Spoiler warning if you have not played Halo 5 yet read at your own risk! It isn't the greatest chapter but it's something damn writers block!
Chapter 8 Part 1: A Silent Reunion
"Area clear." Fred confirmed relaxing his grip on his DMR.
Master Chief was expecting the usual hug or squeal of joy from the teen, as he peered around the unexpected parking job at the fully armoured teen. Standing tall and strong, waiting for the predicted actions, none of the thought actions ever came.
Samus was overjoyed to see her father figure standing infront of her once more. Though she could not at the moment voice her excitment, she expressed an excited jolt with her body before halting the movement. In the back of her mind she told herself to keep her excitment to a mature level. Attempt to show and prove to Chief, and the other spartans, that she had grown into a more independant, mature young bounty hunter.
"Nice grand entrance kid, next time make sure the landing strip is clear of spartans." Kelly scoffed cocking her shotgun at the wreckage.
Samus smiled at Kelly's usual sarcastic demeanor before making a gesture to move on from their current position, Samus headed further into the building without a single word to the very heroic Blue Team.
The team watched flabbergasted, as the teen strode past their stunned standing bodies, to take point position.
Dropping her shotgun to her side Kelly huffed. "The hell?" quirking an eyebrow behind her visor.
"Is that the kid?" Linda quried just as baffled by the teens unusual behaviour as Kelly was.
Samus stood on a catwalk that lead to a hanger bay, scanning everything while waiting for the team.
Master Chief wasnt to hesitant on following the teen seconds later, still just as confused as the rest of his team.
"Samus?" John walked right up to the teen, placing a firm hand on her shoulder, turning her with a swift flick of his wrist.
Samus could no longer hold back herself, hugging the team leader immediately after being turned around.
"There's the kid we all know." Fred chuckled with a sigh of relief he brought his weapon up to his chest, scanning the area with his eyes.
"Had us worried for a moment brat, thought you were sick or something." Kelly scoffed as Samus gave her a playful bump.
Fred reached out one arm for the approaching teen, tossing his DMR into his free hand. "With no hugs or happy greeting to John we thought you were broken for a sec back there." Fred gave another chuckle as a recieved his hug.
As Linda recieved her hug, she locked what would be eye contact if they wern't both wearing helmets with John. Like him, she felt something was off with the teen. "Samus why are you not speaking?" Linda held the teen by the shoulders.
"That's why it's so damn quiet." Kelly totted her shotgun grabbing the teens attention. "Jeez kid you're being quiter than Linda on a sniping mission.
Ignoring Kelly's comments Chief focused on his teen. "Samus?" John approached the teen and sniper.
Samus looked up into the golden visor, her combat visor blast shield off.
John could read her sad dissapointed eyes, something had happened to her to make her act this unusual. "Samus what's wrong, talk to me." he pressed further, his aging eyes trying to look deeper into the blue and green mixed mystery eyes of his teen.
Looking away Samus was gone off in her own thoughts. She hadn't spoken since the first day she went bounty hunting. Her encounter with Sylux had maimed her. The last time she had spoke was freshly after the encounter, the last ones to hear her voice had been blue team.
Samus couldn't push past the pain to try and use her voice again. Fearing the burning pain the teen gave up talking all together. She hadn't spoken a single word in over a year, nor had she tried. Able to make noise, but somehow not having to make conversation with everyone she encountered had given her a lack for necessary voice use. A simple nod was the most she had given for an answer.
(Lets go, Covenant are not going to clear themselves out.) John recieved a texted message from the teen standing in front of him. Cocking his head back in shock, he was confused and wanted to press further but didn't have a choice as Samus continued down the catwalk and into the building.
"What's with her John?" Linda stepped beside her leader with her rifle resting on her shoulder.
"Not sure Linda, lets move out though blue team." John sighed pressing forward behind the teen.
"What do we know about Argent Moon?" Fred jogged down a hallway.
"It's an ONI research station, went dark about 19 months ago. Last week Kig Yar scavengers found it and sold the find to Jul Mdama." Linda replied as they peared over the rails at the aircrafts left behind.
"We clear the covenant and return the base to ONI." John walked towards another hallway passing controls to his right.
"Fastest way to retrieval is to take down central control. Eliminate hostiles between here and there, and deactivate gravity and life support systems." Kelly gave out a game plan.
Linda jogged up beside Chief and Samus. "Ship data center is straight ahead, Argent Moon scamatics should be there."
Sliding down a ramp stepping down a couple steps towards a door, Samus could hear unggoy whining, and complaining on the other side.
(Hostiles on the other side.) Samus pointed as she texted to the team as the door opened.
The unggoy were to caught up in their complaining to notice the teams approach. Samus grappled the nearest one and flung the poor grunt into a wall. The crunch and splatter of the little alien was in ear shot of anyone in the room.
Chief managed to assassinate one of the fleeing unggoy while Fred and the others managed to fill the rest of the hostiles with bullets. John heard Sangheili through the next door yelling at the grunts.
Samus noticed a service tunnel and quickly morphed into a ball and rolled on through flanking the arguing aliens.
Chief lead the team through the next door to see Samus bounce her morph ball off an elites head. Before blasting him in the head ending his life and stirring up the grunts serving him.
The kill was almost comical to John as he began returning fire at the oncoming blasts from jackles and other covenant soldiers.
Jumping up a ramp rounding a corner to catch Samus attacking a group of grunts with an agitated sangheili pulling out an energy sword. Hitting the deck missing the first swing, Samus blasted the last few grunts then rolled out of the way of the active sword. Aiming her cannon at the alien, a lethal ring and pop came piercing through the tall aliens head.
"Cut it a little close kid?" Linda sighed as the barrel of her sniper cooled.
(Pun intended?) Samus smiled standing back up.
