Chapter 15
Shapiro's morning routine hadn't changed much since Drake brought the Elite into Destiny. He would wake at 0600 sharp before getting showered and dressed for the day ahead, making sure to keep his appearance as professional as possible. He would then make his way to his office, checking in on the officers below him, making sure they were aware of their tasks for the day and knew which orders to give out and to whom. Once at his office he would simply sit at his desk, bringing up the several displays which showed him the details of the goings on of his FOB.
However his second display was now dedicated to a single purpose. The brig was fitted with several cameras, one for each cell which was used to monitor the activity of anyone who was in the cells. Most of the time he didn't have use for the camera system. His men were very well disciplined and knew that if they did anything stupid they would be spoken to by Shapiro. He wasn't one to shout at people. Shouting didn't get anyone anywhere. But for once there was a use. The display looked down from one corner into the small cell which housed the Elite, Tz'eal.
It had been a full week since he arrived and Shapiro had done nothing. There was no contact between them. He had promised to speak to the alien and he had every intention to do so. However he wanted to test the Elite's patience. If the Elite was able to keep it's cool and not do anything stupid then he would act on his word and speak to it. But he wanted to be sure.
Drake was a good soldier, a good friend. However his judgement wasn't on point at times. He had made costly mistakes which cost lives. If this decision backfired it could cost the lives of several men and women of Destiny.
He continued to watch the Elite lay in the cot far too small for it when his exterior camera flagged movement. Tapping his display he brought the feed up to see Drake making his way towards the office. Rolling his eyes and sighing Shapiro slowly turned to the doorway and pressed a switch on his desk. The door to his office opening with a hiss, Drake stood before it with his fist raised ready to knock.
Drake glanced from Shapiro to his raised fist. Shrugging his shoulders he lowered his fist before walking in and making his way over to the desk.
"Drake. What can I do for you this morning?" Shapiro asked as he turned back to his displays.
"Is today going to be the day?" Drake asked as he glanced around the room, not making eye contact.
"Today is the day? For what?" Shapiro asked, knowing full well what Drake was talking about.
"You're going to talk to Tz'eal?" Drake asked as he finally made eye contact. Shapiro knew he was growing impatient. He had a plan in mind which involved Drake and the Elite but he had to keep waiting.
"I'll talk to him when I have the time to." Shapiro replied as he glanced up to Drake just for a moment, to see the anger on Drake's face.
"Have time to? You've had a week. It's been a full week since I brought him here and you're sitting here doing nothing." Drake argued.
"Need I remind you that I am running this entire FOB. I have the entire Marine section to keep an eye on, the Engineers, ODSTs, aviation and others. Everything that goes on in this base has to go through me. I'm not doing nothing, I'm doing my damned job." Shapiro began quietly as he lowered his display and looked up to Drake who crossed his arms and looked back with an expression filled with anger.
"Your Alien friend is a massive security risk. It could very easily kill a lot of people and until I'm certain it won't it'll stay in that cell and wait. As will you." Shapiro concluded as he raised his displays again and continued to monitor the activity in the cells.
"You gave him your word that you'd speak to him. You're not keeping your word." Drake said quietly as he turned and began walking out of the room.
"I'm not doing a lot of things. Keeping my word is one thing I am doing." Shapiro retorted as Drake left the room without a response.
The door closing behind Drake with a hiss, Shapiro turned back to his displays and propped his chin in his hand as he thought about his next step. He knew Drake was probably about to go do something stupid so he should step in.
"Watson." Shapiro said quietly as he glanced to his left, a small holographic projector hummed into life as an orange glow emitted from the base, a projection of a well dressed man donned with a Bowler hat appeared with his hands behind his back.
"Yes Commander? How can I assist?" Watson said, his stereotypical English accent quite clear as he glanced from Shapiro to the displays.
"Given his typical walking speed and the distance from this office to the brig, how long would you assume it would take for Drake to get there?" Shapiro asked as he tapped the console before the displays, switching cameras to track Drake's movements.
