Chapter redone
Chapter 3 Part 1: Blood shed, and sharp objects.
"Sir." with a salute Master chief started off his morning by reporting to the bridge for a follow up on the current situation. He had made his way to the bridge with little delay, Samus had fully recovered from her injury, and was quick to catch onto his pace. Speaking with his superiors, the Spartan had left the girl outside the bridge door. Thinking nothing of it, he figured Samus wouldn't get herself into too much trouble.
"Master Chief, good morning. I hope you rested well. I had heard you decided to let the kid bunk with you?" Lasky greeted the Spartan with a datapad in hand. "How is our guest doing, Master Chief?"
"Samus has fully recovered from injuries and is doing well, physically. Though I do believe her mental state may be in disarray." Chief gave his honest reply, which sounded funny coming from him, as his mental state deep down was no better then the girl's.
"We figured the girl must've been traumatized. Therapy sessions were recommended for the young one, but getting her to agree to it would probably be another story." Lord Hood sighed.
Chief agreed with the officer, getting Samus to agree to attend a therapy session would probably be near impossible. Judging by the girl's attitude, and her shy behaviour around strangers, it would be a difficult task indeed.
While Chief was doing boring stuff with important people. Samus was bored out of her mind, standing outside the bridge door, she paced back and forth impatiently.
"There's that deadly kid I picked up, I don't know why Command is keeping her aboard, there's something about her I just don't trust." A female pilot scoffed to her teammates as they approached the bridge.
"It's just a little girl, she's not deadly, I'll prove it." One of the male teammates scoffed walking up to the young warrior. "Hey little girl, you lost?"
The voice startled Samus, spinning around to see a squad of soldiers approaching her. She activated her armour knowing it would be easier to translate the approaching humans.
Halting in front of the little girl the man smirked. "You must be that girl the Spartans are babysitting, the one they saved from that wierd, alien, planet."
Samus didn't reply to the soldiers that were now cornering her. Keeping silent as she looked for an escape from the invading squad.
"That's some interesting armour you got there." The man mentioned, forcefully spinning the girl around to get a better look of the orange armour.
Whirling back around Samus aimed her cannon at the pushy man. She was not about to be easily pushed around by strangers. Directing her aim at each soldier in the group, it wasn't necessary but it made her feel safer, showing her confidence to the possible threat.
The squad of soldiers returned the favour to the child, drawing their own weapons they aimed at the threatening alien child.
"This is unnecessary, and a little extreme kid, I really don't like you. You caused the Spartans quite a bit of grief on the last mission, you almost got Chief killed, and the rest of the soldiers that came to rescue you." A female stepped forward, Samus locking onto her with her cannon.
Wait, Samus recognized the voice, it sounded like the pilot that was yelling at them to hurry up when they were escaping Zebes.
"You're going to shoot me, go ahead. You will be thrown off this ship floating in the middle of no where. That's if they don't execute you first." the female soldier threatened, of course execution was a lie but it was a threat that would strike fear into the child.
Execution seemed highly unlikely. Samus warily lowered her cannon, earning mocking laughs from the whole squad.
"So where'd you get your suit of armour, did your mommy make it for you?" One male soldier began to taunt, tapping one the round shoulder plates on the girl.
"I don't have a mommy..." Samus shook off the man's hand.
"So what is this, a gun attatched to your arm, that seems like something that would slow you down in combat?" the man lifted the green cannon, twisting the girl's arm backwards Intentionally to cause the girl pain.
Samus took that as her moment to strike. Quickly ripping her arm cannon from the man's hold, punching him hard in the chest cracking a few ribs, before clubbing the man in the back of the head with her cannon.
The male soldier hit the ground hard, coughing up blood as he wheezed for air. Not knowing her own defensive strength, Samus had unintentionally caused more harm then intended.
"Don't move him, get a medic quick!" the pilot ordered in a panic.
Samus went numb, she didn't mean to inflict that much harm to the soldier. Taking a step forward to help the downed soldier, she was attacked by the remaining soldiers. The two remaining male soldiers pinning the girl against the bridge door.
"What was that?" Lord Hood asked as they all turned their attention to the door.
Lasky quickly pulled up the surveillance footage outside the door, getting a good look at a bunch of ODST's picking a fight with the armoured little girl. "Sir, look!" Lasky quickly revealed what was going on to Lord Hood, and Chief.
Chief didn't wait for permission to be dismissed, quickly storming towards the door.
Samus restrained herself from causing anymore damage to the attacking humans. Lucky for her the rest of the Blue Team Spartans rounded the corner.
"What the hell?!" Kelly, Fred, and Linda didn't hesitate to rush over.
