(Disclaimer: this chapter was re-edited as of 11/3/22. Big thanks to Annoying POW marine for giving this chapter a new coat of paint.)
Chapter 9: settling in.
Leaving the hens to tidy up the lobby, Noble Six explored the offices wing of the factory. Looking though lot of empty cubicles, utilities, and even a kitchen/cafeteria, he took the scenic routes to leave no stone unturned. Midst the dust, copy paper, and ceramic mugs, he found the conference room.
"This would serve as our command center." Six thought aloud to Athena. As if on cue, the hanging projector snapped off the remain wisp of wiring. It slammed into the dusty meeting table in a mushroom cloud of chocking soot. Fortunately, Spartan helmets easily filtered it out of his inhalations. "Once we install proper equipment."
Athena signaled green though his HUD. "While we're exploring the facility, want me to give you the rest of my SiteRip?"
"Yes, you stopped at Mikogami." Six recalled, leaving the conference room to get the layout of the premises "What do you have on him?"
"Bringing up his file now."
Athena's avater vanished to windows of the data she had acquired. From the stream of bits, she enlarged a portrait of slim teenage boy - average height, brown hair and hazel eyes, a predominately white and gold formal suit. At a glance at the image as Six guessed Mikogami came from wealth.
"A kid?" Six spoke up.
"Yes, rather unexpected, though he looks younger than his birth certificate suggests." Athena shared.
Six was taken aback, if only a little, to find a child among his list of potential threats. While the Insurrectionists used whatever means, including child soldiers, he hoped the relatively peaceful humanity of this universe would not stoop down to those levels. Regardless, it was no issue for the Spartan, and would never be.
"What do you know?"
Athena scrolled through a montage of thumbnails, showing off all data she had looted from MBI's network servers. "Mikogami Hayato. Age 15, born November 3, 2005. His parents are fifth generation lawyers - successful ones too - with a combined net-worth in the high millions, USD. He is a straight-A student, skipped one grade. Smart kid." Six had to admit he was a little impressed with the kid with his performance in school. Could rival a Spartan 2 candidate in mental acumen. "Not another supposed 'super genius' like Minaka?"
"He has a high IQ but it's not to the levels of Halsey or Minaka-the-Mental." Athena reasoned.
Six nodded as he entered another cell, the corner of his lip tugged at the nickname. The room he entered was locker room, walls lined with narrow cabinets, back-to-back in two rows. Beyond them, he saw a bank of shower cubicles at the far end. Toyotama and the Lightning-Twins would be happy about this discovery, he was sure.
"Another thing I found here is his psychological evaluation. From MBI's observations, it seems like to be a typical spoiled rich kid. Even has the neglectful, busy parents." Athena answered. "He seems reasonably independent, save for the few maids and the butler on his parents pay-roll for the mansion he lives in. Also from what MBI has seen, Mikogami has a big interest in video games of all kinds of titles purchased and played to various levels of completion. He has been pro-active in Minaka's Sekirei-Game too, targeting the new-releases and building up his - I quote - collection - unquote, and organizing them into hunting parties."
"He's actually trying to win this sick experiment?"
Athena's avatar appeared and nodded. "Mikogami has a large number of Sekirei, second only by a narrow margin to Higa. Both Ashikabi sent squads of Sekirei to capture the Unwinged as they were added to the game. Mikogami even has territorial patrols set up, composed of two or three Sekirei. The kid has plenty of strategy-game experience, but Higa either matches him or simply copies his formations."
Six grunted his displeasure. "Never thought a kleptomanic, completionist gamer would make trouble for me. Keep updates of their patrol routes for openings we can exploit."
"Will do. And for the record, Mikogami's Sekirei occasionally out-pace or defeat Higa's Sekirei. Terminations are rare, but it would seem they to perform better."
"Hmm, superior combatants? Small unit tactics?" the Spartan offered.
"Having a single-number like Mutsu in his ranks certainly tips the odds in Mikogami's favor considering how powerful they are… however I still wouldn't rule out the Eastern-Sekirei just yet. I'll get to them once we're done with the report of the Southern-Ashikabi." Athena said.
Six nodded as he went towards the showers. His hand, capable of snapping an Elite's neck gripped and gingerly turned the knob.
No water.
"Looks like we're gonna need to get the water running too. Hope the piping isn't compromised." Six said leaving the locker room. Walking down the hallway again Six couldn't help but comment. "This Mikogami reminds me of someone."
"Damon A161 of Delta squad?" Athena chirped.
" How did you guess?"
Athena chuckled. "I downloaded your files back on Reach. I know all about the mission on Barilia. I didn't know you worked with another Spartan team before Noble team, but turns out you did."
"I wouldn't say worked with them." Six replied. "Went in with the impression they were all dead, but we managed to survive together against the odds in that forsaken jungle."
The Spartans of Delta team, he had to admit they were an interesting bunch - well, it's four surviving members at least. If any of them had to take the cake it was probably Spartan A161, the team technician and engineer. For a Spartan, Damon was rather negative and sarcastic, with a nihilistic sense of humor. The sort that rub those around him the wrong way, even to his own squad mates. He spoke his mind freely, barbs often annoyed and sometimes even hurt others, even superior officers. Mikogami's background was eerily similar. Damon also came from a rich family of lawyers, high IQ, straight A student in school. Hearing possible neglect, he wondered if this Mikogami resented his parents like Damon?
