Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Hunter and Soldier. Enjoy the 3700-word chapter. I do not own Halo, Microsoft, and 343 do.
(2551, August 8th, UNSC Cloak and Dagger 2:33 PM)
Gram sighed and rested a hand on his leg. He felt at least two different plasma burns… During two of those fights, he had been tagged by the grunts which would have probably made the ODSTs chuckle.
The prowler made for the Kronstadt in orbit with its cover easily protected behind the asteroids.
Still? None of the team felt ok. They had been wounded on the way out and Gram had yet to take his eyes off Cal who was placed on a gurney with an ONI agent guarding it. He eyed the soldier with a dislike that was felt if not omnipresent.
Gram let himself be strapped into his seat, knowing it was better than anything he could do. If he made a move? It would aggravate his already wounded body.
"Hey… I know ODSTs and you guys do not get along." He heard as he turned.
The ONI agent moved the gurney to another part of the ship… Something which made Gram rise from his seat.
"Easy. They are not going to touch her. They would have more trouble wrestling a Brute." Gram heard.
"Your close to her, aren't you? You look ready to cut them in half." Gram heard as he sighed.
"She's about the only family I have left," Gram stated.
"Sister?" Gram heard.
"No." Gram said.
"Oh." They responded.
"I have heard the rumors. One of ours killed one of yours. Rift happened and we have been angry at each other since then." He stated.
"And you don't seem to care." The ODST said.
"I understand it and I know you are mad. One of you hurt her? I had put a knife in their throat and called it a day." Gram stated.
"If you think like that? You are not like most Spartans." He heard.
"I and she AREN'T most Spartans. It is why we survived. Most of us are gung-ho about the mission, always the mission, damn the losses and such." Gram stated.
The ODST took a spot next to them as the prowler decided to dock within the cruiser.
"She's most of what you are fighting for, isn't she?" He heard.
He remained silent for this. There was no reason to let him know but he could guess… It would always be a guess and he knew that point blank at the end of the moment when push came to shove with each little push slowly pushing him closer.
"She always wants to do things by the book. Always wants to do what you got to do even if it means you take a bullet to the chest and you die without a single person caring… Ain't it?" He heard.
"Yes… She is like that a lot. She wanted to do this mission even when I pointed out there were too many Covenant soldiers and we were all outmatched." Gram stated with a sigh.
"Some soldiers think the reward is more than the risk." Gram heard.
"They are not," Gram stated before the docking clamps slowly took the ship. "It was nice working with you, Corporal. Hopefully, we can do this again." Gram stated before he walked away to attend to things.
He knew it was stupid and wishful thinking. Any slight way of acting would be seen as odd and yet? He was eager to snap the throat of the man in front of him, not at all trusting him with Cal… With the body of his friend. He knew that if he did? Something horrid and something unable to have been managed once again.
Perhaps it would end, perhaps he would find peace… He doubted it and he knew what would happen next. Gram sighed and slowly climbed to his feet, tired, and yet exhausted in equal measure and he hated it. He wished to end it for now as he sighed to be able to think, whatever was going on next? He could have dealt with it easily.
Perhaps he could have been dealing with it now as he clicked his fingers and then paused to think of what was going on before now and he? He would not allow it.
The craft finally shut down as Gram paused before sighing and finally deciding that he would rather enough of this ship and slowly yet surely appeared to relax.
He had not been able to deal with it first and foremost. He slowly trudged into the destroyer, watching as a group of medics crowded around them. Perhaps he would find some small amount of amusement.
Gram carried his shotgun in his other hand, knowing what he could have done next. He had a lot more to try and deal with, lest he fall to pieces.
He sighed to himself, tired before long. He would fall to pieces, crash, and burn upon the ground before long.
"How is it anyone can deal with this sort of thing? I have no idea how she does so." Leo stated before he sighed to himself.
He would not be able to try and deal with it.