With one swift move Samus kicked both men in the chest, sending them into the pilot. The momentum from the kick sending the girl flying back into Chief, who was coming through the door. Samus gazed up at the Spartan who had caught her.
Chief looked beyond the girl, watching two men get pinned against the wall by Kelly and Fred. While Linda stood over the pilot on the ground with her rifle drawn.
"What is going on here?!"
Blue Team didn't flinch as Lord Hood's unpleased voice boomed. Medical officers arriving on scene, immediately went to work treating the bloody barely conscious ODST.
Chief stood Samus up in front of him as medical staff frantically worked.
Samus went to move closer to the badly injured soldier, but was pulled back by Chief who held her tightly in place.
"Sir, with all do respect, this child injured three of my teammates, seriously injuring one of them." the female squad leader hissed. "I don't think this child is as innocent as we thi..."
"Enough! Get your men to the med bay, and report to me immediately after doing so!" Hood growled at the woman.
The pilot complied with no further words. Once the Spartans released her men she escorted her team out of the corridor. Following medical as they rushed the critically injured ODST to the med bay.
"As for you, we will speak with you now, Aran." Lord Hood almost had no emotion in that order, but Samus could sense anger in Hoods tone. Lord Hood and Lasky entered the bridge, leaving Samus and the Spartans behind.
Samus hesitantly began to follow before stopping, looking back at Blue Team for an answer.
Chief stood silently gesturing with his head for Samus to continue into the bridge.
With a heavy sigh Samus continued into the bridge without her Spartans.
"The nerve of those..." Linda grumbled.
"Damn Hell jumpers, got nothing better to do, so they got to pick on someone who dosen't know any better?!" Kelly scoffed.
"Seems to be the case." Fred retorted.
"I'm glad the kid beat the shit out of them, they deserve it!" Kelly continued.
"No one deserves to be beaten down, Kelly." Chief's baratone voice spoke sternly. The memories of his thirteen year old self during the incident between him and ODST's in an unplaned sparring match replaying in his head. He didn't mean to kill those ODST's, he was just a kid trying to understand his new abilities. Those ODST soldiers had barked up the wrong tree, just like this unfortunate group of ODST's had done with Samus.
"There's two sides to every story John. You know that." Kelly said as she left down the corridor with Linda.
Kelly couldn't be more right, Chief wondered if Samus was giving a meaningful argument to her side of the story. The Spartan also hoped the Commanders would be able to understand her broken vocabulary.
"Now, Miss Aran, we know you are shy with us, especially under the current circumstances. But we do require some answers, so we may assign the proper care, and discipline, to the right people." Hood explained to the alien hybrid in front of them.
Samus hid her shy expression behind her combat visor, unwillingly nodding in understanding.
"Excellent, let us begin then." Hood nodded at Lasky.
The Captain began to tap away at his datapad. "Now Miss Aran the..."
"Samus." A young quite voice interrupted the officer.
"We formally address our marines, and other Naval members by their last names, and or by their rank." Lord Hood simply replied.
"Do I have a rank?" the innocence in her voice earned herself a sigh from both men.
"Miss Aran, we are getting off the subject. You took down three ODST members, correct?" Hood changed the subject.
"What's ODST?"
"You took three men down?" Lord Hood mentally kicked himself, reminding himself to keep his formalities to a minimum with the naive child.
Samus replied with a silent nod.
"That was all out of self defence, not a random act of violence, correct?"
Samus paused at that question. She was the first one to throw the punch, and stick a gun in their faces, but was it out of self defence? The team of soldiers were threatening her, they did not respect her personal space. Technically they did hurt her first when they grabbed a hold of her arm and twisted it. It hurt when the man did so, and she reacted defensively. Then everything blew up from there, they attacked her and she defended herself. The most puzzling question was, were they truly a threat or not?
"Miss Aran?"
The old man's voice brought Samus out of her thoughts. "I... I don't know..." she knew it was a stupid answer, but it was all that came to mind.
"Miss Aran, we need a clear answer, please elaborate. Did you, or did you not, act out defence?" Hood spoke in a stern, almost irritated tone.
Samus wanted to answer yes, but didn't want to get into trouble. Searching for answers, with no one there to help her. She wanted Chief, his presence made her feel more confident. "I did, the SOB soldier hurt me first."
"ODST." Lasky quickly corrected, uderstanding the childs acronym mistake after watching Hood's eyes widen.
"So he attacked you first, how did this all begin exactly?" Lord Hood continued his questioning.
"Waiting for Chief, they walked over to me, started being mean." Samus gave her short youthful answer.
"Miss Aran, you do know you severly injured two men, and critically injured another?"
"I not mean to hurt them, I just wanted them to go away." Samus's tone was apologetic, yet frightened.