"Good one kid." Kelly chuckled following Chief through the next door.
"Data center" Ignoring the puns and jokes, Chief began walking over to the data center computer.
"We have a complete set of data set keys that we can use for the station, it should allow us to recieve Argent Moon scymatics to the centeral control." Linda replied to Chief's announcement.
"Access the data banks, grab the data and current population map." John ordered and Samus and Fred got to work.
"Should be a straight walk through the assembely bay there are still prowlers in the hanger bays." Fred calculated a path for the team.
Looking at the burnt decaying human bodies Samus shook her head. (Nobody from ONI got out alive did they Chief?) Samus gazed up at the green armoured spartan.
He slumped his shoulders and sighed."No. Lets get moving." Chief changed the subject gesturing with his riffle for the team to move forward.
"Elevator, everybody on." Chief ordered stepping onto the elevator platform, ready to press the control buttons.
(Can I press the button!) Samus hopped beside John on the elavator.
A small smile crept behind his golden visor, he was glad the youthfulness was still hidden withing the maturing teen. Though he wished he could hear her voice express her excitment it makes the moment a bit more human. He guessed that thought would have been ironic to him if he said it aloud. With a deep exhale he gestured to buttons and nodded.
"You are such a child." Kelly sighed before leaning into Fred and Linda. "If she's not pressing our buttons it's for controls, or blowing up the Covenant." she whispered loudly.
Eagerly pressing the buttons after everyone was aboard, Samus then squeezed past Chief and watched through the elevator observation glass, out to the hanger bay while the spartans chatted about the covenant scavenging the ships for parts.
"The war with Arbiter must not be going well for Jul." Fred scoffed.
"Jul Mdama is a lot of things, but he's no prophet." Linda added with a growl.
(Who's Arbiter, and who's Jul Mdama?) Samus questioned, confused at what the spartan team was talking about. Though she mentally kicked herself for not researching and keeping herself up to date on the current war.
"Jul is a sangheili, the covenants leader." Kelly replied to one of the teens questions.
"The other is also sangheili, he has made an alliance between the humans and the Swords Of Sangheilios, a faction the Arbiter leads." Fred informed as they all hopped off the elevator.
(I remeber Chief mentioning Arbiter's name once)
"The Arbiter, is a friend." John replied to Samus's comment as he scanned the new room for contacts.
Samus jumped onto a storage crate with ease, getting a clearer look of the area. (Can I meet him?)
Sighing resting his riffle on the side of his leg, raising his free hand to escort Samus off the crate. "Maybe one day." After Samus's feet touched the floor he raised and pointed his weapon. "Let's break through this wall, and push through enemy lines, get to centeral control." Master chief ordered as he readied himself to blow down the fragile wall ahead.
Blowing through enemies was easy enough as Samus practacilly toyed with the covenant freezing, burning, electrocuting, and melting grunts and jackles alike.
Fred was wrestling with an elite getting glimpses of Samus's new skills and weapons. "Nice new toys kid." Fred finishing the final blow to the elite, twisting and contorting it's sword arm, stabing it's own sword through the sangheili's windpipe.
Samus was also in a battle with an elite, and beating it down badly. She grabbed it's sword arm and tore it backwards almost ripping it off, kicking the sword out of his giant hand, blasting the elite in the chest with her ice beam tossing the bastard across the room.
Kelly Looked over her shoulder after kicking a kig yar to the ground. "And new moves, I like it." she complimented as Samus tossed an elite past Chief's face.
"Areas clear, centeral control is just up ahead, lets move on through." Fred announced regrouping with Kelly, Linda, and Samus.
Chief began jogging on a steel mesh bridge, seeing the control doors on the other side. "Central control is just through those doors." Just as he neared the door a hunter blasted through a stack of crates, smashing the bridge apart. "Hunter!" Chief bearly announced as it smashed the bridge causing him to fall down into the depths below.
Samus jogged behind watching the Master Chief randomly collapse to the floor. (Chief?!) Samus lept over to the now blacked out leader's side standing on her knees in front of the downed spartan.
"John!" Kelly called out as a bunch of grunts came out of no where and fired upon the team.
Blacking out on the way down Chief woke shortly after to be in a cave surrounded by darkness. "Blue Team, Samus, do you read?" he picked up his assault riffle. "Samus do you read me?" Chief tried again, scanning the area with his eyes. The only thing iluminating the area was a blue light followed by a quiet humming. Approaching the light, it turned out to be an AI chip that seemed to resemble Cortana's. He knelt to pick it up, but the illusion disipated as soon as he did the said action.
"John." A faint familiar voice called and a blue light followed it down a cave.
Without question John slowly but cautiously followed the light to a cliff side.
"Chief, the domain is open, Maridian is next." John gazed up at the giant moon to see a sillouett of Cortana walking up to the cliffside across from him.
"Cortana?" Chief gave a confused tone at the site of the AI.
"John, the reclamation is about to begin." She continued, raising her arms as if commanding something to rise.
The ground began to quake and rocks began to shift and crumble as a mechanical growl came as a large dark shadowed figure rose from the crevasse. Pointing his riffle at the shadowed thing he got a weak feeling, faintly falling to his knees he could hear a voice calling his name.
"John, John are you ok?" Kelly asked holding a hand on her leaders back.
John woke up looking ahead to see concerned blue mixed coloured eyes piercing through him.
Kelly began helping her leader up off the ground. "Maridian she's on Maridian." John said getting back to his feet.
"Who is?" Kelly questioned.
"Cortana." Chief turned to the female speed runner.
"Cortana... I... thats not possible?" Fred questioned as they unlocked the next door.
"I thought you said she was gone?" Linda added following their leader.
"I watched her die."
(Who's Cortana that, the AI friend you talked about a while ago?)