Gram seemed to be tired, too interested in what was going on as he slowly fell silent, trying to not feel tired with it all at the end of the day.
Gram sighed with annoyance as he realized that ONI was going to be dealing with it now. There seemed a few moments of tense annoyance.
Perhaps he could have done with it at the end of the day. He was too unable to deal with it in its way, too unable to have fixated on what the path was for now.
He had been exhausted, unable to conceive of it now… Such was how things had to have gone, she knew more and more such was little how they had to be pushing past it lest it all fall into the ocean.
No, it had to end now and it had to end here. Perhaps she should have been willing to fix it at the end of the moment, a point not ending any less sooner than it could have been.
He had been able to try and deal with it for now as he paused, letting it all come to an end as he clicked his fingers and then looked to the side.
Gram marched towards the bridge, not caring about his wounds. If he was to get a day off? He would do so but it was clear that he wished to have to deal with it sooner or later.
Gram was silent, pausing to think as he clicked his fingers. Cal was all that went on his mind as he paused, thinking about what was growing in his brain before he sighed.
He had not been as it came crashing down to the ground, the Spartan-II was tired and wished to rest his job up.
The pain on his side still required his attention before he sighed and thought of himself before he looked to the ground.
"Sierra? You are needed on the… Never mind, I will talk to the Admiral for now." Gram heard before he went to speak only to lean backward as his wound slowly grew.
He fell unconscious a few moments later, a crash team and the ODSTs watching as the monster of a soldier who easily dwarfed them were.
Gram cursed, knowing that he had let himself become complacent and worn down to the point where he could be exhausted either way.
(10 minutes later)
Gram felt nothing, there was enough medicine to take down a small army… Yet? He was too eager to get back up and the Spartans knew what was going on either way. He had not been able to relax.
He slowly, surely, looked over to see that Cal was next to him, he was silent as he thought of what to ask her. She did not look awake, probably on a higher dose of painkillers and medicine which seemed to be making him less tired.
He was not worn down like she had been, he knew he would not let himself remain like this for now.
"Easy, Gram… Cal is fine, she's the leader of your team for a reason." Gram heard as he rolled his eyes. "You are…" Gram heard.
"Dr. Halsey." Gram said, wincing as he realized there were several bandages wrapped around his flayed skin. "I forgot ONI was the one trying to handle this," Gram stated with a sigh.
He had not been familiar with it all to the end. ONI had decided to take an interest in the mission but could not handle their work, it made him question if the Spartans were their spear and sword.
To be fair? He did not care; he had been a soldier for long enough to do what he had to do.
"I heard the reports, even if the Admiral didn't wish to," Halsey stated while Gram sighed, not wanting to put up with her babbling.
He knew he was wounded; he knew she was going to fix him and he knew this was part debriefing. The only part he cared about was what was going on, anything less was nightmarish when it was all said and done.
She would be able to figure it out as she paused to try and think of it, there was something on her mind.
Halsey watched as the spartan rounded on her, a mountain of muscle, knowing what was growing on his mind, he looked at her through his armor, bothered and annoyed.
"And Doctor?" Gram asked. "You know what happened to her… She is a soldier, she is a good soldier, she got the job done." Gram stated.
He was tired, he was exhausted. His muscles ached and they burned like fire but he did not crash and burn that easily.
He looked at Cal, Halsey knew they were close… Any doctor who even looked at them could tell that he cared for the girl rather than himself.
"Cal is fine… She has been wounded almost as many times as you, Gram. I know you would rather die than let her get hurt." Halsey stated.
"I have almost died plenty, doctor. It is something we are trained for." Gram stated.
Halsey sighed but she could guess it for now. They were skilled warriors and even more skilled at violence to begin with, yet? She knew Gram was a lot more focused on protecting her than anyone else, he was a warrior and a soldier and that would not be something that changed.
"You know, there are times I realize Spartans… Have hearts, despite what training tells them." Halsey stated.