"Who is still outside the door Captain Lasky?"
Captain Lasky pulled up the footage of the door, on his datapad. "Master Chief, and Spartan 104, sir."
"Call them in." Hood replied with no emotion.
The mood had changed, Samus was uneasy but at least Chief was coming in.
Seconds later the door opened with two large Spartans entering the bridge. Stopping at attention on each side of the child.
"Spartan 104 take the child, while we speak with the Master Chief. You are dismissed." Hood gave his orders, and Fred obeyed.
"Yes sir." Fred did a swift about turn, waiting for Samus to do the same so he may escort her.
Samus was hesitant, she did not want to leave Chief's side, gazing up at him she heard a faint "Go." come from the Chief.
With a sigh she nodded, and attempted to do the same about turn as Fred had, but had lost her balance half way through.
Fred steadied the girl, escorting her out of the bridge. He led Samus down the corridors, getting odd and curious glances from the passing soldiers.
Samus just sighed with a query. "Fred, why everyone look at me like that?"
"Why does, everyone look at you like that?" Fred replied with little emotion. "Probably because you're a little different, that's all." He shrugged, entering the sparring gym.
"I'm different?" Samus thought aloud.
"Trust me kid, you get used to it, not a lot of people around here see us as humans." Fred scoffed, stripping his armour down to his jumpsuit.
"Why?" Samus deactivated her armour following the Spartan to the mats.
"Well, aren't you part alien anyway?" Fred scoffed, changing the subject.
"I'm mostly human!" Samus hissed.
"Moving on..." Fred sighed, standing on the mats.
"What we doing?"
"Well, I saw you take those two men out, you're pretty good at hand to hand combat. I thought we could spar for a bit, and see just how strong you really are." The Spartan explained what was going on.
"Okay!" Samus spiritedly bounded onto the mats, earning a head shake and sigh from Fred.
"You know the basics of sparing right? This a friendly match, alright?" Fred started explaining, as Samus bounced up and down on the spot.
"I understand." The girl replied continuing to bounce on the spot.
"Stop bouncing."
Samus stopped her bouncing, balancing on her toes instead.
"Can you not stay still for more than five seconds?!" Fred held Samus down by her shoulders. Slowly he released Samus, and waited a couple of seconds. "God dammit kid!" it took only two seconds for her to begin bouncing once more. "Screw it, lets just spar." Fred threw his arms up in defeat.
Lord Hood turned back to the Spartan after answering a call. "Master Chief, under the current circumstances, do you know the extent of damage Aran has caused?"
"No Sir." Chief replied his tone was emotionless but inside he was worried.
"If we are to keep this child aboard this ship, she must set a good reputation. That was the Chief Medical Officer. Two ODST's have non life threatening injuries, the third is now deceased due to critical internal damage. Do you understand, what I am saying Master Chief?"
"Yes sir, I understand. Samus was defending herself." Chief replied, knowing his reply was not the answer they were looking for, excuses were not a usual part of him.
"She killed someone. Self defence or not Master Chief, an unnecessary murder is unacceptable." Lord Hood replied.
"Sir, Samus did not intentionally murder that ODST. Samus is a child, she dosen't know her own strength." Chief argued.
"Then you better figure out what her strengths are, and how much she has. I do not want anymore casualties. She is your responsibility Master Chief, until otherwise. Finding someone to care for a lethal child is going to be near impossible." Lord Hood sternly told the argumentative Spartan.
"Understood, Sir." Chief replied, with no argument.
"You are dismissed."
Chief left the bridge with a lot of built up tension in his mind. It was time to find Samus. Fredrick had taken the young girl, so John assumed they were in the sparring gym.
The training had been going well, Samus excelled in hand to hand.
"Alright, remember in your situation you wont have armour on when you pull your knife into a fight. So you want to get as many hits in as you can, without taking any damage from your foe. Lets go again." Fred pulled out a practice combat knife. "Change your grip. If you grip the hilt too tight you'll lose blood flow faster and strain muscles before you are even stabbing. No need to have a white knuckle grip on the knife unless you've got it inserted into your enemy." The Spartan took the tiny hands inti his own, adjusting Samus's grip on her practice knife. "Loosen up, not to the point of dropping it out of your hand. There, Lets start."
Throwing the girl to the ground Fred quickly went to finish the attack, but was thrown off by a kick to the chest. Samus quickly rolled out of the way jumping up to her feet, striking Fred in the back with her knife.
"Excellent work kid! Hey, alright, these are still pointy and sharp." Fred removed Samus's knife hand from his back.
"Fred, John wants the kid back. He'll be in the gym in ten." Kelly said as she entered the gym.