John sighed. "We have a mission to focus on, we can talk about this later. Lights on blue team" dropping the subject he powered on his flashlight. "Fred get us back on course"
Continuing through the base they fought a few more squads of covenant soldiers, they eventually ended up near an observation window, blast shields opening to reveal Covenant ships exiting slip space.
"We are out numbered Chief. A few thousand to one." Fred pointed out.
(We can take them!) Samus bounced totting her cannon optimistically.
"Surrendering Argent Moon is not an option, niether is taking a whole fleet on." John replied. "We can forget about reclaiming the base, plan changes to access denial, scuttle the Argent Moon. Ships reactor core should be near here." John continued through to the next room.
Samus followed closley as Fred mentioned a previous battle plan, one that was most likely quite a few years before finding her. Continuing through the base reaching another elevator. Samus couldn't wait to blow it up, explosions just seemed to bring out the best thrill.
"There's chatter among the covenant, new arrivals say that Jul is dead." Kelly anounced listening in on the covenant com channels.
"Somebody cut the head off the covenant, bravo." Fred rolled his eyes behind his mask.
(What is that pile of crap on the floor?) Samus pointed out the window to a pile of hunter worms surrounded by armour.
John watched as the aliens morphed into a tall bulky walking tank. "Hunters."
"They're strong but slow, keep above them and fire at the vulnerable spots." Fred replied as the hunter spotted them in the halting elevator.
John protectively pulled Samus into him, away from glass, as the hunter smashed both of his arms into the glass wall cracking the casing. "Weapons free."
(Chief I'll take one, you guys get the other) Samus lept out of the elevator at the hunter.
"Samus no!" John called after the fleeing teen, he was cut off by more squads of covenant and another hunter. "Ugh, Blue Team focus fire on the stragglers!" He hissed in frustration.
Samus on the other hand was having to much fun, rolling under the hunter in morph ball she planted a few bombs. Throwing the hunter off balance, before transforming back and freezing one of it's legs causing it to fall with a thundering thud of heavy armour. It struggled to get back up off it's back, the scene reminded her of a turtle stuck on it's back.
"Kelly check your six!" Linda shouted over gun fire.
Samus looked over to see blue team struggling to take down the hunter and stragglers. Enough fooling around she thought to herself. Unloading a couple of super missiles into the downed hunter it exploded into burnt out worms, orange blood splattered across the floor and her armour.
John unloaded a few rounds into the hunters vulnerable back making it furious it swung it's huge shielded arm, hitting Chief, it threw the super soldier through crates and into a wall. Kelly was the first to help John as the hunter behind her exploded into a million pieces thanks to their teen weapon. "John are you alright?!" Kelly caught her breath as she helped peel her leader out of the dented wall.
"I'm fine Kelly thanks. It's not the first time this has happened." John sighed sorely, grabbing his riffle brushing himself off.
"Samus where did you get those weapons they're extremely useful." Fred asked cuffing a hand on the teens shoulder plate.
(Past missions in other galaxies.) Samus replied checking up on her favourite spartan.
"Yes I will try not to doubt your abilities." John sighed as he moved past the teen. "Lets keep moving blue team, reactor core is on the other side of this room."
Moving further they headed for the hanger bay after over loading the reactor. The bases computer began to announce the fail safe protocals. A change of plans ended up getting them outside blowing up cooling pipes or vents Samus didn't really know. All she knew was she was allowed blowing something up. Blue team did most of the work on the cooling systems, while she protected them, keeping the covenant at bay with her advanced weaponry.
The base rumbled with fire as the cooling system was taken down. Samus commanded her ship, rushing it to a nearby hanger bay.
Rushing the team, Chief commanded them to take out the covenant, and prep for take off. Clearing the covenant in seconds the spartans sprinted into the hanger bay.
"Samus has her ship ready!" Linda announced.
Firing on a grunt Chief replied with an order. "Quick board the ship."
"Clear." Linda rested her rifle.
"Time Linda?" Chief moved a grunt corps off controls, allowing the platform to raise to the Samus's ship
"89 seconds."
Chief quickly contacted command, Samus hated checking in with millitary personal she found it irritaiting and pointless even though it was a vital thing to do.
"Sierra 117 to Infinity, Argent Moon is scuttled, I'm reasigning blue team to Mariadian, possible contact with Cortana."
"Negative 117, we have another team prepped to deal with her." was the reply from Infinity.
(How would they...)
"The hell?" Fred had the same thing on his mind as Samus.
"You are to return to Infinity immediately."
Linda looked over her shoulder wondering what her leader's response would be to the Infinity's dying argument.
"Negative Infinity, I don't like it." Chief ended the call abruptly as more explosions came.
(Well whoever they are lets get there before they do!) Samus eagerly boarded her ship.
"Samus..." Chief sighed watching the teen board. "Fred prep that Prowler, I will go with Samus." John pointed to the Prowler next to Samus's ship.
"Oh hell no, I'm with the kid lets get moving." Kelly followed the teen in.
"Kelly no."
"You're not doing this alone John." Linda nodded at her leader as she followed the other females into the orange ship.
"Pointless arguing with the girls you know that Chief. There isn't enough time to prep that Prowler. And hey they can't court marshal all of us for this right?" Fred escorted John onto the Samus's hunter class ship.
The ships hatch began to close, as Samus piloted her ship to make a daring escape through explosions.
(Chief give me the coordinates to Maridian, and we should be there in about a couple hours.) Samus texted her idol, as they flew further away from the exploding base.
"Sending coordinates now." Chief made his way to the ships cockpit. It was small, filled with many lights and controls, with many unfamiliar alien symbols
Samus was in her blue jumpsuit tapping the keys on the command board in front of her. Probably locking in the coordinates he sent her moments ago Chief thought. "You said it will take a couple hours?" John asked standing behind the cockpit chair.