The only Spartan III Six knows that didn't join the program out of vengeance, unlike so many other children orphaned by the covenant. Six still remembered what Damon said to him in one of the moments when they had some downtime when they weren't constantly fighting for their lives: "I didn't join out of vengeance for the death of my parents. For all I care, fuck-em! The inheritance was worth avenging, not them! Besides, when they ask me to join, I said 'why the hell not' and signed. I figured being a super soldier would interesting, giving me the opportunity to tinker with all sorts of technology, human or alien ."
'I wonder how he and the rest of the team are doing right now?' Six wondered to himself. The last he heard of Delta team they were stationed on Onyx.
Back in the Halo universe:
Location: somewhere on Onyx.
"Achoo! Ah... oh shit, so damn hard to clean the inside of recon-visors! Damnit!"
Back in the Sekirei universe with Six:
Putting that thought to rest, he continued down the hallway. "Athena, any chance you can give me a waypoint to the power?"
"Sure." Six made his way to the her markers. Athena's popped up on his HUD again. "You know, once we turn the power on it's going to attract attention of anyone monitoring the local power grid. Once they see power is not paid for this section. They'll send somebody over here. MBI will know where we are."
"Can you hide us?"
"I can hide electronic records pertaining to the building and obfuscate with the monitoring gear, but there is no hiding that more power is being drawn than before. A proper audit will blow our cover. If we keep it to lights and appliances we may go unnoticed for a while, but kick up the factory and everyone will notice. I would recommend portable generators if you want to power up the whole factory, unless you can convince the twins to power the whole facility for you?"
"I doubt they'd wouldn't appreciate being used like that. MBI might have some generators we could "requisition." Six emphasized
Athena's avatar smirked.
Back at the lobbywith the girls:
Bored waiting around for their Ashikabi to return, the trio decided to explore the office building for themselves, roaming through the hallways and exploring empty office rooms.
"Actually, this doesn't seem so bad. It would make a decent apartment or dorm if the factory wasn't attached to this place." Toyotama idly commented, standing in the middle of an empty room after taking stock of the place.
"I still say we should've went with your penthouse idea." Hikari complained leaning against the inside of the door with her arms folded across her chest. "It would've been a hell of a lot better than this dump!"
"Sis, he probably had his reasons, so let's be patient with him in the meantime." Hibiki reasoned from another room.
Her sister huffed. "Whatever."
"Don't be so moody, Double A. Lighten' up a bit." Toyotama joked.
The oldest twin groaned angrily. "Will you stop nicknaming me? Stripper."
Toyotama's smirk broadened. "You know? You act like an emotionally stunted 12-year old at times. I see why your sisters always worries about your tendencies. Being provoked so easily? I find it kind of funny."
"You-"
"Hikari, back off!" Hibiki butted in suddenly as she wandered into the room. "She is trying to get under your skin so you lose points with our Ashikabi!"
Number-11 stared blankly at her twin for a moment, taken completely off-guard. "Hibiki..."
"Toyotama, quit pushing her buttons." Number-12 continued with a stern glare. "If you piss her off and come to blows this whole factory will come down around us, and that will make our Ashikabi mad."
The greenette bit her lip and averted her gaze, unwilling to risk losing her own temper after being called out.
With her fun ended, the staff Sekirei suggested "Now, can we look though the closets on this floor for any cleaning supplies?"
For a moment it seemed like Hikari was primed and ready to strafe Number 16 with repudiation and electric discharges, but ultimately about-faced and left for separate areas of the building. Hibiki let out a ragged sigh and let her head fall back.
"Hurry back, Six. I don't know if I can keep this cold war from going nuclear."
A sudden loud smashing sound roared through the halls making Hibiki flinch. Sounded like a metal door being forcefully kicked opened off its hinges. Hibiki turned in the direction of the noise.
"And there goes another door." Hibiki sighed.
The loud bang didn't go unheard by Toyotama and Hikari flinched at the sudden loud bang, both regrouped with Hibiki. Hikari and Toyotama frowned at one another returning, and both of them huffed at one another.
"The hell's he doing?" Hikari voice for them all, folding her arms across her chest and staring in the direction where they heard the bang.
"Should we… go see if he needs help with anything?" Toyotama suggested staring in the same direction .
Hibiki shook her head. "Eh, leave him be. Lets just let him continue … whatever he's doing."
With that said Hikari and Toyotama nodded in agreement with her and went back searching through the empty rooms in closet.
Back with Noble Six:
Noble 6 reached the waypoint marked on his HUD, it brought him before a locked metal door.. A small peek window at eye level allowed Six to see inside. There were plenty of cabinets with viens of cables running along the ceiling. Six reared himself back and Spartan kicked the door, with the enough force to give a Brute pause, he sent it flying off its hinges. The offending slab of metal sprawled out the middle of the room.
"Don't care for knocking, do you?" Athena teased. This was the third door he kicked opened.
Six strode in. "Athena, talk to me. What am I doing?" the super soldier made to the closest locked metal cabinet and peeled. Not popped out, not removed, not even unlocked. No, peeled the metal plate covering like tin foil.