"Sure Kelly. Here kid take this, just something to defend yourself with when you don't have your arm cannon handy." Fred gifted Samus a large combat knife. "Now just strap this to your leg, and you'll be combat ready." Fred helped equip Samus with the knife and sheath.
"Thanks Fred." Samus thanked the Spartan, as she admired her new knife.
"Oh good, give the kid something sharp and pointy. What's John going to say about that?" Kelly approached the two.
"It's just a knife Kelly, it's not like I'm handing her a grenade." Spartan 104 rolled his eyes at the out of armour Spartan.
"A grenade would be safer. It would take longer for her to pull the pin, then to cut her self with an unsheathed blade." Kelly retorted earnings an irritated groan.
"Shut the hell up Kelly." Fred hissed as John entered the gym.
"There's John." The brunet ignored her Spartan brother's whining.
"Stay here for a sec kid." Kelly and Fred quickly made their way over to their leader.
"So what happened, what's going on with the kid?" Kelly was the first to ask.
"One casualty, two injured. So far no listed consequences." John reported.
"Shit, that's going to get around fast, knowing the ODST's and their big mouths." Kelly gave a frustrated sigh.
"No listed punishment is either good or bad." Fred shook his head, putting his armour back on.
"The Admiral has asked us to run some testing on Samus, to see what she is fully capable of. We are to report the test results directly to the Captain." Chief gave a brief explanation of what was going to happen.
"More testing, that's always fun..." Kelly groaned exiting the gym with Chief and Fred. Unknowingly leaving Samus behind on the mats, staying put like she was told to.
"Training hmmm? Make sure our team, is volunteered to assist. We will get that little brat for murdering Brodey." The ODST pilot from earlier said to her remaining teammates.
"Are you positive we want to sign up for that Bree? That brat did kill Brodey, and injured James, and Henderson." a male ODST questioned.
"Jablonsky, if you are questioning my orders again I will happily throw you to the wolves, and their new killer pup." Bree threatened her squad member. ODST's refered to the Spartans as wolves, viewing the super soldiers as silent, unseen, lethal hunters, that take prey down quickly, and efficiently. A force to be reckoned. The ODST's used to be at the top of the UNSC, until the Spartans arrived, the growing increase of jealousy, had not faded, and niether has the rivalry. "You weren't even there, so do as I say, and don't question me!"
"Yes ma'am." Jablonsky made no further agruments, and leaving willingly.
Bree watched Jablonsky leave before putting her focus on the lone, vulnerable, child.
Samus waited patiently unsure why all three Spartans left unexplained. She didn't want to believe they forgot about her, but they seemed otherwise occupied, so it wasn't that much of a bother to her.
"She's your responsibility." Strolling down the corridor it finally hit Chief. "Samus!" turning on a dime, the Spartan jogged back to the gym.
"We forgot the kid!?" Fred in tow of the Chief, mentally slapped himself.
"What the hell is wrong with us!?" Kelly followed her two brothers.
"Nice of them to leave you unexpectedly, huh?"
Samus spun around recognizing the female voice.
"Just like how unexpected it was for Brodey to lose his life today."
Samus's eyes widened in shock, she had killed someone. What was wrong with her?!
"Oh, Chief didn't tell you, you murdered my teammate? I hope that wieghs heavy on your conscious, two injured, one killed. Let that echo in your empty head for a bit." The venomous tone of the pilot's voice sickened Samus to her core.
Bree met Chief, and the Spartan team, at the door. Glaring into the golden visor as she passed them.
Chief brushed past the pilot, Fred followed closely, while Kelly returned the threatening glare. The pilot exited quickly, leaving the Spartans to reunite with the child.
Samus was silent an unmoving as Chief approached her. Keeping her eyes fixed on the door. Samus visibly jumped when a barritone voice spoke to her.
"Samus, come'on." Chief gestured for the girl to follow him. Samus kept silent following the Master Chief. Placing a hand on her back he escorted Samus with Fred, and Kelly, in tow. Chief gazed down seeing a combat knife strapped to Samus's thigh. "Fred, what is that?" He stopped Samus in her tracks, gesturing to the large knife.
"Just some protection when no other weapons are available." Fred shrugged.
"Oh it's so great, the blade is the almost the size of her leg. But it's totally safe!" Kelly's sarcasm made Fred glare at her.
"Kelly, be quiet. Fred, don't make excuses." John wasn't thrilled Fred gave the child a sharp weapon, but he wasn't angry.
"The kid's an ace at hand to hand, add the knife and she's a ki..."
"Chief, I wanna go..." her tone shaky as Samus tugged on Chief's hand, interrupting Fred.
Confused by the sudden uneasy behaviour from the child all three Spartans exchanged looks knowing something was wrong.