She knew he knew her; it was clear at the end of the day that such a thing was odder and odder with each little moment and that would not change, it really would not now.
There was so much to try and deal with for now. There was something else to try and deal with it for as he clicked his fingers and then sighed to himself.
Not even for a second that Halsey knew would Gram abandon his friend; it was the same as if John abandoned someone like Fred or Linda. It would not happen even then.
To be entirely fair? There was very damn little she could do and very damn little she could blame the two being bonded so close, she would become care for now as it came down to it.
She paused to think of what was happening next and it would not surrender for now, something that would not be easily dealt with and she knew it. She knew he and Cal were joined at the hip when it came down to it as of the time being.
The idea would be harder and harder to figure out, that alone made it easier to deal with, a lot easier to figure it all out as it came crashing to the ground.
Halsey was silent so she could tell that he was being messed with for now and it would be easier to figure it all out at the same time. She could see through it for now for good reason.
"You know, I was surprised with how quickly Spartans bonded with each other… The small cameras let us find out a large amount of data on the Spartans we have." Halsey stated.
"And?" He asked as he rolled his eyes and then paused, looking at him.
He looked to the side before he clicked his fingers and then paused, glancing to the side.
There were a few moments of silence, Halsey looking at the two with interest despite knowing that neither cared much for her. It was part of being a spartan, their own lives were essentially worthless if it gave someone a few seconds.
Nothing that was meant to be done yet would be done, nothing yet. He had a lot more problems than her and she knew it. She knew all her soldiers in a way that would not easily be dealt with for now as he came crashing to the ground, knowing what was all said and done.
All of it simply made her question what these soldiers were for now as he clicked his fingers and then looked onto the ground, knowing what was coming.
If there were any thoughts within the head of the hulking brute of a soldier? It was questioning why she cared to pick their brain, the classic idea of what made them soldiers, and how to better her damned research.
Such was life, wasn't it? life was always that little cut that would not need to be approved of just yet, it was clear something would come through either.
"She will live, Gram… And your mission was a success, you have killed your target. Silver Team is proving to be very good at doing the UNSC's dirty work." Halsey stated.
There were a few seconds of disgust in it for now and she could tell that he did not care. They were soldiers, they acted like them and all they would focus on was getting the job done.
Not much would happen next.
"Then I'm going to sleep, doctor," Gram stated, sighing to himself.
"She is the only soldier you're willing to die for, isn't she?" Halsey asked. "Ever since you were brought in? I have noticed you and Cal are VERY close for soldiers who had come from another planet," Halsey stated.
"She is my commander, ma'am. I must help her in any sort of way I can." Gram stated to which he sighed to himself.
Gram watched as he paused to look downwards at the seemed to be dealing with it as he clicked his fingers.
He was not silent, grasping to himself before he looked downwards to the ground, something was growing within him either way.
He will find that eventually and then there will be something about it all that seemed to be making it work sooner or later when it came down to it, he had been able to relax.
Not once did he relax and not once would it be done for now, it had to be spelled out what was going on, knowing it would not be dealt with for now at the end of the day, something which needed to be dealt with for now as he clicked his fingers and then looked to the side.
He hummed, knowing what would be dealt with and what would not. if this was the end of the road? At the very least he could die with some sort of dignity.
They were very few options he could do before he slowly and yet surely blacked out, falling to the platform like a piece of meat at the end of the day.
"Spartans are always like this," Halsey muttered before she sighed.
(2 hours later)
Gram groaned. He knew damn well he had been hit like a rock and he felt as dense as one right now. It hurt, hurt a lot more than he thought he would feel like it.
The Spartan was too interested in their work, he knew what was to happen and he did not wish to waste time slammed down on this when it came down to it.
Gram pushed himself up, using his arms like steel beams to push himself to his feet. The room spun like he was sitting aboard a top but he was far too unwilling to figure it out as of now, such was life.
There was something on his mind which bothered him either damn way.