"In short, since we're only restoring power to the office building. All you need to do is mess with two cabinets flips some switches. Then hit office fuse-box and flip everything."
"Simple enough. Which one?" Six asked "Theres two dozen of them in this room alone."
Athena tilted her head to one said. "Hold on, I'll paint the correct ones."
Six nodded, then proceeded. "I believe we were up to Higa of the East in your intel report?"
"Yes." the AI virtually nodded on his HUD. Two cabinets were highlighted red though his visor. This AI partner highlighed each part as he manipulated the controls as per her walkthough.
While working, Athena enlarged an image of a young man of average height and build, seemingly in his mid-late 20s, wearing a elaborate, pure white suit with a white dress shirt underneath the jacket, a black tie, matching dress pants, and black dress shoes. He has short brown hair and grey eyes.
"He almost seems kind of cute." She cooed.
"Intel?"
"Okay, he actually CEO of Hiyamakai Enterprises, owns a hospital of the same name, and currently has the most winged Sekirei."
"Really want to win this sick competition?" Six wondered aloud as he shifted between cabinets Athena highlighted switches.
"I think it's more of a personal reason why he has that many." Athena replied.
"Explain."
"Hiyamakai Enterprises is primarily a pharmaceutical company and infamous for a bitter rivalry with MBI. Minaka has been blowing them out of the water with all the new medicines and technologies derived from the alien technology. He probably joined this competition to get back at MBI. No doubt he's going to be the most dangerous in this fucked up game." Athena summarized. "Of course this is MBI's data I've used to draw these conclusions, so expect bias and I miss what they miss."
Six nodded, flipping a few switches on the cabinet "Another spoiled rich kid born into money like Mikogami? I think we figured the demographic of Minaka's "game"."
"Not much in his psychological profile. MBI marked him down as stern, serious, stoic demeanor. That's about it." Athena said.
"Makes sense. As a corporate CEO, he should be well trained in facial & body language control. Business poker-face." Six stated. Six may not know business himself, but he understood businessmen reasonably well. CEOs like this were similar to top rank command staff in a way, keeping their emotions in check as they made serious and weighty decisions. Six learned a lot of strange things thanks to his tenure with ONI.
Athena nodded in agreement. "True. Overhearing the conversation of the girls, I did confirm Higa has hunting parties patrol and pursuit Unwinged Sekirei to be forcibly brought back to him and added to his collection - or arsenal. Take your pick."
"So when I rescued Toyotama…" the Former Headhunter lead.
"Yes, you saved her from one of these parties. You can see why she's grateful to you."
For some reason, it stirred something within him. What happened last night... he had flashes going through his head, watching her getting beaten savagely down to the ground, threatening to be dragged away. To know it was this creep that ordered it? Six clenched his fist and for some reason he had a desire to shoot Higa on sight.. Veterans, no, survivors of Covenant attacks would recall their comrades being dragged off by Elites to be made sport in ritualistic combat, thrown into packs of Jackals to be torn apart by the disgusting scavengers, or worst, the Brutes. Few are ever-so versed in the perverse interest Brutes have in "live prey".
Six found his composure again and spoke up. "I want regular updates on hunting parties. I'm putting an end to it."
"Roger. I'll keep you posted." Athena acknowledged.
" Is there still more on Higa?" Six said, finishing up with another cabinet and moving on.
"Well, Higa does have a second in command." Athena replied, bringing up another image on his HUD.
A tall, relatively slim built, black-haired and hazel-eyed man who wears spectacles, a black suit with a white shirt underneath and a yellow tie. "Kakizaki (no last name or first name? Can't tell). He is Higa's secretary. I learned he is also an Ashikabi bonded to number 22, Kochou. A brain type similar to number 2, Matsu."
Athena displayed an image of that particular Sekirei. A short grey hair and violet eyes framed with red half-moon glasses.
"According to his psychological profile from MBI observations, Kakizaki appears to be completely obedient towards Higa."
Six hummed curiously. "How long has he served Higa?"
"All their lives, it seems. Their families have been allies for a life-time, so naturally two boys of the same age got to know each other. They've been a pair through schooling till now. Higa leads, Kakizaki follows. Like a dog."
Six recalled of how close Noble Team was. Those Spartans had been working together for years. When he came into the team they were cautious of him since he was a stranger coming into their pack. After the massacre of his home world Six never got close to anybody, not even during the early days in Beta Company. He barely talked to anyone, much less, the other recruits during training - kept to himself. and worked his ass off. He was deployed for a special mission away from Beta Company, when they got wiped out.
Now with the three Sekirei on his hands... he didn't know. What to make of them, what to do about them, or anything else. He felt responsible for them but regretted getting involved... 'but what's done is done', as the saying went. Thinking about it further, it was nice to have backup. They didn't have Spartan-like abilities, but no UNSC servicemen shied away from support. That was the easiest way for him to think of them at the moment.
Still… to think he would think of aliens this way, all the years of bloodshed with the covenant. Never thought he would ally himself with non-humans… Maybe, or despite, how human they appeared and acted, it put him at ease, if a bit. For now, he would just have to get used to their presence. Hopefully after eliminating that madman, he would find a way to sever their symbiotic bond and let them find who someone marr-, *cough* bonded to, instead of with him. If he could find a way back home... What ONI would do with them? To them?
