So it took me a while to get back because I shipped my laptop off to be repaired, but they didn't tell me it was going to then be shipped to California because they couldn't fix it. Long story short I had to wait longer than expected so please enjoy the next installment of my story :)

"It's true, took him down with a knife right in the back."

I shook my head as I listened to some of the antics my brother got into while he served, he always did like to make trouble. The two of us were sitting in an empty white space with drinks in hand, chatting about the good days when we didn't have to worry about being ambushed by covenant.

"You know...mom hates me. I know you said that she wouldn't mean anything that she said but...she really does."

"Rikki-"

"Why did you save me that day? You knew that you weren't going to make it out but still you risked your life for mine. It just doesn't make sense to me."

He looked at me for a moment before setting his drink on what was supposed to be a floor, folding his hands together and sighing heavily. It doesn't matter how long it's been since I've seen him, I could still feel the disappointment radiating off of him.

"You really are thick headed. Why would you think that your life has any less value than mine did? I chose to save you because I loved you, you're my sister. I don't care what mom said to you, you were the most important thing in my life because you were always there for me. Even when mom told me to watch you you ended up taking care of me.

I smirked a little as I stared down at my folded hands, it was true. I was always making dinner or telling him what we needed from the grocery store. Making lists of chores for us during the week and making sure we finished our homework. But it wasn't all me, I needed him too.

"You're right...but I need you too. I'm so lost right now and I just can't do what I need to, I can't be the soldier they want me to be. Michael what should I do?"

I groaned in aggravation and buried my head in my hands, that's odd, they felt cold...

"Rikki look at me. "

I tore my gaze from my paler than usual hands and looked my brother in the eyes, finally realizing that they were clouded over like those of someone long dead.

"I can't just tell you what to do, your path is different than those before you. I must leave you to make the actions to shape your own future. It's time to wake up Rikki. Wake up..."

I grew confused as his voice began to go lower, sounding more and more like someone I knew...the spartan! Suddenly it hit me, the banshee...I pulled up too far and must have passed out. But I felt my hearing beginning to return and my vision blackened completely before blurring back into focus. I heard the controls going haywire before I could see them, mostly they were just alerts telling me that if I didn't take control soon that I would plummet to my death. Then there was the overwhelming noise of people shouting over my comm.

"Rikki pull up!"

"I'm trying!"

I grunted in pain as I willed my nearly frostbitten limbs to move and take control, pulling up at a nearly impossible angel.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

I didn't let go until the erratic beeping finally subsided, a green light flashing to show that I was now in the clear. My heart thumped loudly against my chest as I tried to control my labored breathing, never again will I fly one of these death contraptions. I slowly flew over the bridge where the master chief was waiting and waited until I felt him grab on before heading to the door to the control room. I steadied my hands long enough to shakily land the banshee before jumping out; I tore my helmet off and gasped, drawing in deep lungfuls of air.

"Oh shit...never doing that again..."

"Rikki what the hell were you thinking?! You could have died pulling a stunt like that we told you not to do it!"

"I know but I couldn't let that blasted alien ruin our mission-"

"It isn't the alien that almost ruined the mission, Agent. You completely disregarded my orders and nearly cost us the mission and your own life."

"Look I know it wasn't the smartest thing to do but I knew I could handle it, why can't you try and thank me for proving myself a valuable soldier?!"

He was silent as I stood and put my helmet back on, making sure that all my coordinates were working before heading towards the control panel to open the door. My lips were pressed tightly together as I scanned the console and began to input the code, but a hand firmly took hold of mine and pulled me away from the panel.

"What the he-"

"There's movement behind this door...a lot of movement. They have most likely set up a type of trap so that whoever opens this door is hit with hundreds of plasma bolts, it's best that we open it and quickly head for cover up that ramp."

I wanted to roll my eyes at his stoic tone of voice, he was probably just seething that I didn't listen to the all mighty spartan.

"Fine. I'll open the door."

He nodded and headed up the ramp before loading his pistol and crouching low. Taking a shaky breath I finished punching in the numbers and then ran up the ramp, taking cover quickly so as too avoid detection by any hostiles. I could hear their chatter as they looked around to find whoever opened up the doors, the grunts making their disgusting pig like noises as they sniffed near the ground.

"Alright, lets start taking them out. Don't let them get up the ramp."