Samus replied with a nod and a thumbs up, seemingly odd for a reply back to him from the teen.
"That's enough time for a little R&R." Kelly hopped in a chair behind the pilot seat, putting her feet up.
"Now lets talk about this contact with Cortana." Fred added sitting in the chair next to Kelly.
"There wasn't much contact, she said the reclamation is about to begin, a domain is open, saying that Maridian was next. I don't fully understand what she meant, but if we could get to Maridian, talk to her..."
"We're with you John." Kelly reassured her leader as she took off her helmet to clean all the blood and guts off her visor.
"All the way." Linda added as she entered the cockpit.
Chief gave a slight nod to his family of spartans. "Thank you blue team." exhaling, resting his arms and tense body wieght on the back of the pilot chair. His thoughts were lost, wondering what would happen if they found Cortana alive. And more importantly figuring out the meaning of Cortana's riddle.
Samus smiled, gazing up at her father figure that was leaning over her chair.
Chief shook off his thoughts noticing his teen smiling at him. He smiled back from behind his mask placing a large hand on the teens head. "Are you going to explain why you've been failing to tell me all about your "awesome" adventures as a bounty hunter?" John quoted, moving his large hulk body, crouching beside the pilot seat so he was somewhat more level.
Samus gazed around looking for an excuse, as she entered the ship into slipspace. She sighed, she supposed she could try speaking, for Chief. But all that came out was a pained whisper of giberish, with a dry cough.
Master Chief gazed back at his team to see them looking just as confused as he was. "Samus are you alright?" John wrapped an arm around Samus's shoulders.
Samus looked away from the super soldier, looking at the ships grey polished floor panels.
"Samus please tell me." John reassured the teen it was safe to tell him anything.
"..." Samus tried again, but nothing once more. Nothing but pained whispers now followed by a harsh cough attack.
Trying to comfort Samus and calm her coughing, Chief began rubbing the teens back. Seeing his medical spartan heading his way, John stood up, moving out of Kelly's way.
Kelly jumped out of her seat and stood in front of the teens exit path. After the coughing fit Kelly peeled back the blue jumpsuit that covered up the teens neck, revealing the horrifically burnt scarred neck. "Samus why didn't you let us examine this earlier?!" Samus looked away from the hysterical brunet.
John began running a fingure across the scars, Samus flinched, gasping as flashes of the intense burning of flesh with the taste of burnt blood ran through her mind. Pushing the examining hand away she let out frantic breaths.
John cocked his head back, his eyes behind his golden visor were stricken with concern for his young warrior. Rubbing her head passively, attempting to sooth his teens distraught.
"I remember now she was hit by lava, well that's what she said she was hit by. What the hell were you doing around lava, we never got the full story!?" Kelly hissed pointing an agitated fingure at the teen.
"Let's get some thorough scans on that throat first before story time." Fred brought out some medical equipment.
Kelly reluctantly agreed with Fred and began to pull out medical scanners. "There seems to be a lot of scar tissue blocking my scans I'm going to need a more heavy duty scanner Fred." Kelly complained as Samus squirmed uncomfortably during the examination process.
John thought and figured it would be best to ask questions that could be answered with either a yes or a no response to make it easy for the teen to communicate. "Samus did you ever treat the wound yourself or have someone else?"
Samus shook her head no.
Chief continued to question. "The last time you spoke, was about over a year with us correct?" this time recieving a nod from the teen. "Have you made any attempt to speak since then?" He recieved a head shake of no once more.
She didn't have to communicate through speech, it was always listen and go straight to hunting. She figured now attempt to speak coming out with nothing but airy pain, was a sign her injury had maimed her worse than she had thought.
Locking visors with Fred, Chief stepped out of the way of the busy female spartans, allowing them to continue their scans on the teen.
"If you're thinking what I am brother, she may have fogotten how to speak." Fred spoke to the approaching leader. "Or lost her voice as a result from the severe injury."
"That's what I'm thinking, but I'm thinking it's both a physical, and mental problem." Chief folded his arms standing beside Fred.
"How so Chief?" Fred grew curious to his leaders therory.
"The pain from a wound like that, especially on a first solo inexperianced mission, would be exgrutiating. Pain like lava burning your through many layers of skin, melting your throat would play back in your mind almost the moment anything to do with your neck came. I agree with you though, her mental state had taken her will to speak, causing her brain to reduce the speech usage, as speaking is now a fear causing her to avoid doing so in anyway possible. That has now caused a speech impairment in her."
"Well if she can still somehow speak, if anyone can get that kid to talk, it's you brother." Fred reassured his team leader.
"I hope so, we need communication other than texting it's not going to help her if she's in trouble." Chief was worried if they couldn't hear her shout warnings, or yell that she needs assistance out in a battle, she might end up dead or even more seriously hurt. Plus to him the texting was impersonal, compared to the usually overjoyed atmosphere the teens voice usually gave off.
Linda approached the two males with data. "Well believe it or not her unique genetic makeup is repared what it could of the wound. A normal human obviously would have died and not recover from lava melting you alive."
"When will she be able to speak?" John wasnt slow to ask questions.
"Her vocals do not appear healed enough to allow speech, though I do not think her voice will ever be the same again if they are. So she may speak but there is a higher possibility she could be mute." Linda replied reading off the report.
"That and the fact that she hasn't had any reason to speak lately, so she's probably a little rusty on speaking. But the tissue damage has practically mangled her vocal cords." Kelly added.
"I don't know Kelly." Fred argued.
"I don't want our little killer to be a mute for the rest of her life either but it might be Fred." Kelly scoffed folding her arms.
"I think we are under estimating Samus, she knows how to speak, she's just affraid too. She will speak, we all know she is not the kind of girl to give up." John dismissed all the negative thoughts.
