Karl and the Spartan were running through the halls practically unopposed, when they did encounter a crewman he just watched as they cowered in fear and then ran for their lives, not even trying to fight. 'Good ONI better run' Karl thought as he aimed his magnum up to shoot a fleeing crewman in the back. A large armored hand grabbed Karl's wrists. "I may be a killing machine sergeant, but they aren't a threat." The Spartan said in a matter of fact tone. Karl let tension of the trigger, "You are right, lets waste ammo on the ones who shoot back." Karl replied as he began moving down the halls following the marker on his HUD towards the brig.
When Karl peaked the corner to the hallway with all the cells he was met with a barrage of gunfire. He quickly took cover behind a pillar and began returning fire. The Spartan did the same on the opposite end of the hall. Karl peaked and shot one in the chest, he saw blood coming out from the man's mouth and then he quickly fell to the ground. "Parker!" Karl heard someone next to the dead man shout and crouch down. Karl didn't shoot instead he watched. The agent just began crying, Karl just stood there, not really faltered by the emotional scene. "Put down your arms and I will not shoot!" Karl yelled at them. He watched as the rest of the agents dropped their weapons and stepped to the side. Karl walked over to a cell and opened it, "Everyone inside now!" Karl shouted with authority, something he picked up being an NCO. He kept his gun trained on all of them as they walked into the cell, he counted 11 in total. He stopped the agent that cried. "Why are you crying?" Karl asked genuinely intrigued. The man looked up at Karl, "I have known him for years, I'm sorry, why did you have to kill him..." He looked Karl straight through the visor. "That's war kid, you have to get over death, were you in ONI during the Human Covenant war?" Karl asked still aiming the gun to his head.
"No, I joined a few weeks ago." He stated. Karl glared at him, "Then you don't know what loss is, get in the cell." Karl said ruthlessly. The man nodded and walked into the cell. Karl quickly locked it and focused his attention to the other cells. "Which one is she in..." Karl asked himself as he looked through the window in each one.
The Spartan was just standing nearby probably watching the prisoners. All of the sudden a alarm blared and red lights started flashing around the ship. "Attention all hands, this is not a drill, get to your battle stations immediately." A PA system announced. Karl just shrugged and went through each cell. "She's not here Spartan. Probably took her to the bridge." Karl said as he checked the last one with no sign of Soya.
"So who's higher rank here Spartan?" Karl asked as he walked towards him. "You are Sergeant, you are the rank of Sergeant Major, in the marines which is a separate branch from the Navy. I am a Petty officer 1st class, which is a staff sergeant. So technically you are in charge here." The Spartan finished. Karl nodded, "I treat all NCOs just like if we were privates who knew each other since basic, I'm no command freak, so be thankful." Karl said with a bit of a chuckle.
"Anyways we should really get moving Spartan." Karl said as he motioned for him to follow, the Spartan started following Karl as they started heading towards the bridge. "Please, call me Leo sergeant." The Spartan said. "Alright Leo, let's get moving then." Karl said in reply as they started making their way towards the bridge.
On the way there they hadn't encountered a single crewman, they must have all went to get into defensive positions of the bridge or possibly actually moving to their battle stations, or maybe they had already killed all the security staff. Karl didn't know he just wanted to save Soya, if it was for his mission or his feelings for her he didn't know, he just had to get her out of ONI's nasty ass hands.
Karl held up his fist as they nearly reached a corner. Leo stopped behind him. "Let me take a peak the Bridge is right around the corner, there is a long hall to the door they might have put defenses in." Leo said. "Negative, I have my cloak remember." Karl said quietly, to not alert anyone that might be around. Leo nodded and waved his hand as if telling Karl to go. Karl nodded and pressed the button on his forearm and in a split second he was noticeable until he was right next to his target.
Karl peaked the corner and saw about 30-40 agents all armed with 9mm pistols and light combat armor, most of them wearing hats not even helmets. Karl gave a sly grin as he looked at all of them from his peaking spot in the corner. He went back and turned off his cloak and turned his shields on. "30 to 40 of them, all wearing light combat armor and only armed with nine mills." Karl said as he loaded a fresh magazine into his magnum and put the energy sword in his other hand. "Should we try to talk to them." Leo said, "They wouldn't stand a chance Kuhn." "Yeah you are right, I will try." Karl said as he turned his shields on to max and stepped out into the hallway.
"You don't stand a chance put down your arms and walk away and you will not be harmed!" Karl yelled at them. For a second they all looked shocked and just stared at Karl. "How can you guarantee that, asshole!" He heard one of them shout. "You are one guy, and you did what you did!" Another one shouted, "We should just end this and kill him." Another one said. Leo stepped around the corner with his AR on his back and Karl saw the two SMGs that he held in his hands, ready to be fired. "It will be a slaughter it is not worth it!" Karl shouted at them. "Slaughter us like you slaughtered all those other agents huh!" A female agent shouted.