Six flipped the last switch, then "closed" the cabinet. By close, he crumpled the edges of the metal sheet around to cabinet like tinfoil on takeout.
"Looks like it's all in order." Athena reported. "You just need to find two smaller cabinets stacked vertically. flip all of the switches in the upper cabinet."Six gave her a nod and complied.
"Athena, do me a favor?"
"Hm?"
"Look into MBI's research on Sekirei symbiotic bonds with their Ashikabi."
"Can I ask why?"
"I want to find a way how to break these bonds and let these girls choose freely." Six said as he opened the indicated cabinet.
"Should I look up a divorce lawyer?" Athena teased.
"In a sense," he shrugged. "After this whole mess is over, I'll let them be with somebody of their choice."
Athena pouted. "You're gonna piss them off like that, Six."
"I know. This is for the best. Also say we somehow make it back to UNSC space and link up with friendly forces again, what ONI would do to them?… What would she do to them?" Six left the thought unfinished, then tended to the switches.
"I see." Athena acknowledged. "If anything concrete comes up, I'll let you know."
"Thanks."
The lights flicked wavered a bit, but stayed on in the power room.
"Let there be light!" Athena announced as Six closed the cabinet, not crumpling this one.
"Now we just need to get the plumbing working." Six stated.
"There is a tap in a box set into the ground road-side, the pipe splits off from the main for the suburb. Then there are all the taps around the building, a master tap in the building that turns everything off, and an isolated pump house dedicated to the sprinkler system with its own master tap. Don't think we need bother with the sprinklers yet, might draw attention." Athena informed him.
Athena drawn up way points for the Spartan to follow. Six nodded his thanks. "Anything else?"
"Yes, I don't know how well you know about plumbing. There are sensors that sends out signals to the utility company. If MBI owns the city, I recommend disarming it before we turn on the pumps."
"Okay." Six acknowledged. "Athena, contact the others and tell them we restored power."
Athena worked her magic to get access to the phone network. After a moment of listening to dial-tone Toyotama answered the call.
"Hello?"
Before Athena could greet her Six interrupted. "Toyotama, it's me. We just restored power to the office building."
"Six? How did you…. you don't even have a cell phone?"
"Athena accessed your phone." Six plainly stated.
"Future Super Soldier Magic, got it. So you said you restored the power?" Toyotama asked on the other end.
"Yes, turn on nearby light switch you'll see." Six instructed.
"OK." Toyotama replied on the other end.
"Who's callin'?" Six heard Hibiki on the other end of the phone.
"It's Six, just told me they turn the power on." Toyotama answered.
"They did?" Six hearing Hikari reply.
"Well let's see." Toyotama replied.
After a few moments of waiting for an answer. "Ha! They did! " Toyotama crowed happily.
"Hooray! We're aren't homeless!" Hikari shouted happily too.
"Yes the lights are working here." Toyotama reported over the phone.
"Thank god." commented Hibiki.
"Good. We're going to try the plumbing next" Six replied.
"That's great! I hope you get on soon because we just found a shower rooms. I need a long hot shower after today." Toyotama said.
"Same here." the Lightning-Twins chimed.
Six blinked. "Wait, you're not back in the lobby?"
"We got bored waiting for you, so we kind of went exploring." Toyotama replied.
"I see. Where are you now?"
"Right now we're just exploring the office rooms, not too far from where we found a locker room." she explained.
"Okay, I know where. Give me a couple minutes and I'll have water running soon."
"Do you need any help? " Toyotama asked.
"I think I can handle it by myself." Six replied back.
"Are you sure?" Toyotama nagged. "We can help you know."
"No, I can handle this on myself."
"Please, you're our Ashikabi. We just want to help." Toyotama pleaded.
Six took a deep breath decided to let Toyotama have her way. "Fine, but I'll take an extra pair of hands, decide amongst yourselves."
"Thank you! I'll be right-"
"Hold it right there." Hikari spoke up. "Who says you should be the one to go? You spent more than a day with him alone already. Let one of us have a turn!"
"Oh yeah, C-battery? You want a…"
"Hold it!" Hibiki jumped in. "I have a peaceful way to resolve this. How about we just do a simple game of rock paper scissors? Whoever wins helps our Ashikabi."
There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a "Sure" from Toyotama and a "Fine…" snarled Hikari.
"OK here we go." Hibiki said.
"Jan!" The three alien babes chorused.
"Ken!"
"PO!" All three shoot their gestures out.
"I won!" announced a happy Hikari.
Six heard Toyotama groan, so he spoke up before she could start anything. "Toyotama, stay where you three are. I'll be there to regroup on you."
"See you when you get here." Toyotama ending the call. With that, Six left the power room, heading towards their location and with the help of Athena tracking Toyotama's cell phone.
"For future reference people don't like it when you talk over them" Athena admitting her displeasure when he talked over her.
" Understood."
Athena added "Also, with one of the twins helping us we could…."
"Fry the sensors" Six finished her train of thought, having had a similar idea himself.
"What did I say about talking over others." Athena mock scolded.
"People don't like it." Six sassed.
Not long later, Six caught up with the trio of xenos waiting outside the hallway patiently.