I was silent as he ordered me into position and I drew my weapon, loading it loudly so as to draw attention before popping out from cover. Smiling, I whistled loudly and yelled out to the confused aliens snooping around.

"Hey dumb asses, up here! Lookin for someone?!"

"Hrak mir na! Attack!"

But before the elite even took a step towards the ramp blue blood exploded from the side of his head, his body crashing to the ground only seconds afterwards. Several grunts met the same fate moments later, I quickly fired my pistol and took out the rest of the aliens waiting further back. In only about 10 minutes we had the entire hanger cleared of enemies, leaving us to casually walk further towards the back where we discovered another panel.

"My sensors indicate that the controls to the ring are right behind this door, excellent job you two."

"Mmmm..."

I stared in awe as the doors opened and I took in the view before me; the entire room lit up with maps and virtual representations of the ring and all of its systems. Something this dynamic and intricate must have been built by a species well beyond our own intelligence level and time, probably evolved at a faster rate. As I stood in the middle of the walkway I noticed that the spartan had approached the main panel and put Cortana's AI chip into it, her hologram popping up as she took over the system.

"Hmm...all this vast knowledge. It's almost overwhelming and it answers so many questions, and yet...creates many more. But what is...oh no...this ring isn't...it's not what the covenant thought it was. It was meant to keep something dormant but they didn't know...you have to go stop Keyes! Don't let them release anything you have to go now!"

"But what-"

"There's no time just go now!"

The Master Chief and I turned quickly on heel, calling in a pick up whilst we ran for the exit. What had made Cortana so afraid? If it was truly as bad as she was making it out to be then by the gods we better make it there in time. Wait...I was scheduled to go on that mission. If I could get Foehammer to take me directly to the drop off zone then I could meet the rest of the team there. But that would mean giving good ol master chief the slip, and that was easier said than done.

As we reached the first doorway once more I took a deep breath before turning towards what I almost thought of as a comrade, steeling my nerves so that I could attempt to lie through my teeth; Fortunately he beat me to the punch, his voice emotionless as far as I could tell.

"I want you too take that banshee back to base immediately, I'll be handling this next mission alone."

"That's hardly fair, you'll need back up-"

"I don't need anything. That's an order."

"Fine."

Ignoring the blistering undertone in his voice I quickly made my way over to the banshee and hopped in, taking off without a second thought, though little did he know that I had no intention of going back to base. I was going on this mission whether he liked it or not. He was such a self centered, ignorant, pig-headed, maniacal jerk! How dare he think that I was a liability! All I've done is try and help on this mission and every chance that he could he has just told me to back off and let him do his job, well now he's going to see that he's not the only one that can use a gun.

I continued to fly towards the pelican's landing zone casually until I was startled by a confused and stern female voice.

"That is not the way to the base camp Rikki."

"Cortana?! How are you-"

"This control room does have its ways of communication. You and I both know that you shouldn't be doing this, going against direct orders isn't going to prove anything to anyone. He's not going to be happy about this."

"Please Cortana just let me go, I need to do this."

"Just like you needed to almost get yourself killed trying to take out that elite? Look I won't say anything but if I catch air that anything has gone wrong I'm telling him."

I grinned at the mom like tone she held in her voice and wondered if she got that from Halsey. Probably. I smirked in my helmet and sped up a little as I was about an hour out from the hot zone. Like my brother always used to say, regret later and live now...if you make it that far.

(Time Skip)

"Reporting for duty Captain Keyes...sir."

"Noted Agent Dusk. Lets move out marines."

About an hour ago the Captain received a transmission from these coordinates about an attack, but the comm cut out before we could get a clear message. The covenant have scattered themselves all over this area so our job was to clear them out and locate the missing team, along with me making sure that Keyes didn't put his nose in something he wasn't supposed to. I jogged along with the rest of the unit, taking out any aliens that we came across without hesitation; But what I noticed as we traveled further into the swampland was that they seemed to be heading in the opposite direction, as if they were fleeing from something.

"Sir, not to try and stir any worry but...they seem to be running from something. You think it's wise to go in that structure?"

"Whether it's wise or not we need to figure out what's going on down there, you're not going to go AWAL on me are you soldier."

"Of course not sir, just stating my opinion."

"Alright then, shall we then?"

I looked at the entrance to the facility warily before nodding and following my Captain down, stepping on the elevator and closing my eyes as we descended down into the darkness of the building.