He heard a hum before he looked over to see her. He looked over to which Cal pulled herself off the tab.
"Tired?" Gram heard.
"No, just hurt… You? You took some heavy fire." Gram stated in a tone that screamed sarcasm.
The Spartan who barely managed to pull her helmet over her head showed nothing, there was something that needed to be done for now when all was said and done, such a thing needed to be dealt with.
He was a Spartan and he acted what would come next before he clicked his fingers seemed to be dealt with for now and for good reason. He was a skilled soldier and she could tell he was ready to figure it out.
Such was life, knowing what would become of it either way. The chaos of it all seemed to be dealing with them eventually seemed to be dealt with eventually.
There was a lot more to this. She sighed and then clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth with each little moment.
"You know damn well we're not done talking anytime soon, don't you?" Cal heard as she sighed, knowing that he would not let her off the hook when it was said and done when it was all said and done.
Such was life and it was clear that as a Spartan when life was over would be impossible to figure out when all of it was said and done.
That would not change, this would never change for them when all of it was over. Gram sighed to himself, pulling himself to his feet and then cracking his fingers.
"We aren't, you did something stupid and almost took a hammer to the skull, Cal," Gram stated.
"The mission got done," Cal stated.
"All you care about is the mission… Till the last mission, you saved that ODST even if it screwed the mission." Gram stated.
"The ODST was the sharp… O'Brien was the only sharpshooter besides me." Gram stated before he sighed.
"Right… We are not throwing out lives away for the mission next time. Duty is fine, we ain't any good to the UNSC dead." Gram stated.
Cal fell silent, he was not lying about that. If either of them? If Silver Team died? The UNSC was down 4 Spartans which they needed in the fight; they needed those soldiers on the battlefield more than anything else… It was hard enough to admit that as it meant Gram would not submit to understanding her motives.
She hummed, sighing to themselves… There would be such chaos… Such a thing would be harder and harder to figure out.
Gram said nothing either way. There was nothing on his mind about tearing her down, his care was something which needed to be dealt with for now. Gram sighed, pausing to think, to know, and to grow.
There was something else… Something which required them at the end of the day… All of it seemed to be dealt with for now as he hummed to try and figure it out as he paused, thinking best of what was going on before now as he sighed to himself.
There was something here, hiding and worming through the dirt like an echo… Like it had not existed.
Gram looked at Cal, knowing what would become of it and not wishing to push past what he had left on the mind… This and that would not end… He had business to figure out, business to push away something like this.
However? it echoed in his mind, cutting and clawing around… Cal was silent, knowing what was going on before now, understanding what was growing once more.
"We are off duty for now… No missions, no talk about how stuff is growing on." Gram stated before he sighed to himself.
Gram watched as Cal drummed her fingers on her arms, calloused, worn almost down to the bone but strong enough to break it if it was nothing. She had the scars on her arms to prove that she had been able to think of it.
There were a lot of things which she would be dealt with. She frowned, her blonde hair ending in strands that seemed to flare outwards.
She would be tired for now; she would not let it become for now… She looked at Gram who was prepared to fight, to try and deal with it for now.
There was something that needed to be dealt with for now? There was a lot more to deal with and she knew that he would act once more.
"You, ok?" Cal questioned before Gram hummed before he looked to the side.
There was a lot to which he did not know, she was too interested in what was going on as she paused to let it feed and feed well.
"There is a lot left to handle, I don't know what will happen," Cal said as Gram rolled his eyes, knowing what would come.
They were Spartans, only a few paths ahead lay in wait for them at the end of this day and all such days. They would fight and eventually die out in the heat of battle.
All of it bothered him and yet he could do little to offset it, he could do very damn little.
He seemed to be dealt with for now as he paused to try and figure it for now. He clicked to try and deal with it for now… He did not wish to let it be heard
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show more of Cal and Gram healing, setting up the midpoint of the war. And more of their goals. Until the 900–6500-word chapter, Lighting Wolf out!