"Given his heightened heart rate and the urgency in his pacing I would assume it would take him approximately 147 seconds from this office to get to the Brig." Watson replied after his form flickered in thought for a moment.
"147, so about 2 minutes from now. Let's see how urgent this is for him." Shapiro mumbled to himself as he stared at the displays once again.
"I am aware of what the Sergeant brought to the base last week. Do you believe he will try to break the Elite out of confinement?" Watson asked.
"Yeah I do. Drake said he'd get the Elite out of here if he thought it wasn't going to be good for the Elite's health; he'd do what he can to get him out. With me taking my time to go question the Elite I think Drake's getting impatient and is going to get the Elite out of here. Honestly, I think it'll prove if the Elite is truly wanting to stay and help us if they do this." Shapiro explained as he continued to count down the time.
Almost exactly as they had predicted Drake arrives at the brig. The door opened with a hiss as he rushed inside and began tapping on the console to the locker containing Tz'eals armor. Shapiro grinned as he slowly stood up from his desk and began walking towards the door.
"Sir? Should I have a security team on standby?" Watson asked as he glanced from Shapiro back to the displays.
"Keep your eye on them and make your own decision. I'll be down there in a few minutes." Shapiro replied as he stepped out of his office and began walking towards the brig as Watson fixated on the displays, watching and listening to the interaction between Drake and Tz'eal.
"What are you doing here Drake?" Tz'eal asked as he slowly stood from his cot, taking a single step towards the shield door to be able to see Drake.
"I'm getting you out of here. I said I would if things didn't go as planned." Drake replied without turning around as he finally managed to get the locker open. Picking up the pieces of Tz'eals armor he strode over to the cell and placed it all down on the floor before putting his palm on the scanner to open the door.
"You also said I could trust your Commander. Do you trust him?" Tz'eal asked as he watched Drake place his hand on the sensor several times, the display flashing a crimson red every time he did so.
"I thought I could. But you've been here for a week now Tz'eal. If he had any intention of speaking to you by now he would have. Now I think he's stalling until ONI shows up and I'm not going to let those bastards get their hands on you." Drake replied with a growl as he continued to press his palm against the sensor, as it continued to give him a red flash of denial.
"And what is this ONI?" Tz'eal asked, sounding confused.
"The Office of Naval Intelligence. They're a group of conniving, sneaky little bastards who think they can go anywhere, do anything, and get away with it." Drake replied as his hand balled into a fist with anger.
"If they have their way, ONI would come here, take you to a black site on a random backwater planet and interrogate you until you either give them the information they want from you, die or both." Drake continued as he punched the sensor with his clenched fist. The sensor shattering from the impact before it gave off a soft green light. The shield door flickered before it disappeared.
"And I am not going to let that happen. You reached out for me when you needed help the most. The one being in this Galaxy you think you can trust and I'm not going to let something like that happen to you." Drake finished as he turned away from Tz'eal without another word.
"Do you truly believe your Commander would do something like this to me?" Tz'eal asked quietly as he picked up his headdress.
"I didn't before. Now, I'm not too sure. Even if he wouldn't, I'm not willing to take that risk." Drake replied quietly as he glanced to the door leading out of the cells.
Looking back down from Drake to his headdress Tz'eal slowly placed it aside, took a single step back and sat down on the cot while letting out a large sigh. From his interaction with the Commander he was not a stupid man. He was calm but strict. He had intentions behind every action. If he was keeping Tz'eal here without questioning for a period of time he had a reason behind it. Unless Tz'eal had read his intentions wrong. Something he had done with the Prophets. He did not know what to do.
"Tz'eal!" Drake called out which caused Tz'eal to jump. Looking up Drake had turned around but had donned his helmet. "We need to go. Come on!" He finished, anger and fear clear in his voice.
"If you do this, you will be branded a Heretic that betrayed your people. We will both never be able to return to our homes. Is this what you want?" Tz'eal asked quietly as he donned his headdress before standing to gather the rest of his combat harness.