Hikari and Hibiki standing in the middle of the hallway and Toyotama with her back leaning against the wall with a bit of a miffed look on her face, clearly not happy she didn't win Rock Paper Scissors. Not that he really needed her for his current task.
"There you are." Hikari said with a smile on her face.
"Kept you waiting?" Six asked on approach them.
"Not really, we've only been waiting out here for a few minutes." Said Hibiki.
"I see. I thought I stationed you three in the lobby."
"We got bored and decide have a look around ourselves. Figured it wouldn't hurt to pick out our rooms and maybe clean up a bit, while you were doing your thing." Hibiki explained.
"Hm. Very well, Hibiki and Toyotama, continue your patrol. Hikari, you're on me." Six ordered.
His Sekirei nodded, acknowledging his orders. Hikari followed Six and Hibiki turned to the opposite direction. Toyotama shot the oldest twin a glare, watching her walk away with Six. Hikari felt the greenette's glare and gave her a one finger salute and a saucy smile. Toyotama shook her fist back.
Toyotama felt a hand touch her shoulder. "Come on, Toyotama. We got work to do. No need for you and my sister to continue fighting." Hibiki implored, trying to stop the weapon user from doing something stupid.
"Ugh, Fine."
Hibiki found herself defusing another situation, so she couldn't help but sigh. 'This is why we never wanted to share our Ashikabi with another Sekirei.' the youngest twin internally said to herself. In the end that misfortune came true. Toyotama was definitely the aggressive type who wasn't afraid to butt heads with her sister. Hopefully some point in the future Hikari and Toyotama would make some type of peace with each other, Hibiki hoped.
Back with Six and Hikari:
"So... we doing other than turn on the water?" Hikari walked backwards before Six, her arms tucked behind her back and bust swinging.
"Before we get the plumbing online,I need you to fry the sensor for me so it won't alert utility company."
"Ain't that illegal?"
"I wouldn't worry about legality so much as practicality. Fall in."
Six said walking out of the lobby doors and into the main factory with Hikari following right behind him. He turned on his helmet lights to help see again.
"Thought you got power back on. Why is it dark in here?"
"We've restored power to the office buildings, for now. If we turn on the rest of the factory, our position will be compromised." Six explained. "Especially to our enemies."
"Hmm, Makes sense." Hikari shrugged.
Not long later the two made it to where they had all entered the factory. Like before, Six put his hands under the roller-door and lifted it up, causing that loud screeching sound again. The older of the twins had to cover her ears until it was over, at which point she couldn't help but blush as she walked outside.
"How much can you lift?" Hikari curiously asked, admiring his…form and technique.
Six put down the door thought about for a second, it wasn't classified material. "Inside the armor I can lift a car. Outside the armor I have the strength of three humans put together." Granted what six considered a "car" is a militarized armored warthog with a full payload of armor and heavy weapons, and "three people" were three spartans.
Hikari raised an eyebrow. "How much is that?"
"Classified."
"C'mon!"Hikari said in annoyance while following him. "Can't you give me a straight answer?"
Six said nothing and just continued walking.
"Yeah, fuck me then." She sighed.
As they closed in on the gate entrance, checking the corners were clear, six walked out of the gate and follow the waypoint Athena handily provided. Following it a few minutes and avoiding the field-of-view from wandering urban explorers and civvies on their daily commute, Six and Hikari arrived at their destinations - the road-side. Six pointed out the sensor to his electric alien,. Hikari's extended her index-finger and in a purple light, flashed fried the offending device. The sensor's plastic casing practically vaporized into nasty black smoke while what remained was charred and slagged beyond repair.
With that done Six brute-forced the spigot - almost too-small for his hands - to open the valve. Thanks to the silence of the street Six's ear did pick up the sound of water shifting. "That should do it." Six noted aloud, then beckoned for Hikari to follow as he walked back toward the building. "Now, there's one master-tap to open. Remember where it is, Hikari, so that if any of the pipes inside break or leak you can hurry out here to easily turn them all off."
The Sekirei blinked & straightened her posture. "How will I know there is a leak?"
"Usually puddles, sounds of dripping, sudden dampness." he shrugged. "We aren't done just with just the water flow. We need to turn on every tap inside to flush the pipes."
"What for?"
"If there is any stagnant water in the pipes, do you want to wash with or or drink it?" Athena's feminine voice rang through Six's helmet speakers. "Now that we got rid of the sensor, I can't tell what's going on with pressure or flow in the pipes, so if there is a leak you all are going to find it the hard way."
"Hopefully all the pipes are working, because I know shit-all about fixing plumbing." Hikari admitted.
"Well then, let's do this then head back and inspect them."
Hikari nodded and followed him. Athena marked down where master tap was. Hikari asked if she could be the one to turn it, wanting to be much more helpful than just zapping a water sensor, secretly wanting be have one up Toyotama, in trying get on their Ashikabi's good side. Deciding to humor her, Six let her try to turn the valves. Happy he let her have her way, Hikari walked up to the master tap and tried turn it. It wasn't long she starting to regret her decision. She was having a rough time. Damn thing wouldn't budge!