(Resting areas are in the back if you want to get some sleep) Samus put text up on the cockpit window, tired of hearing the spartans talk about what could be with her.
"Alright blue team get some rest while you can, I have a feeling there is no rest in the near future." Master Chief pointed his team in the direction of the resting areas.
"That means you to Samus." John walked back to the teen in the pilot seat.
"..." Whispered giberish once more before text came onto the window.
(I know, but I'm pretty sure I get to extend my bed times now a days?) She threw in a sarcasm grinning sheepishly after a yawn.
John smirked behind his mask, promptly scooping the tall well muscled teen out of the chair. Sitting himself in the oddly large chair, almost two sizes too big for the teen. Pulling his helmet off, the cool air in the ship being refreshing to his pale skin.
Jumping out of the spartan's arms, Samus playfully pouted at the green armoured man, trying to pull him out of her chair was merely going to be impossible. "Good luck Samus." Chief scoffed throwing a few playful pokes in the teens ribs.
Samus crept a smile followed by a quiet giggle, as she fought back her adoptive father, smacking his hands away as she tried to pull him out of the pilot seat.
Samus sighed giving up, she sat down on her adoptive fathers lap, throwing her legs over the chairs left arm, while using the crook of Chief's arm that was resting on the right chair arm, as a pillow. Yawning once more, she had forgotten how much rest she hadn't had since her nonstop missions. Having forgotten all together about sleep. Although she knew the real reason behind forgetting, was she was avoiding her sleep.
Master Chief let out a relaxed exhale, happy he and his team were back together with his adopted kid. He always thanked Samus for unlocking his human side for him, he truely couldn't think of a better group of people he calls his family, to share his human side with. Samus getting to see more as his sibling spartans have a differen't human effect on him.
John gazed down and noticed the uncomfortable expression on the teens face. He knew something was wrong immediately. But played it off to see what he would get out of the teen. "I can move if you want your seat back?"
Looking up into Master Chief's blue eyes, Samus could see his concern lingering through the sorrow and confusion his eyes held. Smiling shaking her head no, her eyes quickly darted away, her smile turning into a frown.
"Why don't you get some rest. We can try and talk later." Chief shifted his wieght staring out the window of stars.
Sighing Samus got up leaving the cockpit, passing Fred on the way to her living quarters.
"You ok kid?" Fred held up an arm to block the teens path.
Samus nodded ducking under the arm escaping any further questions.
"And now the same for you, are you ok John?" Fred leaned on a wall next the the pilot chair.
Sighing John rested his head in his hand. "I'm fine Fred. We just need to figure out what's going on with Cortana, then we can focus on regaining Samus."
"So do you think Cortana is leading us to something?" Fred knew he was answering his own question, but was curious to know his leaders official opinion.
"It's clear that she is, what though, I do not know."
"My question is, how is she still alive?" Fred exhaled pushing off the wall.
John was done playing trivia for now, knowing the same questions would continue to play through out their wild goose chase. "I'm going to go check on Samus." he headed towards the exit.
"John." Fred stopped the spartan leader before he stepped out. "You know they're going to send a team to hunt us down right?"
"I understand Fred. You said you would follow no matter what. If you've changed you mind it's ok." Chief bearly looked over his shoulder.
Fred laughed at his leaders words. "You and I both know it's highly unlikely for me to leave my brother at a time like this. Plus Samus being your worry 24/7 once again, someones got to give you a break and take the worry for you every now and then."
Samus having her youthful mind at full power, activated her armour rolling in morph, between Chief's legs while he spoke to Fred. Sneaking back around to her chair Samus quickly transformed deactivating her suit, grabbing the helmet left beside the chair.
"I'm going to use that worry free promise to my advantage Fred." Chief grinned before continuing to the back of the ship to find his adopted kid.
Seconds later Samus appeared from behind the pilot chair with Chief's loose fitting helmet on. Almost walking into Fred, Samus made her wobbly path towards the exit.
Fred couldn't help but chuckle shaking his head at the teens quirkiness. "Kid you can make any moment brighter."
Giving a thumbs up Samus walked directly into a wall with a hard impact, making Fred cringe, before exiting to the back living quarters.
Confused at seeing only two females in the back living quarters John walked over to the brunet. "Kelly have you seen Samus?"
"She rolled out of here in her contorted ball just a moment ago." Kelly answered cleaning her shotgun.
Linda raised an eyebrow. "You didn't see her on your way in?" Linda looked over the brunet at John.
"She must have rolled under me while I was talking to Fred." John exhaled resting his hands on his hips.
"..." A silent giggling whisper caught all attention in the room.
"You brat, you take everything thats serious put it aside, and make sunshine for the whole team." Kelly chuckled placing her shotgun on her lap.
"I don't think that will ever fit your head properly." Chief pulled Samus in for a hug.
Kelly snorted at the scene. "You've grown soft in your old age." Samus gave a soft giggle as Kelly teased her father figure.
Poking the teen in the abdomen causing her to giggle and clench her stromach. "Who are you calling old?" John removed his helmet from the teasing teen.
Kelly snorted with a chuckle. "You're not young." not only was she laughing at the teen, she was also laughing at her leader being in full dad mode.
Linda chuckled softly to herself, enjoying the entertainment but not wanting to be involved. Noting that John seemed to be in a brighter mood since Samus reunited with them. She seemed to act like a big dose of happiness for the spartan leader.
"You want to repeat that?" Chief dared Kelly to continue her comments.
"Oh sorry I forgot your old age has taken a toll on your hearing." Kelly ignored the threatening tone.
"Watch it Kelly." John hissed silencing the brunet spartan. "You are as old as me remember, or has it slipped your mind, you going senile already?" John ended up throwing in one last taunt before returning to maturity.
"Nice John..." Kelly sighed shaking her head at the ridiculous come back.
