Chapter 8 NAME "Shit Happens" Part 2

(Grace)

=She grabs the holograms hand and breaks the wrist=
=She kicks the stomach and places the gun to its head=
=She pulls the trigger. She hears a footstep behind her. The wind of a punch=
=She dodges left and fires into the legs=

(Lynn)

=She begins using both her DMR and BR=
=Firing the single shot into one and the three round into another=
=She jumps and lands behind two=
=Before they can turn, bullets fire into them=

(Draco)

=He attaches his AM and jumps out of the window. Activating the secondary shields=
=He activates the blade and begins slicing=

Draco-We are almost done here!

--An Hour Later--

(Jason)
=Everyone was more or less relaxing. I was still waiting for a response from Zeru on when he and I could get to work on a trade route. Molly and Miri were talking, while watching t.v. (Silver had commed me about the television signals he had intercepted, and now, we had old 21st century television on Haven. I swear, the shows back then were better than the crap that was on now)=

(Dormii)
I could keep this up all day!

=i kick a hologram in the knee and the stomach. I punch it in the chest and and face a few times before delivering a fatal knee to the ribs=

(David)
=I had finally managed to get rid of the good doctor. He decided to back away from the argument. Personally though, I couldn't help but feel worried. He had something of a point: we could potentially create our own suits. Hell, in a way we already had, if the Spartans were any proof of that. But, I knew what it would be like, if we got our hands on advanced tech, without gaining the temperament to use it wisely. I mean good grief, look at what happened when we learned how to split the atom=

=leaves hangar=

(Carolyn)
=One of the more difficult things many of us had to adapt to, was the lack of a day and night cycle on Haven. We were inside the planet, and the core was a sun, that shined in all directions. Sure, we could close the blinds, and adjust the windows tinted settings, but come on. Daylight, all day? Anyway, moving on from potential insomnia, things were going smoothly, at least here in Emmeria. People were adjusting well, and when Silver intercepted the old t.v. waves, we had finally gained a form of entertainment=

(Jason)
=I sat down with Miri and Molly. We were watching some old t.v. show, a science fiction series, called "Stargate Atlantis." It wasn't that bad=

=The enemy counter drops rapidly=
=Soon there were only four holograms left=
=One for each=

(Draco)

=He catches a glimpse off to the side of his eye as he tosses a hologram=
=Lynn was fighting one and another was sneaking up behind her=

Lynn!

=He takes his HC and fires shots into the thing=

(Lynn)

Thanks!

=She delivers a haymaker to her hologram=
=Sending it upward=
=She roundhouse kicks it in the ribs, hearing them break=

(Grace)

=She stands there=
=Listening=
=She hears bullets ring out in front of her=
=She runs towards the bullets, the shields taking the damage. She can hear the warning=

Shut up!

=She sidesteps right and punches it in the face=
=It goes back and she lifts up the AR=
=She begins firing=

=The three look as Dormii fights his own=

(Dormii)
=tauntingly=
C'mon! Think! What will I do next?

=i duck under it's "knife" and drive my leg into it's stomach=
Nope, that wasn't it.

=i jump and trap it's arm between my legs. I twist breaking it=
How's that feel?

=i let go and fall forwards into a roll. i rise up and kick the hologram in the other arm, where it connect to the shoulder, dislocating it=
C'mon. Faster.

=i grab it's leg and pull, sending it down to the ground. i stomp and pull, snapping the leg. I jump with both feet on the other one, breaking that one as well=
What, don't like that? Don't worry, it'll end in just a second.

=i activate my energy blade and stab it into the hologram's heart, "killing" it. The plates on my arm go back to a smooth, slow rippling motion as the simulation ends. I stand up and look at the others, watching me=
What?

=The Red Cloud comes out of slipspace above the grassland planet, far from the Covenant Base on the surface. They activate the ship's cloaking device, and begin heading down to the planet=


(For the record, they came out of SS too far from the Trophaeum etc to see them)

Draco-Nothing.