It was one of these moments she actually wished she was a strength type. Before she could lose her temper, Six simply put his hand on the valve and eased it for the Thunder twin. Hikari didn't want to admit it but she blushed in embarrassment since her Ashikabi elected to help her. A nice bonus was the firm grip of his hand on her own. She meekly thanked him as she turned it the rest of the way. Once that was done, Six ordered Athena again to contact Toyotama and Hibiki to have they turned on all the taps they could find around the offices to get the dirty and stale water drained out of the pipes. Once all the brown disgusting water was gone and replaced with clear clean water the girls cheered, which Six didn't understand.
Regardless of Sekirei behaviour, their headquarters was up and running again, at least the office wing portion.
With everybody getting hungry and the clock just passed noon they all decided to have lunch together. Hikari and Hibiki went out and bought some cheap folding chairs and table. Everyone sat around the table with the exception of Six who decided to stand since a literal ton of the armor and Spartan three would crumple the chair. Toyotama dump out the groceries they got earlier on the middle of the table. The greenette was hesitant to share their supplies with the twins since this was meant to be for him and her. The electric duo unexpectedly joined them, she momentarily considered refusing to give any to them, just to piss off the twins. However, something told Toyotama being petty would be counterproductive. Her Ashikabi, she felt, wouldn't appreciate childishness. She elected to just let the twins have their share.
It was mostly snack foods like chips, snack cakes and a few kinds packaged bread. Without power in the burned-out wreck they were squatting in, she brought foodstuffs ready to eat out of the package. Now that the power was working in the factory this could be the last 'MRE' meal. Next on the itinerary, she hoped was to get a refrigerator and cooking appliances. She surely was looking forward to impress Six with her cooking. Certainly.
While everybody ate. Six popped off his helmet to eat some bread rolls
There was another awkward silence between the group as they were eating. All three women drank in his exotic features, rugged yet pale as the porcelain. He could pass off as a classical age Greek statue. Toyotama after swallowing her food, yes her food NOT HER THIRST, decided to ask just to break the silence.
"So… what is the year 2552 look like in your world?"
The greenette's question caught interest immediately.
"Yeah, tell us about the future big man." Hikari asked in her own way.
"And since you said you're from another reality, I don't think what you're gonna tell us will affect this one all that much." Hibiki said.
Hikari nodded in agreement with her sister. "Is it like the movies? Hover cars, laser guns and all that cool shit?"
Six before he could say the word 'classified' Athena whispered to him from his helmets internal speakers. "Six, I don't think it would hurt to tell them, so long as we avoid anything critical or sensitive."
Six pondered for a moment and decided. "All right."
The girls became excited hearing his reply. They anxiously waited to hear about the future.
"You want me to do the explaining again big guy?" Athena queried openly.
Six gestured her to go ahead, silently relieved.
"Pay attention ladies!" the AI's synthesized voice projected from his removed helmet. "Professor Athena, will now start the lecture" she took a moment of amusement, at the collective dissapointment. 'Girls really wanted to get him talking'. Athena begin to explain like a history of the UNSC to the class... before that history started.
For the next few minutes the girls learned a lot from Athena. From technology improvements in medicine, Cybernetic limbs, Biofoam, and many other different achievements of 'the future'. Rather similar to MBI in respect to the medical field here from some of the things they've heard. Hibiki asked about bioaugmentation's, since their Ashikabi mentioned he was a biologically enhanced soldier, to which Six ended with "Classified", her disappoint was immeasurable. Athena was answering Hikari's questions about laser guns and flying cars. Telling her the UNSC haven't invented those just yet. Sort of. There was the Model 6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle, which technically used laser technology and technically a gun. And there was the Covenant series of military vehicles, such as the Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle, aka the Ghost. She did not share details of the alien species they encountered, much less their war with humanity, and the tools in total human extinction. But for the most part, they are still using wheels for cars and they are still using projectile weapons, telling them Noble six's MA37 still fires the 7.62×51mm ammunition used in modern machine guns of the universe apparent.
It was a little disappointing for them to learn the cars and weapons hadn't changed much in 500 years.
What really fascinated them was when Athena told them about a humanity colonizing planets across the stars with the discovery of slip space technology in 2291. Because of the Shaw-Fujikawa drive humanity was able to colonize over 800 worlds in a span of over 200 years. The girls stunned in amazement to hear humanity at this point built a star spanning empire like this. Athena explained humanity found and colonized many habitual planets throughout the cosmos, each of them serving a purpose. Some planets like Harvest were used as farming planets, productive enough to feed an entire solar system. Though, she omitted mentioning its tragic fate. Others like Arcadia, served as vacation planets tropical resorts. Shipyards built on planet or in space ports would churn out fleets furthering the size and reach of the UEG. And so on and so forth. Her audience really cooed with wonder of the sea of lights over their heads.
The girls began asking questions wanting of Six's and Athena's past, future… backstory, "Where did they come from?", "What was their world like?" and "How was Athena made?". Before the AI could answer, Six stepped in and told them it was enough for today and that's all they would reveal about where they are from, much to the disappoint the girls in the end as things started to wind down.
But curious alien girls, and their questions of an alien future, Toyotama got a concerning expression on her face.
"Who is this 'Halsey' woman you mentioned yesterday?"
That question got the attention of the twins. "Who?" asked Hikari, genuinely confused.
"Halsey?" Hibiki asked curiously.