Turning his attention back to his adopted daughter he smiled. "I'm glad to hear you can still laugh."
It felt like a pulsing fire flaring at every giggle she gave. (..It... hurts...) Samus activated her suit, along with a hologram in the middle of the room, with text admitting her pain.
"Only when you laugh, or all the time?" John quickly exchanged in his dry humour for concern.
(..Most of the time...) Samus slumped her large shoulder plates.
"Well maybe you have to break through a layer of pain before it reverts back to normale, try speaking." Kelly gave her expert advice.
Linda dropped her sniper to her side face palming. "That's the most ridiculous advice I have ever heard. She has permenant damage Kelly, I don't really think it's going to make a difference!" Linda snapped, catching Samus and Chief off guard.
"You've got a better cure Linda?" Kelly stabbed the butt of her shotgun into the floor.
Rolling her eyes Linda stood. "Kid, personally I think it's just as much mental pain as it is physical. I halfway agree with Kelly, continue whatever noise you can make, to break through your fear of the pain."
Samus clenched her throat to cease a violent cough as she attempted to speak only causing violent pain. (..I will...try...) She responded before exiting back to the cockpit.
Fred made his way to the living quarters, allowing Samus to pass under his arm, as he entered. "Kid dosen't stay in one room for very long." He scoffed joining his teammates.
"Never has Fred." Kelly replied handing Linda weapon cleaner. "What do you expect from an independent bounty hunter. She has been working on her own for a year and a half now, being back on the team is a huge transition, considering teamwork never really was her strong suit in general anway. Hopefully we get to hear some stories of her epic bounty hunts."
Fred sat himself next to Linda on a large black chair. "It might be a while before she regains enough strength in her vocals for those stories to come out."
"What happened to that rest I ordered the team to take?" Chief finally spoke up.
"Um it can come once the mission is over." Kelly shrugged her shoulders.
Tucking his helmet under his arm Chief exhaled. "We do not know how long that will be Kelly."
"Sorry Chief but I just don't see how sleep has ever been our priority, so no, sorry this is an order I cannot comply with. Plus a couple hours dosen't exactly sound like enough for a power nap."
"Fine I am not going to argue with this." John grumbled walking back into the cockpit.
Samus stood still in her blue zero suit, starring intensely at the stars out the window. Approaching the girl John watched as the reflection of stars danced in her young focused beautiful blue and green mixed eyes. He wondered what was on her mind, his adopted child was many things, subtle was one of them. Another thought popped into his head, this mission must have been confusing to the teen, seeing as he had never mentioned much about Cortana to the her. And now he had her on a wild hunt for something she had no idea what it was.
"Samus I'm sorry I dragged you into this wild hunt, we can find our own aircraft once we land on Maridian, you do not have to do this." he apologized placing a firm hand on the teens well toned shoulder.
Samus gave a small laugh as text popped up on the cockpit window. (Chief I'm a bounty hunter!) she coughed. (What do you think my missions are!?) regaining her breath she smiled. (I'm not going anywhere with out you.)
John sighed knowing Samus was just to much of a good kid to ever get rid of. Thinking back a few years, he hated himself for ever thinking of trying to get rid of his adopted child, regreting having those thoughts everytime it wormed it's way into his head. With out realizing, he needed Samus, just as much as she needed him.
Staring back at the stars Chief thought to himself. If he found Cortana, just thinking about how intrigued she would be by Samus. Her genetic makeup, her skills, and abilities. Her way of breaking herself into the hardest of hearts. He figured she would be most interested in the teen. Samus was something differen't, not the same old spartan 2 that he was.
(So... who is... Cortana?) Samus choked blood through a whisper.
"She is an AI I was paired with, she was rampant, and died just before we found you."
(How... is she...)
Turning his head to face the teen Chief replied. "Alive now? I believe she fell into slip space. But we are going to find out how and why she is still alive as soon as we find her." He explained.
The sound of a door swishing open caught both of their attention. John turned around seeing Linda making her approach. "John we are short on our ammunition supply. And surely there isn't any on this ship." the sharp shooter glanced at the teen who shook her head in response.
Closing his eyes briefly John exhaled. "Once we get on Maridian we can scavange whatever weapons and ammo we can find."
"Outer colony planet, they definitely wont be handing over weapons and ammo as a welcoming gift." Linda sighed looking to her leader.
Those hours flew by in what felt like minutes. Coming out of slipspace it took only moments for the ship to alert that someone was trying to contact them. Pressing an odd looking symbol the call was quickly conected. "Unknown vessel identify yourself!" A raspy glitched voice demanded.
Samus was about to reply with a text but Master Chief waved her off and replied back himself. "This is spartan sierra 117 of the UNSC..."
The spartan was cut off by a scoff. "Uh 117, we've been expecting you, please dock your vessel at these coordinates. Then we shall talk about Cortana." The voice trailed off ending the call as suddenly as it began.
A blip on the screen notified Samus of the sent coordinates, and she quickly set course.
"That was uh... I feel like we are jumping in blind here Chief." Fred voiced his thoughts, his DMR in his hands ready for use. "Seems like a trap, how id he know we were coming, and he knew about Cortana.
"Who was that anyway?" Kelly thought aloud. "It was nice of him to introduce himself.
(Governor Sloan, he is an AI and leader of the colony.) Samus gave out a quick identification scan to the team.
"That answers your question Kelly." Fred tapped the brunet.
"Hmph you think he had contact with Cortana then?" Kelly looked at John for a reply.
Loading his assault riffle, placing the weapon on his back before turning to his team. "Possibly Kelly. Alright keep to yourselves, be ready for anything blue team. This is a frontier colony, remember keep to ourselves, and don't start any unnecessary conflict... Samus..." Master Chief glared at the teen as her armour was activated.