Lynn-We were just waitin on you, slowpoke.

(Dormii)
=i chuckle=
You don't need to wait on me. I always take my time. Makes it last longer.

(Grace)

=She falls down to the ground and sits up=

Im tired...

(Lynn)

Youre not going to havea good rest there..

Grace-Whatever.

=Lynn walks over to her and helps her up=

Lynn-See you boys around.

Grace-Later!

=They head off=

=He watches them leave and gives a happy sigh=

(Dormii)
=i wave and turn to Draco=
So, how are things?

=He looks over to him=

Things have been better than they were.
What about you.

(Dormii)
=i shrug=
Could be better.

=i take out the holo-cube and set it on the ground, turning it on=
Imagine this is Lynn, and Ash is still alive.

=i step back and let the message play through=

=He listens=

hmm...

(Dormii)
See why I am confused? She left this message for the man she loved, who died when she did.

=He shakes his head=

I do not know then.
I wish I did...

(Dormii)
=i pick the cube up and put it away=
That's why I wonder if she would still love me. I am not the same man she knew and loved.

She would respect your decisions even if she went against them.

=He thinks=

Let me ask you.
When you found out.
That Jay was still with the UNSC.
Did that change your love for her.

=He looks to his right=

This situation...is sort of like that.

(Jason)
=The next day (if it even was a new day) I went to the Council's Tower, for another meeting. Truth be told, the meeting's were becoming less frequent, seeing as how everyone was now getting fully settled in. At this point, the meeting's were more of a formality=

(Dormii)
I felt betrayed. I felt used. I lot it and she had to slit my throat to calm me down. Afterward, I found out she did love me, but at the time...

=i put a hand up to my throat and sit down on the ground=

=He looks back to him=

At the time you had complete doubt.
Which had changed.

(Dormii)
I felt doubt, anger, betrayal, pain...which only went away once I found out that I wasn't being used.

=He shakes his head=
=He goes to leave=

Recreation Room is not too far from here.

(Dormii)
=i look at him=
Is that an invitation?

That is a if you want to come you can.

=He walks off=

Thought it would help get your mind off of things.

(Dormii)
=i get up and walk after him=

=He takes off his helmet and scratches his beard=

I take that as a yes.

=He sighs=

Next thing on my list.
Shave.

(Dormii)
=i chuckle=
Why shave? Beards get you all the ladies.

=i start laughing=

=He smirks=

Yeah, but Lynn doesnt like it.

(Dormii)
Oh, well, then, yea, shave it.

=i take off my helmet=
I think I need to get rid of some of these scars...

=He chuckles=

Why, scars repel all the ladies.

=He looks at him=

(Dormii)
=i mock pain=
Oh, how you wound me, my dear fellow.

=i laugh again=

=He smiles=

The scars are battle wounds given to you through your life.
Granted, many scars would be better to have been forgotten.

(Dormii)
Like the ones that cover most of my flesh? Yeah, I'd rather forget those.

=He nods to some of the soldiers=
=They enter the Recreation Room=

Here we are.
Theres a pool in the back.
Pool table. Card tables.

=He shrugs=

Anything that can bring your mind off of things

=He walks to a bookcase and takes a book=
=He sits and begins reading=

(Dormii)
=i walk over to the pool table and eject my armor, taking the cube out and putting it in my pocket. i rack up the balls and start hitting them, going in numerical order=

(Lynn and Grace)

=They are in Grace's room, sitting on her bed=

Grace-How does it feel...?

Lynn-What?

Grace-To be back with him?

Lynn-Its...I cant put it into words.

Grace-What did you talk about?

Lynn-Talk? Oh!

=She blushes=

Lynn-Nothing much...

(Dormii)
=i sink the three ball in the side pocket=
Damn, was going for the two...better set them up again...

