Author's Note:

Hello! Welcome to my page where I love to write Halo fanfiction! This is my very first ever published story on FanFiction, although I have been an avid FanFiction reader ever since my teenage years. I would love any constructive feedback or ideas for what direction you would like to see this story go. It's based off of the Legacy of Onyx Halo book and may often to refer to the Kilo 5 Trilogy. Just some background info if you wanted to better understand the context. This is a stand alone, however and will incorporate smut as well as character development, interspecies relationships, and some homosexual relationships. If that isn't your cup of tea, consider this your official warning to head out now. As for the rest of you, ENJOY!

Chapter 1

Molly sat next to Bakar and a few of their other friends at the lunch table during their break from work. She had grown very fond of the Elite over their time together in school and into both of their careers as they tended to be assigned to many of the same missions. Bakar had pursued a healing career as doctors were still somewhat a taboo topic for his race. He had always been like that. Going against the norm. It's what helped form her close friendship with him. They had both been orphaned at such a young age due to the battle between the Covenant and humanity, and both Molly and Bakar had taken it upon themselves to be a part of the union of Sangheili and humans.

Molly remembered her time in school on the planet Onyx where multiple alien races had met to send their offspring to school together. She had initially been against it as she had a strong hatred and fear of aliens at the time as the Covenant had wiped out of her home planet. Spending time with Bakar and Gudam in school had helped challenge her beliefs about other species of intelligent life. While Gudam had gone on to be a professor at the school and Kareem had pursued a xeno agricultural field, Molly and Bakar had enlisted with the military forces for the protection of the interspecies alliance. Bakar had always despised war and refused to be a soldier, however he did want to promote healthcare among his people. Working for the military, while controversial for him, was a great platform to challenge his people's beliefs as many Sangheili were in the military by default.

Another main reason he enlisted, Molly suspected, was their friendship. They had really become two peas in a pod and had become best friends. Molly had been considering a career in the Spartan program, however she began as a marine as she continued to think about the risks involved with going through the augmentation process. Bakar hadn't been too keen on the idea and had advocated against it, however he wanted to support her career goals. Bakar had also blossomed after graduation from their school as he had made many friends of his own species despite being known as the son of the late Jul 'Mdama, the leader of a Sangheili terrorist group. Bakar was still the only pale-skinned Sangheili Molly had ever met even on this interspecies station. It must have been a rare mutation among the Sangheili, Molly considered.

Another interesting development lately on this space station was a faction of Jiralhanae had joined the cause, as the Arbiter and Lydus, a well-known Brute Chieftain, had managed to negotiate a way for the Jiralhanae faction to join the Human-Sangheili alliance. The brutes were an interesting race to observe from afar, but Molly was still wary of them. Bakar didn't seem to mind them and was just as open-minded about their presence as he had been with his friendship with Molly. They sat across a pair of brutes and other marines now.

"So are you two coming to my party tonight in the break room? I've managed to gather a big group of people who are interested. We'll have alcohol and games. I don't see you get out much and socialize much." Wiley Sikeston stated as he took a bite of food. He was also a marine in the same unit as Molly. He was quite the social butterfly whereas molly was considerably more introverted.

"I don't know… I've been thinking about it. What kind of games are you playing?" Molly responded hesitantly.

"Oh you know some classic card games. Maybe some poker. Beer bong too. Some other fun, raunchy games. I thought Truth or Dare could be fun with the Sangheili and Jiralhanae. Don't know if they've ever played before." He turned to Bakar. "Have you ever played Truth or Dare, Baks?"

"I don't believe so." Bakar said around a mouthful of meat.

"You should come tonight too! Could be a great way to get to know the Brute faction better. These guys have already agreed to come." Sikeston gestured towards the two Brutes sitting next to him. "You ever had human alcohol before Bakar?"

"I would be open to tasting it. What is in it?" Bakar pulled up his data pad and began researching the ingredients in alcohol.

"You'd probably be better at finding that out than me. Either way, you should still come. Tonight at 7pm, in the big break room on the second floor. Bring your own snacks. I'll provide the drinks!" Sikeston got up with the other two marines to throw their trays away and enjoy their day off. "See ya there, sir!" he nodded to the Jiralhanae sitting next to him.