"No. Of course not. But I'd rather live as a Heretic knowing I did what was right than live knowing I didn't act when I should have." Drake retorted confidently as he watched Tz'eal don his armor.
"We will struggle to survive this Galaxy alone." Tz'eal commented as he continued to fix the magnetic clasps of his harness together.
"Then we'll struggle together. Just hurry up before-." Drake began as the door behind him hissed open. "Something bad happens." He finished quietly as he turned to face whoever opened the door.
"Going somewhere?" Shapiro asked with a smile as he stepped into the doorway, blocking their way out.
"We're leaving and you're not going to stop us." Drake replied angrily as he prepared to assault his Commander.
"And I have no intention of stopping you. If you want to leave then by all means, go." Shapiro replied as he stepped into the room, gesturing behind him to the open door and empty hallway.
"You're not going to try to stop us?" Drake asked sounding confused as he glanced to Tz'eal who looked back just as confused.
"No I'm not. If you both want to leave then you can. I won't stop you." Shapiro said again with a nod. Tz'eal shook his head slowly as he stopped donning his harness and sat back down on the cot, clicking his lower mandibles several times.
"And the penny finally drops for your companion." Shapiro said with a smile as Drake glanced between Shapiro and Tz'eal before taking his helmet off once again his confusion clear in his expression.
"What's going on?" Drake asked as Shapiro walked into the room, over to the nearby bench and sat down, gesturing Drake to join him.
"There's one thing I've always been an advocate for Drake. You know what that is?" Shapiro asked as he pulled out a small console and tapped the screen several times, the door to the brig hissed as it closed remotely.
"Intelligence? Courage?" Drake asked not quite sure what Shapiro was talking about.
"Loyalty." Shapiro began with a nod as he looked over to Tz'eal who had stood up and stepped into the doorway of his cell.
"Being loyal to a comrade in arms or, in this case, a friend, speaks a thousand words. The fact that you're willing to go so far as to commit treason to protect your friend, and hearing your friend question your decision, proves just how loyal you are to one another." Shapiro continued as Drake sighed, letting his head hang low as he stared at the floor.
"You both risked your lives in coming here. You risked your lives for each other and you would continue to risk your lives for each other. True loyalty. This would be the first time I've heard of a Sangheili doing such a thing for a Human. This is the first time I've seen a Sangheili do such a thing for a Human. Seeing it with my own eyes I know you're an El-. A man, of your word, Tz'eal." Shapiro continued as Tz'eal nodded his head with his eyes closed in understanding.
"Drake you're dismissed. Tz'eal and I need to have a conversation." Shapiro concluded as he glanced to Drake who slowly looked up, an expression of shame covering his face. With a slight nod Drake slowly stood up and began walking towards the door.
"Drake!" Shapiro called out before Drake had fully left the room. Drake slowly turned around to face Shapiro who was smiling proudly. "Well done." Shapiro finished. Drake returned the smile to the best of his ability before nodding and turning away, slowly leaving the pair.
"You were testing him." Tz'eal said quietly as Shapiro stood up and walked over to his cell. Tz'eal stepped back and took a seat on his cot as Shapiro fully entered the cell with him.
"I was testing you both. I didn't expect it to take this long but I needed to know how far you two were willing to go for each other. You've already gone so far as to become a Heretic to your old Covenant in order to come here with Drake. He's willing to commit treason to keep you safe. Proof enough for me that you really are here to help us." Shapiro replied as he sat down beside Tz'eal and glanced up to him.
"I am at your disposal Commander." Tz'eal said confidently as he reached up to his combat harness and began to remove it again.
"I appreciate that, and don't bother with your armor. Like I said before, a few questions for you and then I'll make my decision to let you fight with us or let you go free." Shapiro said as Tz'eal began to relax, lowering his hands to his side.
"Ask me what you will and I will do my best to answer you, Commander." Tz'eal said confidently as Shapiro tapped the screen of his small console.
"I trust you will Tz'eal. Now, from your perspective. How did this all begin?" Shapiro asked as he began recording the conversation between himself and Tz'eal.