=i walk over and take out the balls that I sunk and set them up again=

(Grace and Lynn)

Grace-Hmm...I know when youre lying...

Lynn-How?

Grace-You go quiet for a second. Then answer.

Lynn-...No...

Grace-What did you talk about?

Lynn-I told you. Nothing much.

Grace-Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

=She shakes her head=

Lynn-What do you think of this place?

Grace-Hmm...I like it. I guess.

(Dormii)
=i break, and the 16 ball goes in=
Well, guess I'm going backwards, now...

--ONI Base, Code-named: Tartarus. Unknown Region of UNSC Space--

=The team had finished their training. They had practiced hundreds of times, with each of their new weapons. Individually, and as a team, they worked out the best strategies to use. They were waiting now in a large room of the base. Before them were four suits of MJOLNIR armor, though each was different. Granted, each was still capable of fighting, and they all had the stealth ability, but they were all specialized for a separate skill.

Alan, the teams sniper got a suit that was built with a targeting system in the helmet, including a small little scope that could slide over the helmet's "eyes." The suit was also equipped with a peculiar feature: little spikes that would slide out of the leg and chest sections, for stability when using the Gauss sniper rifle.

The fastest member of the team, Zoe, got a cut-down version of the MJOLNIR armor. It was lighter, and was built to be faster. The arms were made to be a little denser, for high speed punches. The armor was also equipped with a stealth package, so she could turn invisible.

Jane, the strongman of the team, received a monster version of the suit: bulkier, and meant for up close attacks, it's emphasis was on strength, and death blows. It was not as fast as Zoe's suit, but it could still move as fast as any other Spartan, but it was built mainly with increased strength, and denser alloy's.

As for Michael, the teams leader, his suit was more or less a combination of the other three, though the traits of the other suits were reduced in this single version. It was faster, and stronger then the Mk. VI, even the upgraded version that Vigil's failed "Dragon's Teeth" Spartans used.

The teams armor embodied what they were meant for: Spartan hunters. Garuda Team was originally meant to hunt down rogue Spartans, but now they had a new target, and the order cam down from Parangosky herself. All they had to do now, was find him, and bring him back to ONI.

(Dormii)
=i start working on the other balls, pocketing them from highest value going down=

--Back on Haven--

(Jason)
=The Council meeting went as usual: a recap of past events, small issues being brought to light, etc. Other than that, it was all good news. The schools that were opened were making good progress in scores. Food and clothing were becoming the main form of industry on Haven, at least until I allow the residents access to the higher tiers of technology. However, they were surpassing my expectations, and I decided to lower the date at which they could gain access to the higher tech. It went from one year, to a month. Yes, I was starting to trust them that much. And it's not like I was going to be handing out weapons like candy on Halloween. We'd be using the same system as with the tools: civilians get the lower grade versions, while the security teams get the higher versions=

Zayne-Dude, I cant believe this man.

=Zayne appears=

What

Zayne-You, what you say "bonded" with Lynn.

So what

Zayne-Didnt ya promise Ash an Eternity?

=He pauses=
=Turning the page=

God...

=He shakes his head=

(Dormii)
=i almost knock in a ball out of sequence. I angle the next shot so it doesn't knock that ball in=

(Molly)
=Miranda and I were walking around one of Haven's cities, Osea. It was a cool place, though I think that had more to do with the fact it was a Forerunner city than it being filled with humans. We walked around, and even got a bite to eat=

(Miranda)
=I had to say, I was starting to like Molly. She wasn't one of those pompous rich girls. She was smart, funny, and real. It was an impressive quality about her, considering where she came from=

=heads down to the planet to prep the second phase=

(Jason)
=The meeting was over, but I decided to walk around the tower for a bit, and see what else was really here. For the record, the tower was huge-- it was as tall as a UNSC carrier is long. Add to the fact that it was floating.....point is, it was a big place. There were dozens of rooms, some of them even looked like bedrooms or suites=