"Let's go, Samus." Chief continued his escort down the corridor to his quarters. A few awkward moments of silence passed as they all closed in near Chief's room.
"What did that bitch ODST, say to you?" Kelly hissed.
"Straight to the point." Fred threw his head down with a sigh.
"Kelly, Fred, enough! Get in here." Chief pulled the team, and Samus, into his room. "Kelly you're escalating the situation, stop it."
"That stupid bitch is trying to..."
"Stand down, this is a situation to be settled by the Captain. It's not our call Kelly, Am I clear?" John's tone was stern as he spoke with his Spartans.
Kelly could feel Chief's eyes burning through her. "Understood, John."
"I wanna go home!" the child's cry struck the Spartan leader's core. Reminding him of the cries from the other children in Spartan training, crying to go home.
"Kid you're... It's not safe at home." Kelly was the first to try and calm the child.
"No, I wanna go home..." Samus shook her head.
"Samus, your home is gone, you stay with us now. You're just upset, you need to calm yourself." Chief gave little emotion as he approached the upset girl.
"I killed him..." Samus exhaled. "He's dead..." she gazed up at the approaching Spartan.
"Yes, unfortunately that soldier suffered from internal injuries, and could not be saved. You engaged, neutralized, and terminated the threat." John replied.
"John!" Kelly warned.
Chief held up a hand silencing Kelly. "Samus, you protected yourself. You're confused, and don't know your own strength." John kneeled to be level with the child.
"Bu..bu... I... killeded... him..." Samus refused to let her guilt melt away.
"You're tired, you've had a long day. So rest." Chief sighed, picking the girl up.
"It's the afternoon." Fred mentioned, as Chief placed Samus in the large chair she had been sleeping in.
"She can take a nap then." Chief replied.
"Do ten year olds take naps?" Fred looked at Kelly for an answer.
"How the hell should I know, do I look like a mother with kids?" Kelly retorted.
"You a mother? You seem more like the type that would eat their kids, you know like sharks do." Fred scoffed in reply.
"Are you calling me a shark, smart ass?" Kelly punched Fred in the chest.
Chief sighed heavily tuning the two Spartans out. Focusing back on Samus, who curled up into a ball on the chair. "You take naps right?" John felt like an imbecile, he didn't know any better then his bickering teammates.
Samus simply, shook her sad head no. Tears rolling down her cheeks from tired turquoise eyes.
"I didn't think so..." Chief groaned, seeing the exhaustion in Samus's eyes. "You look exhausted, can you try to sleep?"
Samus let out a deep sigh. "Will you go if I do?"
"I... I will stay, I wont leave you." Chief gave his word to the young warrior.
"Are you sure you want to make that promise, John?" Kelly warned her leader.
Chief understood what Kelly was saying. Anything could happen to change his promise to an empty one very quickly.
A knock on the door caught everyones attention.
A tall woman with red hair entered the room calmly. "Are you guys coming to train sometime today, or are you just going to hang out in here?" Linda approached the team.
"We've been occupied, we are coming now though, lets go." Chief started to follow his team out.
Samus watched in disappointment, rolling over in the chair, putting her back to the leaving Spartans.
John stopped in his doorway, remembering the promise he made to the little girl.
Seconds later Blue Team realized Chief was no longer with them. "Where the hell is John?"
"He was right behind us." Fred shrugged.
The team turned around to see their leader carrying the exhausted girl.
"Aw John, you've gone soft." Kelly teased.
"No, when I make a promise, I keep it."
Chapter 3 Part 2: Lessons Before The Teaching.
"John, are you going to sit on that bench the whole time, or get up and join?" Kelly yelled across the courtyard after she pinned Fred.
"I'm currently occupied at the moment." Chief replied gesturing to the slumbering girl in his arms.
"Just put the kid on the bench, she won't know the difference." Fred mentioned as he kicked Kelly off of him.
"I have a feeling she would." John quirked an eyebrow behind his visor. Carefully lifting Samus off of him he placed her down on the bench.
"Finally decided, to stop warming the bench?" Kelly teased, as their leader approached.
"Lets just focus on sparing." Chief sighed, halting in front of his three Spartans.
"Me to?"
Chief almost jumped at the unexpected voice behind him. "Samus, I thougt you were napping?"
"I don't take naps." Samus smiled sheepishly.
"Of course... How about you just watch for a while."
"Is that what you're going to tell her when her intensive training begins?" Kelly folded her arms.
"Kelly, why don't you take Samus, and teach her something." Chief smirked behind his visor as he handed Samus over to Kelly.
Kelly stared down into the piercing turquoise eyes gazing up at her. "Challenge excepted, John." She smirked back at her brother. "Come on kid, I'll teach you a good lesson." Kelly led Samus by the shoulders.
