superior strength to Karl. What Karl didn't expect was a headbutt, which caused him to fall off Vaka's chest and into the dirt. Karl didn't hesitate to get up but when he did Vaka was already up and then punched Karl in the face right on the nose, breaking his nose and his sunglasses. "Those were my good ones prick..." Karl said as he got his knife up and grabbed the blade. "What are you going to do hit me with it?" Vaka taunted, Karl just shrugged and then threw the blade right into Vaka's weak shoulder point. Vaka let out a cry of pain but then shook it off. Vaka grabbed his energy sword with his one good arm and charged Karl, Karl quickly stepped back from a stab which had burned his vest, but he was fine.

Vaka went in for another stab but Karl dodged it again, doing this a couple more times Karl was letting Vaka tire himself out, but it seemed he had endless energy and Karl's strategy was not working. Karl missed the dodge barely and was hit by a blunt part of the handle of the weapon, knocking him off his feet from the sheer force and onto the dirt. On his back right when he was about to get up a large foot smashed him to the ground again. Now laying with Vaka above him. "Looks like I have won human, you die now." Just as his arm was coming up with the sword to kill Karl Soya came out from nowhere. "Stop Vaka, that is enough, you can't kill him!" Soya said panicking. "Why not? He challenged me!" Vaka said. "B- Because I love him!" Soya shouted. Vaka looked like he just got his dick chopped off while Karl had no reaction at all.

'Well fuck' Karl said to himself. While Vaka was distracted Karl hit him in the knee and Vaka fell off him in pain. Karl quickly took the knife out of his shoulder and stabbed his other arm, after he dropped the energy sword Karl knocked Vaka to the ground with a quick kick to the mandibles and then put a knee on his chest and held the knife to Vaka's throat. He looked to Soya, "Thanks for the distraction, looks like it worked." Karl said with a smile on his face. "Who said it was a distraction." Soya said seeming very upset. Karl stiffened, he wasn't expecting that. He then looked down at Vaka who was panting heavily and oozing blood from the knife wounds and one of his mandibles being broken.

"I'll let you live asshole, get patched up." Karl said as he got off Vaka and helped the large sangheili up. Vaka quickly walked away and left his energy sword on the ground so Karl picked it up and turned it off, putting it on his belt. 'A nice souvenir' Karl thought to himself. He then turned to Soya who was now sitting in a corner. So he walked over.

"You know that takes guts to say something like that, but you helped when win the fight I was about to maybe 'lose'." Karl said as he sat next to her. "Hope this doesn't happen often this is my first day here." Karl said as he looked over to Soya. "Well I guess I am brave for admitting it, you are much better than any other male I have met, even though you are a different species." Soya said.

Karl sighed, "Well I don't know if I feel the same way Soya, but I can say you are a pretty good friend, hell maybe in time I will feel something." Karl admitted, "In time Soya, but I don't want things to go too fast, hell I barely have known you for a couple months." Karl said. "Well you have been so good to me since we met, I'm sorry that my feelings have gone so far so fast, no one has protected me this much before, not even my personal guards or father." Soya said. Karl patted her on the back and sat up stretching a little. He then felt the amount of blood coming from his lip and nose. "Well you can help me pop my nose back into place, that fight was kinda for you." Karl said and chuckled. "No thank you Karl, blood makes me sick, seeing that fight made me sick." Soya said getting up as well. Karl nodded, "I'll escort you back to your room and you can rest, okay?" Karl said with genuine concern in his voice. "That would be very nice, thank you." Soya said.

Karl walked Soya back to her room and said good bye at the door. He went to his own quarters and immediately took off his gear and balaclava which was now coated in blood on the inside and could be seen soaking through on the outside of it. He went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror at his crooked nose which he quickly popped back into place with a lot of pain and a 'snap' and 'pop' noise. Karl put some rags in his nose to clean the rest of the blood and walked over to the bed and realized actually how tired he was from the days activities.

After taking the rags out and putting them on the side table he sat on the bed and took his boots and knee pads off, as well as his socks and think over shirt. Karl changed into more comfortable sleep wear which consisted of some athletic shorts and a thin UNSC shirt.

Karl laid down in his bed and thought of the day's events.

Soya admitting her love to him and the fight with Vaka to defend her from a forceful marriage. Did he feel the same? Is that why he defended her? He didn't know he would think about the reasons later, right now he needed rest.

But he couldn't sleep, just like he could barely get any sleep on the ship. He quickly got up and made sure the door was locked, which it was. Then he thought of his home life before the war, how he had struggled and school and was now the highest NCO rank you could get in the UNSC Marines. It took Karl 10 years of dedicated service to get where he was, right when he reached the age of 18 he joined the UNSC to fight the covenant. Went into the Marines and after proving himself in training went on to join the ODST. Which happened to be the best thing that had happened to him, the training was brutal but he did it and had reached the rank of Corporal and was an assistant squad leader in his squad which is where he met Brandy and Rogers two of his best friends and Brandy becoming his girlfriend. He did not feel any feelings for her anymore after he had left for Sangheilios now that he thought about it he didn't even think of her at all. Like he had after she 'died'. 'Maybe I didn't have any real feelings for her afterall' Karl thought as he laid down in the bed again.

Finally feeling tired after so much thinking, he laid down and finally closed his eyes now that he got everything off his mind. Soon Karl fell asleep and would not wake up until the very next morning.

Another chapter out, holy shit I am on a role, just trying to make up for all my lost time, I had most of these already planned out, they just needed to be written, which they are being, I am planning on this story to be at least 15-20 chapter long, much longer than the first indeed. There is just so much plot development going on I can't stop :P. To be completely honest I thank all my followers and maybe growing fanbase, idk for posting reviews and be obliged to tell me of any spelling errors and/ or grammar issues and I will fix them as soon as I can. Also don't hesitate to give a review or constructive criticism, but don't just say 'This story is fucking gay' or anything I mean constructive, don't just be an asshole.

Thank you all,

Stevie