Six took a deep breath realizing he probably he had accidentally expounded the most black-inked name in the UNSC in his talk with Takami.
"Classified." Six brushing off the question.
"Oh come on! Don't give us that shit again, is there anything that isn't classified!?" Hikari complained, hating the fact that he kept things from them.
"I will reveal who she is, if it becomes relevant." Six stated emotionlessly.
Toyotama perked up as she remembered the mention. "Well, when you were talking to Takami, if I had to guess it seem like you mistook her for this Halsey?"
"Wait? You talked to Takami instead of Minaka?" Hibiki spoke up.
"I actually was talking to him first, however I couldn't stand one moment listening to him rave and demanded him to get off the phone and get someone I could take seriously." Six answered.
For the sisters they couldn't help but laugh at the idea of him demanding a switch in service. Like he was ordering food and wanted a different cashier. Say what you want about professor. He was verbose and melodramatic, and easily be annoying and irritating to listen to.
"Is there anything about this Halsey you can tell us? Is she was an old flame or something?" Toyotama asked. That idea held their breathes.
Six gave her a bit of an annoyed look. "No she's not."
"Besides, she's 40 years older than him," Athena added through the speakers of the helmet. "Old enough to be his mother rather than anything else."
The three girls released a sigh of relief.
"For a second I thought I had more competition on my hands," Toyotama said. "Is that who this Halsey is? Your mother or something?"
Six shrugged. She wasn't wrong in a way since Halsey was considered to be the mother of the Spartan-IIs. IIIs like him were a creation of ONI really, but for reasons hard to decipher Halsey respected him as if he was one of her Spartan IIs. Dr. Halsey took a form of maternal responsibility for all the super soldiers, oddly enough. As if she saw them all as her work.
"Somewhat." He eventually supplied.
Now that got the three girls interested hoping he would reveal more. Upon seeing the reactions Six dashed their hopes again.
"Classified."
Which made them all groan again.
"Come on! Is there anything you can tell us about yourself? Like... I don't know, what planet your from? Or family life or something?" Hikari nagged.
"They're all dead."
They were all shocked at his response, and just how frank it was. To hear his family is dead. A matter of fact! None of them were prepared for, nor find the right thing to say.
Hikari try to make an apology. "Umm, sorry for bringing it up... I uh..."
"No need to apologize, you didn't know. All you need to know now is they're all dead."
With that things settled to an awkward silent.
Hibiki asked something to stave off silence. "You said you are a Spartan III Super soldier right?"
"Correct."
"Then, theres are ones and twos? Any similarity to Sekirei numbers?"
"Clas-"
Toyotama interrupted. "Classified?"
Six nodded. More groans. The girls were at a lost since they're not sure what to ask him since he would just say 'classified'.
"I have my own questions I want to ask you. I don't expect to you to answer them all since I haven't given many answers to yours." That did raise their curiosity anew.
"What is it you want to know?" Hibiki asked curiously.
"For starters, I've been trying to figure you Sekirei out."
"Figure us out? What do you mean?"
"For one, when I think of aliens from outer space, I don't think of something that looks like me." Six stated.
"What are we supposed to look like then? Not gorgeous?" Toyotama said flipping her hair and bouncing in her chair twice to make her breasts jiggle a little.
To her disappointment she didn't get any reaction, as he kept his trademark blank expression. Hikari couldn't help but snort out a laugh since her rival failed attempt to get a reaction from Six. Toyotama threw a quick glare at the hotheaded twin before giving her attention back to the Spartan.
"So, like, what were you expecting us to look like? The little gray aliens depicted in old cartoons or something?" Hikari asked curiously.
"Let's just say I was expecting...", Six trailed off, flashing back though the catalog of ugly the Covenant provided him through the years"...ugly looking."
"What!?" The three exclaimed in unison.
Six held a hand up to placate them. "All the aliens I've met are ugly. Smelled really bad too." Brutes and Jackals were the worst offenders. One would thing sensitive nosed predator species would be more aware of their hygiene.
The three women paused for a moment to process. "Huh?" was the most their collective brain power could muster.
"You've met other aliens?" Toyotama not believing the implications.
Six simply nodded," Yes."
"Wait! There's other aliens out there!" Hikari yelled more than asked.
"Meaning we're not the only intelligent life in existence?" Hibiki sharing her sisters surprise.
"You're not the only ones." Athena confirmed, getting everybody's attention as they stared at the helmet in Six's hands. All three girls were just stunned to hear there are other lifeforms out there in the galaxy and they all couldn't help but ask.
"What can you tell us about them? Are they big or are they small or what!?" Hibiki asked with some excitement in her voice.
"Yeah! Are they anything like the ones from the movies? Like a parasitic one with acid for blood?" Hikari added.
"Or giant race of arachnids swarming across the galaxy?" Toyotama tagged along.
Athena let out a laugh at their enthusiasm. "Well, girls, we haven't encountered anything like those. But humanity in our universe has encountered several different species of intelligent life, I can certainly clarify their features are distinctly not Human in an quite unappealing way…."
"In other words, we're ARE gorgeous!" Toyotama exclaimed, getting up from her chair and strutting what her mothership gave her. Running her fingers though her long, green hair and twisting her narrow waist.