That left Molly and Bakar with the two Brutes sitting diagonal from them. Molly glanced nervously at the Brute sitting close to them and noticing he was staring at Bakar…somewhat intensely. Bakar seemed not to have noticed and continued to scroll through his data pad as he read about the contents of alcohol. He truly was such a nerd, Molly thought, but it made sense he wanted not to poison himself. He loved to research. And he was super smart. All components that she loved about his personality.

She nudged his shoulder, "What do you think? Anything noteworthy?"

"Hmmm, nothing concerning. It appears other Sangheili have tried the human beverage and had nothing terrible to report." He mused.

"Humans usually use alcohol to become intoxicated. Anything in there about it doing the same for Sangheili?" she leaned in closer over his shoulder to look at the data pad. And it was in Sangheili. Of course she couldn't read it. She really needed to learn his language as he was a fluid speaker of her language.

"What are you looking at, human? You can't even read this." he playfully jabbed.

Molly snatched his data pad away, "Yeah and neither can you, now."

His mandibles quivered in a way that Molly could tell he was doing the Sangheili equivalent of grinning and a deep rumble erupted in his chest. "I'll be dust and bone before you take the time to learn my language." he reclaimed his data pad as Molly chuckled.

"So are you going tonight, Sangheili?" The closer Brute rumbled as he continued to stare intensely at Bakar.

Bakar looked toward the alien across from him and his lower mandible twitched with slight discomfort. "I plan on doing so. I could use some social interaction."

Molly became increasingly uneasy by the Brute's behaviors. Was he trying to intimidate Bakar? Start a fight with him? The look he gave Bakar was almost… hungry. Molly attempted to read Bakar's somewhat confusing body language as well. It appeared he was also uncomfortable by the Brute's behavior, but despite knowing Bakar for years, he could still be difficult to read. He was actively avoiding eye contact with the Jiralhanae.

"I looked forward to seeing you there, young Sangheili." The Brute rumbled again as he stood from his seat. The beast was massive when he stood at full height. "It is rare to see Sangheili of your skin color. Quite a treat. My name is Girtium. I am the Chieftain in my pack."

"Much respect Chieftain. I am Bakar. I look forward to getting to know you more." Bakar bowed his head submissively in an attempt to not disrespect the Chieftain.

"You shall know me, Bakar." The Brute turned to look at Molly with a hmph. "You are Molly. I heard the other human refer to you. And are you Bakar's bondmate?" he growled.

Molly forced herself to make eye contact with the beast. "I am his friend, yes. I don't know what you mean by bondmate, sir." The air was venomous between the two of them.

The Brute appeared to sneer at her before looking back to Bakar with that same hungry look. "I will enjoy seeing you tonight, Bakar." The Chieftain stomped away with his fellow soldier.

Molly and Bakar both visibly sighed, releasing tension from their bodies.

"I need a rest after that…" Bakar wheezed.

"That was intense. What was his problem?" Molly looked to her friend in frustration.

"That was tame for a Jiralhanae. I have seen many in my home state of Mdama. Believe it or not, he was being rather kind. Especially with you staring at him the way you were. Eye contact can be deadly with them." Bakar began cleaning up his table area.

Molly frowned at the Sangheili. "I wasn't supposed to make eye contact?"

"Definitely not. It is a sign of aggression and significant disrespect for them."

"For humans, it typically is disrespectful to not make eye contact. In most races, anyway. There are so many things humans do that are considered offensive to other species." Molly groaned.

Bakar deeply rumbled in his chest again, his equivalent of a laugh. "Yes, and you show your teeth when you're happy. It was very confusing for me and my people when we first began to interact with your kind." The Sangheili stood with his dishes in his hands. "I must return to my quarters and finish a report for my superiors before the gathering. Are you coming to the party?"

"Not if that Brute is gonna be there. I'd rather take my chances with a massive bomb." she chuckled.

Bakar quivered his mandibles again. "It is up to you. I shall see if any of my fellow Sangheili are attending." With that, Bakar padded away.

Molly sat lost in her thoughts for a while before getting up and leaving the cafeteria as well.