"Kelly, nothing too harsh." Chief warned.
"Too harsh? She murdered a..."
"Kelly!"
"Murdered Chief's hard core solitary attitude. You found that soft side, good job kiddo!" Kelly escorted Samus away from the team.
"Nice save." Fred said with an eye roll.
Linda smiled, in her mind she agreed with Kelly's teasing words.
"Kelly?" Samus leapt to keep pace with Kelly's stride.
"What is it kid?" The brunet stopped at a track.
"Are Chief, Fred, and Linda, your brothers and sister?" Samus asked, stumbling over her own foot.
"Yes, they are." Kelly nodded, watching the clumsy child stumble. "So during your training did you train with a bunch of other kids?"
"No, the Chozo were all really old." Samus replied regaining her balance.
"Uhuh... Anyway, you're a pretty fast runner, you've got a lot of phisical strength." Kelly changed the subject.
"Yeah, running is fun!" Samus replied with nod.
"Okay, but with out stamina your speed is nothing, you know that right?"
Samus tilted her head in confusion, she had never heard the english word before. "What's stab anna?"
Kelly quirked an eyebrow. "I like your little inventive words when mispronouncing something, kid."
"I haven't talked english since I was..."
"It's called stamina, Sta-mi-na. I'm taking it you have no idea what stamina is?" The brunet Spartan pronounced, unknowingly interrupting the quiet girl.
Samus shrugged in response, her gaze wondering off in the direction of the other Spartans.
"Hey, pay attention, I'm not giving these lessons for free. Your toll for this lesson is to pay attention." Kelly snapped her fingers in front of the turquoise eyes.
Samus quickly fixed her look back on Kelly, turning on her listening skills.
"Stamina is an ability to sustain prolonged effort when running." Kelly explained.
Samus stared blankly, blinking curiously at the brunet Spartan.
Kelly threw her head back with a sigh. "You know how a vehicle runs on a certain amount of fuel? But if you only fill it a small amount, it can only go a short distance?"
Samus didn't follow completely, but nodded anyway figuring the Spartan would show her what she was talking about eventually.
"Alright, now lets start by running as far as we can. Speed isn't the main goal right now."
"Okay, we go now!?" Samus hopped up and down excitedly.
The brunet sighed leading Samus onto the track. "Keep up with my pace. Ready, go!" Kelly strode forward getting a head start on Samus.
Samus was quick to catch up, sprinting up to Kelly's side. With every one step Kelly took, Samus took four just to keep up.
"You have long legs kid, stretch them out to cover more ground." Kelly advised.
Samus took the advice changing her step from four, to two.
The rest of Blue Team paused their sparing to catch the glimps of the lesson.
"Of course the Rabbit would be teaching the kid how to run." Fred scoffed.
"Not half bad, the kid seems to be keeping up." Linda muttered.
"They've reached the 25K pole already, Kelly's working her hard." Fred mentioned.
Chief watched silently, hoping Kelly wouldn't push Samus too far past her limits.
After doing another lap Samus began to drop behind, finally reaching the end of her energy reserve.
Kelly gazed over her shoulder watching as Samus lagged behind. Sighing she continued to run forward, leaving Samus to fall further behind.
Samus didn't feel like she could go any further, her legs felt like jello. But the girl didn't want to give up.
Chief watched as Samus struggled to keep up with Kelly. "Kelly's asking too much of her..."
"Samus is young John, she kept up with Kelly for this long. She'll build up her stamina eventually." Linda reassured her concerned brother.
Struggling to keep up, Samus tried to think of something to distract herself, instead of focusing on her exhaustion. Thinking maybe she could make a game out of this running race. Kicking herself into a high gear, taking large strides, the girl sped forward. Gaining on Kelly quick, Samus leapt up grabbing hold of the Spartan's shoulders pulling herself up and over, Samus landed in front of Kelly before taking off like a rocket.
John observed the scene smiling behind his visor. Catching Kelly off guard like that was not something just anyone could accomplish easily.
"I guess you were right Linda." Chief turned back to his sparing teammates.
"Fred, get off my arm!" Linda hissed, punching the male Spartan in the chest.
"Ow, Christ Linda!" Fred yelped jumping back from the red head.
Standing over his teammates, John shook his head. "Fred, Linda, it's a friendly sparing match. No need to break eachother."
Kelly was dumbfounded by the sudden unexpected speed and stamina boost from the child. Standing in the middle of the track, the Spartan waited for Samus to circle around. Kelly stuck her lowered arm out causing Samus to run straight into it.
Samus panted through a giggle. "Did I do good?"
"Yeah kiddo, you did a great job." Kelly exhaled. "Where'd you get that extra boost of energy?"