"In every one of those situations I was defending myself or my assignment. Everything I did was for the UNSC not against it!" Karl shouted back. "Bullshit!" He heard one shout. Karl stepped closer. "Stop or we will fire Kuhn!" Another one shouted. "I am trying to tell you guys the truth, just listen to me!" Karl said. "The first time it happened, the reason I went on the run, was because they came out of nowhere after an attack on me and the ambassador I was escorting, I had solid proof it was planned for a long time because the attackers, who dressed like civis, turned out to be agents in disguise, they had top notch fire arms and equipment, and I raided a lot of Ennie hide outs in my day, and they never had shiny guns." Karl yelled at them. "Then you assholes show up to tell me I have to come with you, for what? I don't take orders from ONI!" Karl shouted, "Never have never will!" Karl finished. "I killed them because they shot first, after I flash-banged them of course, they just started shooting like idiots, when they should have just sat by and watched me escape." Karl said.
They all just stared at Karl in shock. "Is this really true?" He heard one of them ask. "Yes coming from me, a guy who has his entire life been raised to tell the truth and being a soldier of the 1st Special Operations Brigade after 10 years in the ODST, yes, if you want proof just look up my records, which I bet the Colonel never showed any of you before he told you guys to hunt me down." Karl said.
They just looked at him longer. "Now drop your weapons and there will be no more bloodshed on this vessel." Karl said sternly. He saw one of them set their pistol down on the ground, "What are you doing Hudson?" "I'm not fighting these scary bastards." Then after that most of them dropped them almost instantly. After the last one dropped their gun Karl nodded to them. "Now scoot, before I start knee capping." Karl said sternly. In a few seconds they all had ran out of the hallway and elsewhere.
"Damn fine job, you might be a good diplomat one day Kuhn." Leo stated. Karl just shrugged, "In the UNSCs dreams Leo." Karl said as he walked down the hall and Leo followed close behind. Karl spotted the camera in the corner of the hall and looked up into it. "I bet you are pissing your pants right now." Karl said into the camera, he then put a bullet straight into the lens and watched as the camera blew into sparks and fell to the ground.
Karl stretched out a bit. "You got access to the door?" Karl asked Leo, "Yep full clearance." Leo stated plainly, "Well open her up." Karl said as he prepared himself for anything to happen.
Leo went to the panel and smashed it with his fist, "Full clearance, Kuhn." Leo stated again. "Smart ass." Karl couldn't help but let out a small chuckle even though his heart rate went through the roof according to his HUD.
Karl watched as the door slid open, and what he saw he would never forget, Soya was on the floor surrounded by at least 5 what looked like very elite agents, all of them with shotguns straight at her head. The colonel was smugly standing behind them with his hands behind his back. "About time you showed up Kuhn." The colonel said in his rich boy voice which made Karl cringe. "I wanted to see your reaction as my 5 most loyal men here blew her brains all over the floor." He stated.
"You realize colonel what you are doing here is an unforgivable crime." Leo said as he stepped into the room. "Spartan, you will not live to be able to tell anyone what happened here, Kuhn will be caught by me and tried in front of the supreme court. And this sangheili here will be a lovely ransom. That is if Karl agrees to my terms." The colonel stated while pacing slowly back and forth.
Karl was fuming but he was controlling his anger for the most part, if he lost his control here, she would die. "Ah okay, I'm glad my helmet cam caught you saying that, just sayin." Karl blurted out, "Oh shit did I just say that out loud, oh no." Karl stated worriedly. "Your what?" The colonel said again. "Oh my helmet camera, that is capturing everything since the beginning of the whole endevour." Karl said monotone. "You better not dare release that!" The colonel shouted, his soldiers pumped their shotguns. "Pfft, you think she means anything to me personally, all she is, is my mission, and if anything you will be caught on camera committing a murder. While in my case I was recorded killing criminals that threatened to start a war between our two lovely races. Which I have found to like since my visit to their homeworld, their culture is just amazing you know. I fought a war against them and here I am making friends with them." Karl stated monotone. "And don't forget how I did fight the covenant during the war, and what did you do? Sit on your ass in Harvard getting education just so you can use it to be a giant dick bag." Karl finished. 'Man I hate monologues' Karl thought as he took a deep breath after his little rant.
He even saw the elite agents moving uneasily. Then he heard one of them whisper. "Sir, do we kill her?" The colonel just sat there in silence. "I don't recommend doing that." Karl looked over and saw some of the deck crewman with their sidearms out pointing them at the Colonel and his men. "Put your weapons down now, all of you." Said a man wearing a hat with a naval Captains hat on, "I'm taking my ship back colonel you are under arrest." The Captain said as he walked up behind the Colonel and put a pistol to his back. "Now." He stated sternly into to Colonel's ear. "You will be going to the Brig, sir." The Captain stated as the elite agent's weapons were snatched from their hands and they were zip tied. Karl then saw some of the crewman he let go earlier coming in and surrounding the agents.