Samus gazed up at the green spartan, lifting her arms in a "What did I do" manner.
"Just stay close Samus." John sighed walking to the hatch of the ship as the ship docked.
Stepping out of the ship onto the metalic pannels of the docking platform all four Spartans recieved a transmission as soon as their boots hit the ground.
"Welcome to Apogee 117, you brought your friends. Cortana has seemed to allow this."
"Has allowed? Who are you?" Kelly hissed as they were greeted by a squad of marines.
"I am an ally of Cortana, I am here to point you in the correct direction. I am governor Sloan, my people are no threat to you."
John signaled his team to lower their weapons. "Governor what do you know about Cortana, can you lead us to her?" Chief was in no mood for a riddle.
"I can indeed spartan. But take heed, I can only give a location, finding your way is up to you. I have other needs to tend to."
Samus didn't like putting her trust into an a stranger, but Chief seemed to be determined. And she wasn't about to question something he understood that she didn't.
"Come on Sammy we're going to the mines." Kelly gestured Samus to follow the team through the door.
Samus followed at a jog, keeping watch out of the corner of her eye on the marines following.
"What do you think was so important that he had to blow us off like that?" Fred pivoted searching for any hostiles.
"Areas clear. No idea Fred, it's a glassed planet I don't know what could be so much more important than a bunch of strange spartans invading." Linda lowered her sniper from her visor.
Samus moved from the center position of the team taking point. This seemed like an easy enough mission for her to explore a bit, glancing over her shoulder at Chief, making sure her move was approved.
Chief didn't seem to bothered by the position change, as he could keep a better eye on his teen if she stayed directly in front. The only problem was that the young gun was eager to go further ahead and explore.
The place looked terrible the sky a murky grey mixed with purple. Running up ahead through the next opening door, rounding rubble and debris just out of blue teams sites. An earth quake quickly puased her sprint and earned herself a panicked call from her idle.
Pointing his riffle in all directions Chief called the teens name. "Samus!" signaling for the team to move, he led them around the debris to find the teen standing waiting for them.
Samus was scanning the area herself when the team jogged up behind her. (I'm fine. What was that quake Chief?) she quickly responded with text.
"I'm not sure. Stay close though." John looked to the sky as if the answer was in the dark clouds. "Let's keep moving blue team." John allowed Kelly and Fred to take point.
The deeper they continued into the planet, the darker and hotter it seemed to get.
"Is it just me or has the temperature been rising the further we go through this dump?" Kelly moved beside her quiet focused leader.
Kelly got her answer as they approached a bridge that crossed over a river of lava. Molten firey magma falls poured beside the bridge into the magma lake below.
Samus's breathing became erratic. She wasn't overly happy to be around lava again, almost clinging to Chief's side as they set foot on the bridge. The smell and heat reminded her of the pain her first solo battle injury brought, and was still suffering through. Even though she has had many missions with the dreaded fluid it still bothered her.
Feeling trembling from the form clinging to himself. "You ok?" Chief glanced down at his side at the nervous looking bounty hunter.
A quick nod was the teens respones, before spinning around with her cannon ready, to the sound of distant gunfire.
Fred thought aloud pointing his DMR in the direction of the sound. "That sounded close."
"We've had a clean run so far, let's get moving, we are nearing the coordinates." John could see the restless teen anxious to get off the bridge. "Linda cover our six." He pivoted on a dime and kept his direction firmly on the path ahead.
"Copy John." Linda pointed her sniper walking backwards as she followed the team to a large forerunner platfrom.
(It's... an... elevator...) Samus reported as she stepped onto the large alien platform first.
"More like a hellevator." Kelly peered over the edge at the lava bubbling below.
"What intel do we have on this place?" Fred asked flinching as the sound of distant gunfire echoed.
"None what so ever. But my guess would be forerunner definitely." Linda scanned behind the team for any signs of hostiles.
(We are being lead into what seems to be a guardian chamber.) Samus began to cough violently, as she gave her best intel from her scans.
A stressful sigh was released from John, as the elevator neared the bottum. "Easy Samus. Don't work yourself up so much." Master Chief glanced at the large door ahead of them.
"Well the forerunners really don't lack in flare when making their chambers." Kelly commented as the large door openened allowing them to access into the chamber.
Samus looked up to see constantly shifting floating circular platforms. The spartans were taking caution scanning the area as they came out the door. Samus on the other hand wasn't to thrilled about the paltforms hovering over the lava lake. But she figured since they have been over lava the entire time it was most likely safe enough to walk on.
Taking a chance Samus stepped on the nearest circular platform, scanning the blue light in the middle, quickly making note of it being a short ranged teleporter. Stepping into the light Samus appeared on a further upper platform.
(Hey Chief this way) Samus waved from her position on the upper platform.
"John did you assign any of us to keep an eye on the brat, or has that flown out the window?" Kelly drooped her shotgun resting it at her hips.
"Samus wait for us." John sighed putting his riffle on his back, without hesitation jumping onto the portal platform.
"Well anyone up for a game of rock hop." Kelly shrugged placing her shotgun on her back.
(Race you guys to the big portal) Samus smirked behind her visor.
Teleporting onto the same platform as Samus Kelly exhaled. "You're on brat." Kelly grinned behind her golden mask.
Fred stood with Chief on the first portal platform, putting his weapon on his back. "Rabbit not the time to be bouncing into a race." Fred sighed as Linda follwed the other females.
"Hurry up Fred you're holding yourself back with your talk." Kelly taunted.
John watched as the females of the team gained ahead only by a couple platforms. "I will bring up the rear, keep them in check Fred." he turned to Fred to confirm his order.
"You got it Chief." Fred quickly sent himself through the potral after the ladies.