"I dunno." Samus shrugged, balancing on one leg.
"Well lets just say you found your stamina, with an extra kick." Kelly playfully pushed one of her fingers into Samus's shoulder.
Losing balance Samus quickly planted her other foot back on the ground. "Hey!"
"Oops, did I do that?" Kelly playfully nudged Samus. "Hey, first one to leap over Chief wins. Are you ready!?"
"Ready!"
"Set, go!" Kelly faked her start, watching Samus sprint off with great speed.
"It is a friendly match, John!" Fred pinned Linda completely to the ground.
Samus continued her charge, her strides were long and silent. Closing in on the unsuspecting Spartan at top her top speed knowing it would take a lot more energy to jump up and reach Chief's shoulders. Leaping up she clamped onto Chief's shoulders, soaring over the leader.
Chief jolted in surprise as Samus flew over him. Landing directly onto Fred who landed on Linda.
"That was not my fault this time." Fred looked at the angry lady flattened against the mat next to him.
Standing on the two Spartans Samus cheered. "I win!"
"Great, now get off!" Fred stood up, throwing Samus onto her ass.
"Fred!" Chief was quick to help Samus up off the mats.
"You definitely get extra points for that landing." Kelly snickered from behind.
Linda picked herself up with a groan. "You set her up, real funny Kelly..."
"And that, lady, and gentle men, is how you divert a childs mind from sadness and murder." Kelly smirked.
"You want to take a bow too?" Fred snorted, folding his arms.
"Shut up Fred. At least I didn't give her a razor weapon." Kelly scoffed.
"Alright that's enough. Everyone return to their own quarters." Chief stopped the argument. The team obeyed him with no arguments, following him down the hallway. Before parting ways with his team, John stopped his team infront of his door. "One moment." Guiding Samus into his room. "Stay here while I speak with the others."
"What is it John?" Kelly folded her arms impatiently.
"I'm going to speak with the Admiral for a moment. Can you three watch Samus while I do so?" Master Chief replied walking past the three.
"She's in your room, the kid can be left alone for a few moments?" Kelly complained.
"Last time I left her on her own, she attacked an ODST team. Master Chief continued down the hallway.
"We're literally babysitters with weapons." Kelly sighed in defeat, as they entered John's room. "Where the hell is she?" all three Spartans scanned the room to see no girl in sight.
"Boo!" Samus slid out from under the berth, causing all three Spartans jump. "Did I surprise you!?" Samus hopped to her feet.
"Yeah, you did. You've got to be careful though, we could have hurt you." Linda warned the little girl.
"Where Chief go?" Ignoring Linda's warning Samus questioned, peeking around the three.
"He's talking with the Admiral." Fred replied.
Samus climbed up onto Chief's perfectly made berth. "What's happening yesterday?"
"Yesterday?" Linda quirked an eyebrow. "Do you mean tomorrow?"
Samus nodded mentally rolling her eyes at herself for her silly mistake.
"I think you are going to go through a big test of some sort." Kelly simply answered Samus's question.
"A big test? But I'm not finished training with the Chozo." Samus shook her head.
"Look kid, the Chozo gave you strength. We can take that strength and show you how to use it." Linda gave a sympathetic smile at the ambitious little warrior.
"Us Spartans know a thing or two about training. Blue Team, will help you continue your training." Fred reassured the young blonde warrior.
"I get Spartan training?!" Samus excitedly asked.
Kelly chuckled with a smirk. "Well, you've already been augmented with your alien DNA, and you've got your own suit of armour." She was joking of course. Though to her fellow Spartans it was a bit of a dark joke. The speed runner was well aware that their past Spartan training and augmentations were no joking matter. A lot of their friends, and fellow trainees, lost their lives during intensive training and augmentations.
Infinity Bridge.
"Spartan 117 on deck sir." Lasky alerted the occupied Admiral.
"Uh, Master Chief, I was just about to call you in." Lord Hood faced the Spartan who greeted him with salute. "At ease Chief. I imagine you are here wondering what the young ones penelty is for her actions today?"
"Correct, Sir." Chief replied.
"Well we have come up with a suitable penalty." Lord Hood nodded at Lasky.
"The child will be restricted from wondering the ship alone, as her presence causes unwanted attention, and issues. If we cannot find an appropriate caretaker for the alien hybrid child. Samus Aran will be exiled when she reaches a respective amount of maturity." Lasky listed off the charge.
John knew Samus was not far from the age of independence. The Spartan already predicted there would be no suiters that would be capable of caring for a very lethal hybrid child, and he stood by that prediction even more so now. "Sir, please rethink the penalty. Samus will not reach such certainties for quite some time." Chief argued the charge.