"Escort them the hell off my bridge." He said and they grabbed them and took them to the brig.
"Captain Jeffrey Boyes, pleasure to finally meet them infamous Karl Kuhn." He said putting a hand out to Karl, who had to admit he was shocked. Karl took his hand in his own armored one. "It's a pleasure Captain, sir." Karl said as he saw Leo walking over to Soya and helping her up. "Bastard used rank to control my little Frigate here a couple months ago, and ONI threats. Thank god I had fate on my side." Boyes said. "Damn right sir, what's our next course?" Karl asked. "We will be heading to Cairo station straight away to lock these bastards up." Boyes stated matter of factly, "I will find you a room, hell you can have the colonel's room." Boyes stated as he patted Karl's shoulder.
"What about your crewman I killed sir." Karl stated openly, "I forgive you, they were not under my control unfortunately." Karl nodded.
"That was some monologue you had there, never believed their shitty propaganda anyways." Boyes stated. "I'm glad I keep managing to meet non asshole officers." Karl said out loud. "I'll take that as a complement sergeant, you can go rest now if you want." Boyes said waving Karl away. "Yes sir." Karl said as he walked over to Leo who was holding Soya in his arms, she was beaten bad. 'Bastards, I will get them back for this' Karl thought as he stepped in front of Leo. "Our doctors don't know much about their anatomy, I will take her to the Colonel's room and let her rest." Karl stated as he put his arms out and Leo put her in his arms. "By the way Leo, thanks for the help man, couldn't have done it without you." Karl said giving Leo a respectful nod. "No problem, it was all for the alliance." Leo said as Karl left the bridge.
Karl followed the HUD marker that was on his helmet to get to the colonel's room. "Karl..." Karl heard the weak voice say his name. "I gotcha Soya, you are safe now." Karl said as he looked down at her. He entered the room and saw the expensive furniture and the large window for viewing the outside. "How many times have... you saved me now." Soya said weakly. "I think that makes 5 or 6." Karl went along with the joke to humor her. He heard her let out a soft chuckle and then grab her stomach, "Slow it down there, you are hurt bad." Karl said as he rubbed his thumb on her shoulder where he was holding her.
He put her down softly on the bed, "Sleep now." Karl said softly as he rubbed her cheek with his armored glove. As fast as he said that she had her eyes closed and was completely asleep on the bed. But Karl had some business to take care of.
He walked out of the room and towards the brig area of the ship. When he got there he saw the cleaning crews cleaning up the blood on the walls and floors from when Karl shot the man. He walked to the door holding the prisoners and saw someone guarding the cell. "I need to have a word with the 'sir'." Karl stated monotone. "Uh, okay." The soldier stated as he opened the door for Karl, and he saw the Colonel was in a cell all by himself. 'Perfect' Karl thought as he stepped in and saw the Colonel sitting in the corner.
"Hi there Colonel." Karl said as he stood over the hunched over ONI officer. Saw you beat up my protectee pretty bad, what was that for?" Karl said as he crouched eye level with the Colonel. "She was asking for it, she wasn't answering my questions." He said with venom on his tongue. "Ah okay, can you answer a question for me." Karl asked with even more venom. The Colonel scoffed. "Well I was going to ask, Did you think there would be no retaliation, that your plan would work?" Karl said monotone. "Uhh, I dunno." The colonel said looking at the floor.
"Welp didn't answer my question what a fucking shame." Karl said as he pulled his fist back and picked the Colonel up with his other hand. Almost lifting him off the ground. Karl smashed his armored glove into the Colonel's nose and heard the sickening crack as he broke his nose, making it go a weird angle. He then put another punch in the same spot making the go even weirder. Karl watched as the blood flowed from his nose. Karl then smacked him in the mouth, again and again. He could see the blood pouring from his cut up gums.
Karl then put a knee to his crotch and he heard the Colonel yelp in pain and his legs started failing. But Karl held him up with his enhanced anger driven strength. Karl put his heel into the Colonel's knee and it went backwards, the Colonel let out another scream of pain. "Now you got a leg like them, maybe you will treat them better." Karl shouted right in the Colonel's face through his helmet. Karl threw the colonel onto the ground. He sent one last kick into his chest before 'dusting' off his armor.
Karl looked back at the Colonel before leaving and saw he was crying, "Don't be a pussy, you brought this upon yourself." Karl said completely monotone like he didn't just do what he did and walked out of the cell. He looked at the guard at the front of the cell. "Get a medic in there." Karl pointed to the cell. The soldier looked at him and then peaking into the cell, Karl saw the guy make a grinding sound with his teeth and he looked back at Karl and nodded. As Karl walked away he saw the guard on comms, with who he hoped was the medic.
'Damn that felt good' Karl thought as he stretched his arm out on the way back to his room.