Not to be one-upped, Hikari who decided to make her own moves to get his attention. "We're nice on the eyes, aren't we?" she casually stretched her arms over her head to let her knockers throw their weight around.
"Yes." He said under his breath quiet enough they didn't hear, having paid their wooing no mind at all.
"Anything else you can tell us about these aliens?" Hibiki queried persistently.
"For now, any and all information on the races in our time and world are classified until proven relavent." Six put firmly, wanting to be over with this conversation. Every time he said 'classified' it made the girls groan. This better not become a running gag.
"Is it wrong to say I'm starting to despise that word? Classified - ugh." Hikari grumbled.
"Get used to it." Six parroted a long past ONI employee.
All three of his Sekirei couldn't help but roll their eyes at his comment.
Things got quiet - again - the Spartan couldn't help but take a deep breath.
"Note of advice watch what you say sometimes big guy." Athena advised .
"I'll keep that in mind." Six acknowledged to himself in a low voice.
"Want to mention the war to them?" Athena whisper through the speakers, Six failed to offer a reply. "I see."
He thought it was best for them not to know the horrors of the Human-Covenant war in his time, at least for now. "Other than keeping the existence of other aliens out there from us, what else do you want to know about?" Hikari sounding a little upset sitting back in her chair and leaning in it with her arms fold over her chest.
"Been meaning to ask. I'm no expert on relationships, but typically it doesn't take one kiss on a first meeting. From what I understand time has to be built up for a couple to feel any degree of familiarity for each other. I mean, strangers usually don't like it when a random person kisses them. Case in point, when I held Toyotama at gun point."
"I thought you didn't want to bring up that incident again?" Toyotama teased.
"I'm using it as an example. I barely know anything about the three of you, I met you last night." Six reminded Toyotama, then leveled his gaze at the twins. "And you two today. For the last 24 hours i've been trying to wrap my head around what this supposed bond is and suppose to be. You three barely even know me and yet you….love me?" Six hesitated a bit saying that word since he never needed to before, like handling an old M6 pistol crusted with dust from disuse. "And I'm just at a loss here… I mean was there any doubt in your minds you chose the right "Destined one"? I could've be an abusive psychotic for all you know."
Toyotama smiled. "You aren't. You saved me from Higa's lackies, so when I reacted to you I knew you weren't."
"Same here." Hikari agreed, her sister nodding with her.
"A momentary feeling doesn't justify a life-long empathetic bond." Six countered.
"Then you have to understand our terms of relationships is very different from humans since our culture is based on love and fate." replied Hibiki as if it was a matter fact.
"Love and fate? Is that what you people believe?" Six asked with a hint of curiosity.
Hibiki nodded. "Yes, it's a natural fact of life for us; we Sekirei are part of a culture that is based on the basis of love and fate, both are essential to our race. And one of our duties is to serve you, our Ashikabi, as our master and husband. Even give our life if necessary."
"Really?" Six raising an eyebrow at her statement. "Because it almost sounds… alien to me, no offense."
Toyotama replied this time. "None taken - call it what you want, but our duty is to serve and protect you. Forever."
"Who taught you this?"
"Duh, no brainer, MBI taught us our duties as Sekirei." Answered Hikari immediately.
"You believe them?" Six asked with a hint of suspicion.
"Yeah. I mean, why would they lie to us about it?"
"Did she really just say that?" Athena whispered through the speakers of the helmet in Six's arm.
"So none of you questioned what they taught you?" Six asked as calmly as he could, since he was slowly feeling his anger the three girls nodded. Six began to realize how naïve these girls were. That pathetic excuse of a CEO no doubt lied and mislead them all their lives too, feeding them his bullshit since the cradle! The same could be said for Spartans like him, but at least Mendez and Kurt taught them right from wrong and to follow their gut instincts. Not to mention the UNSC was fighting a war against extinction! The love they spoke of couldn't possibly be real but just a fabrication of MBI's 'education' & imagination.
Taking a deep breath "I disagree."
The girls were taken aback, surprised by his response.
"There is no such thing as fate." Six proclaimed, within him, a maelstrom of decades, the Covenant's constant promises of humanities forlorn, forgone conclusion and their own inevitable ascension.
Notes.
That was chapter 9, I hope you all enjoyed it leave me your thoughts and comments. Like I said in my original preview sorry if you found this one kinda boring since this is just them settling into the factory.
Like I said in my preview about the shower room. Not sure if something like this would exist in a largely automated car factory, but perhaps its for those who run or ride to work to freshen-up, Other words Let's pretend that is.
I'll be honest that conversation towards the end of the chapter I had a rough time making since I tried to make it as believable as possible
Also my OC Spartan and Delta squad, for a while I've actually have my own OC spartans I've been thinking about introducing into the story as I said in the preview will show up in six's backstory when we get there and future stories.
For now I'm just going to try to be vague about them not to reveal too much.
Damon A161, for those of you who haven't guessed and know nothing of gears of war. He is based off of Damon Baird from the game.
Other than that for the next chapter I'll try not to give away too much. Athena finishes up her report on the discipline squad, Six does reconnaissance around the city scouting out MBI military positions and meeting up with Minato and Musubi again. That's it for now.
Before I forget big things to SoTaWoB for editing and proofreading this. also big thanks for SPARTAN-626 for beta reading this chapter.