"Chief, with her growing strength, and lethal abilities, the girl is an ongoing concern. Samus has become a threat to our troops. She is already quite independent, if Samus proves to be confident in her independence and self sufficient, the sooner the UNSC will exile her." Lord Hood explained to the argumentative Spartan.
"Sir this is a mistake, they didn't exile me fo..."
"Master Chief, I am leaving the Infinity soon enough." Lord Hood stopped the Spartan's words. "Complete her training, then we shall see where fate will take her."
"You are dismissed."
Master Chief saluted once more, doing a swift about turn he quietly made his way back to his quarters.
"You didn't have to actually do it!"
John did not know what he walked into. Samus was laughing hysterically, Linda was rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Fred lay on the ground holding the side of his face, and Kelly was laughing with the biggest grin painted across her face.
"What is going, on?" Chief stood unamused in his doorway.
"Kelly, kicked me in the face because Samus dared her to kick as high as my head." Fred stood up.
"In my defence, I heard kick his head." Kelly shrugged.
"It was a dare, not an order!" Fred snapped at the brunet.
"Next time wear your helmet."
"Wear my hel..."
"At this point I feel like Samus is more mature then those two." Linda whispered to her annoyed leader.
"Get out!" Chief ordered his teammates to leave his room.
"Good night." Linda left eagerly escaping the immature argument between her brother and sister.
"You can get shot by an Elite, but you'll cry when a lady kicks you in the face." Kelly continued to bicker as she followed Fred out of the room.
Chief shut the door as soon as the last foot left the doorframe. "That's quite enough excitement for now."
The Spartan leader turned to the young girl, only taking a single step away from the door, when a sudden banging on the door halted him. The banging was so loud it sounded like a Brute trying to tear through a wall to get to his next meal.
"Door!" Samus hopped off the berth.
"Yes Samus, I got it..."
The impatient person on the other side shoved the door open into the green Spartan. The impact was unexpected, but didn't move Chief an inch. "What is it Kelly?"
"So what did Lord Hood say?"
John grabbed hold of Kelly stepping out into the corridor joining the rest of his waiting team, he closed the door behind him. "He said complete her training."
"That's actually pretty good." Kelly shrugged.
"That's not the whole story." John silenced the speed runner. "If the UNSC cannot find a suitable caretaker for Samus, they are going to exile Samus as soon as she shows the slightest bit of confident independence."
"Exile a child?" Linda gasped.
"There's no way the UNSC is going to find a suitable caretaker for an alien hybrid child." Kelly scoffed with a head shake.
"There should be a bigger investigation, Samus was provoked into defending herself." Fred stated clearly upset by the UNSC verdict.
"There will be no investigation, she's an alien hybrid the UNSC views Samus's presence as a threat to their soldiers." Chief mentioned.
"That's bullshit! Her presence is a threat to them because they can't control their troops from starting unnecessary chaos!" Fred hissed very concerned about the child's fate.
"Perhaps it's for the best, I mean our mission is to guard and train her. Not raise the damn kid." Kelly's voice had no motion.
"Why are you saying this Kelly?" Linda quirked an eyebrow.
"I think if we train her good enough to be a Spartan..." Chief sighed.
"John, the thought is there but unfortunately your brain isnt. If they already view her as a threat, there's no way they would make her a Spartan. Killing an ODST does not promote you." Kelly shook her head at her hopeful leader. "Why, you're not attached to kid already are you?"
"We will talk more tomorrow." John backed away into his room, escaping the conversation.
"You can't change the penalty John. You don't have the right to challange it." Kelly sighed deeply as the door shut.
"Chief, can we play game?" Samus asked from where she stood on the berth.
"Why are you standing on the bed?" Chief questioned the odd child.
"I'm tall like you!" Samus bounced up and down.
"I think you are a long way from reaching this height, Samus." Chief sighed, as he approached the berth.
"Will I grow big like you?" Samus leapt off the bed.
"We will just have to see how tall you grow." Chief smiled behind his visor.
"Chief." Samus called with a smile.
"Samus."
"Chief."
"Samus!"
"Smiles!"
"Go to bed." Chief gave no emotion to his last words.
"Alrighty!" Samus happily leapt into the chair next to the bed.
"How are you so full of energy?" Chief asked as he sat down on his berth.
"Energy Chief!"
"Sleep, Samus..." Chief groaned as he lay down, sinking into the thin mattress.
Quickly getting lost in his thoughts, Chief wondered where Samus would go when her exile went into effect. A worse thought crossed his mind, how would he tell the child she was going to be exiled? Giving his head a shake John refocused on the training he was going to put Samus through. Wondering what results Samus would bring. He also had to worry about the ODST team, they would surely want revenge on the girl.