Before he could set foot in the portal, John's actions were puased. The sound of gunfire on the other side of the door they came from catching his attention. Recognizing the weapon effects as human, he knew all to well it must be a team sent to hunt them down from either Sloan, or the Infinity's hunting party. Quickly jumping through portals, he looked up to see his team only about a platform ahead.
Fred sighed as he caught up with the three women. "Ok Kelly, kid enough speed racing, wait for John." Fred panted catching his breath.
(Come on Chief.) Samus tried to wave as John walked through the portal next to them.
"I'm here, move faster blue team." John ordered pointing the team to the next portal.
"What's the rush John, Fred just told us to slow it down?" Linda questioned her tense leader.
"We have company." John watched as Samus went ahead and walked through the next portal.
Appearing on the next platform Samus gazed down below spotting another spartan team standing near the first platform, noting one of the spartans were already on the second portal.
"What the hell is that?" the red spartan thought aloud as she glanced up at Samus. Kelly, Fred, and Linda came through seconds later.
"What is it kid?" Fred questioned the teens puase as Chief appeared behind them.
Follwing the teens glance below, John made eye contact with the blue visor of a dark looking spartan.
"Contact, contain!" The dark spartan shouted as they began quickly making their climb after them.
"Blue team move!" John ordered firmly giving Samus a quick nudge into the next portal.
Samus and Kelly took the lead, Linda and Fred not far behind. It was now a race to the top on opposite side each spartan team keeping pace. Finally Fred was the first one to arrive with Linda, Samus, and Kelly. That dark spartan approached riffle locked onto them. Samus quickly scanned the spartan and his team, gaining all the intel she needed in seconds.
"Blue team! Stay where you are." Spartan Locke demanded, as his team above on a platform kept their sites on the runaway spartans.
Blue team stood and waited for their leader, Samus stayed closest to portal they arrived through, pointing her cannon at the threatening spartan. John arrived seconds later walking over to his team he stood protectively infront of Samus.
The dark spartan quickly took aim at Chief. "117 stand down!" He ordered.
Blue team was silent mixed thoughts between all of them, they all turned their heads to their leader for any signal. Samus looked up at the Spartan in front of her, and wondered what he was going to do next.
"Sir you are abcent without leave, this is your one chance to come home peacefully." The spartan four respectfully warned 117.
Without even thinking Chief gestured with his head for his team to go on. Blue team doing so without questioin.
"Blue team, stand down!" Samus could hear the frustration in the dark spartans voice, as the team left through the giant portal.
"Samus go..." Chief whispered while the dark spartan was occupied.
"I won't... leave you..." Samus stood firm, walking out from behind Chief.
Grabbing hold of the teen and guiding her towards the portal with one hand, John glared at the blue visor. "I have a job to do."
Locke followed Chief's movement, the barrel of his DMR pointed directly at the Spartan two's head. "Cortana is our concern now."
Chief paused infront of the portal. "Like hell she is." releasing his hold on Samus he punched the dark spartan, disarming the black and blue spartan in a swift punch.
Samus watched as a full out battle between titans began, Chief was winning with ease at the beginning catching the spartan four off guard. Though the spartan four quickly recovered and began fighting back, it was now a battle of strength. It seemed to be evenly matched Chief got a few hard hits in. Tossing the spartan four to the ground a second time, Chief attempted a bone shattering punch, just missing the spartan four.
Locke rolled out of the way quickly kicking the attacking spartan two in the face. Chief stumbled back a moment giving enough time for the dark spartan to lash out with multiple quick attacks, punching the larger spartan then violently elbowing the golden visor, the sound of glass shattering as Chief fell to the floor.
Samus attempted to cry out for Chief but a blood filled violent cough erupted instead. Recovering from the harsh cough, she observed the threatening spartan, as he pulled something off his leg. Scanning it Samus quickly recieved the weapons purpose. Samus had no time to think as the spartan began to approach her downed adopted father.
Tackling the dark spartan to the ground, knocking the armour immobolizer out of his hand.
Half dazed John noticed out of the corner of his visor, the imobolizer slide over beside him.
Locke quickly rolled kicking the teen off him. Samus wasn't going to give up this fight, the spartan was smart but she was quicker. Kicking out his legs, throwing him onto his ass once more. She elbowed with all her body wieght into the spartans abdomen, the gut wrenching sound of coughed up blood could be heard. Samus quickly batted the spartan upside the head with her cannon, leaping away from him she waitied for the next move.
John slowly got up glancing over at the battle between his adopted kid and the dark spartan. Samus was holding her own, but Locke was getting smart to her moves.
Faking attacks he then threw in powerful punches eventually throwing the teen off balance. The spartan four was able to slam the team down onto the ground. Jumping back up Samus slammed her cannon into the blue visor, clearly dazing the soldier.
"Samus." John caught the teens attention, briefly showing the immobolizer in his hand.
Samus nodded in acknowledgment, as the blue visored soldier picked himself up.
Locke was about to grab the bounty hunter, when Samus quickly contorted into morph ball just in time for Chief to slam a punch into the spartan four. Chief began to beat on the soldier once again, turning it into a battle of strength.
Samus eventually boosted into the back of the dark spartan's legs, causing him to go off balance. Chief threw in one more hit before plastering the immobolizer to spartan Locke's chest, freezing anymore fight left in him.
Samus quickly transformed jogging to Chief's side. He quickly glared up at the fire team that stared at them in awe. Placing a firm hand on the bounty hunters back, John escorted his teen through the portal, as one of the fire team's members jumped onto the platform towards their frozen leader.
"Who, and what was that, orange, ball, arm cannon totting, thing!?" Buck had to make his joking toned coments to voice his confusion.
"Dammit, no time to discuss now Buck!" Locke exhaled angrily, as the place began to rumble.
The swish of a platform falling into the lava bed below Osiris brought them panick to escape. "Move!"