Chapter 8 NAME "Shit Happens" Part 6

(Jason)
The Council won't exactly be happy with this, but I guess so long as we follow the protocols of our last meeting, we should be fine.
=I was halfway through turning, when I remembered something important. I moved close to Delta, and said in a whisper=

Before we go further, I want to know: What do you want done about Xazhi's body?

=Delta spoke softly back to Jason=

Del- I have spoken with the boy's father on the matter. He wishes for him to remain here. Something about Srevaeran tradition.

(Jason)
Very well. If he wishes, I can give him the location of the grave.
=With that, I turned, and headed for the transport=

-Lynn-

=Her voice is soft, calm=

Yeah. You don't have to stay here if you don't want to.

(Dormii)

Quote :

Bah. The most I can do right now is either train and injure my hand and knee more, or go sit with Jay and probably get in the way. Besides, you are a friend, I think. You haven't tried to get with my girlfriend have you?

=i said it jokingly, trying to make her laugh=

=She looks down. The comment brings a sort of sting despite his meaning behind it=

No... I haven't

(Dormii)
=i all but slap myself as she reacts to what I said=

Quote :

Oh, hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that.

-Lynn-

=She places her head next to her shoulder. Her hair falls, but she moves it away=

It's fine.

(Dormii)
=i want to say something more, but I didn't quite know what to say. So I stayed quiet, letting the silence build=

-Grace-

=The amount of blood has lessened with the stitching of the back of the head. His eye... it isn't good... She continues the work on him. He was a lucky man to have lost the arm he didn't have. She pauses for a second=

All right. I want one of you to go out. Lynn will be there tell her that everything's fine and we're doing what we can. Got it?

=One nods and leaves to get cleaned up. After that he heads out=

-Lynn-

=She hears the door open and quickly stands to greet the doctor=

Doc: He's doing fine right now. We're doing what we can for him.

Lynn: Can... I see him?

Doc: No. I'm sorry, we're still operating right now. It'll be a fair amount of time before he'll be able to see anyone.

(Dormii)
=i get up and walk off, limping slightly to favor my knee, and headed off to my room to relax and think about the day=

-Lynn-

=She nods and shakes his hand=

Thank you, doctor.

Doc: Grace will notify you when things are ready.

=She nods again, but stays in her place as the doctor returns to the medbay. She sighs=

I better get this armour off...

=She leaves for the armoury=

(Dormii)
=i reached my room after a short time, and walked in, laying down on the bed and relaxing. I thought about everything that had happened, and couldn't help but realize it was all almost my fault, for attacking that station=

=After some time she arrives and walks up to where her stand is. She removes each piece slowly. Trying to expend as much time as possible to allow her to be able to see him, but deep down she knows it would be best to not worry too much=

=Each piece is taken off and placed on the stand. Her weapons are next. Once it is done she heads off to the medbay to wait=

-Atlas-

=A ship wide comm=

*We will be exiting slipspace in one hour*

(Dormii)
=i grab a comm device and send a message to Atlas=

Code:

Could you arrange transport for me to meet with my recruits when we exit slipspace? - Dormii

-Atlas-

=He recieves the message and returns one himself=

Code:

Yes, of course Dormii

(Dormii)
=i reply=

Code:

Thank you.

-Atlas-

Code:

 Will there be anything else?

-Dante-

=He looks around. He is in a white room with a soft form of music playing in the background. Beethoven? Mozart? Bach? He cannot tell. It couldn't even be any of the above. He looks around to see a large computer terminal. He yells out=

Hello? Anyone there?

(Dormii)

Code:

If you can, could you send me a live feed of Jay in the medbay?

=it wasn't something I had thought of right away, it took me a moment to realize that I wouldn't always be there, or be able to be there. This way, I could keep an eye on her whenever I got a chance=

-Atlas-

=He accesses a feed and links it to a computer within the room=

Code:

The feed is up and running

-Dante-

=He takes a few steps forward. Not being answered=

Hmm...

=He takes his way up to the computer terminal and begins to click through the files=

"You know. It's not polite to snoop around"

(Dormii)
=i tap into the feed and just watch Jay for a minute, unsure of what to do next. So I decide to just lay there, and wait, relax=

=The voice is familiar, but he is still unsure. It's been so long since he heard it=

"Come now. Don't tell me you've forgotten about me"

=A figure appears next to him and turns the screen of the terminal off=

"I'm sorry for being gone for so long. Something happened"

=He stays silent=

"Are you not going to say anything?"

(Dormii)
=at some point, I fell asleep, holding the live feed in my hands as I closed my eyes and dreamed=

Where've you been?

"I have been.... away..."

You know of the things that have transpired?

=She nods and places her hand on my shoulder=

"I do. I apologize"

=He turns from the chair and looks at her=

Hope. You know that I've needed you.

"You didn't"

I did.

"You only think you did. You've been fine without me for a long time"

(Dormii)
=i don't remember dreaming of anything, other than the usual vague shapes and sounds which you quickly forget. I shifted and rolled over a few times, fighting something, but I couldn't remember what it was=

=He sighs and shakes his head=

So, you managed to pick me up?

"How do you mean?"

I mean, instead of drifting in my sea of memories. You picked me up and brought me here.

=She shrugs=

"I have no control on where you end up."

Then I came on my own accord.

"Yes, it seems that way"

(Dormii)
=i woke up with a start as the ship shuddered and we re-entered normal space. I groaned inwardly and rolled off my bed. I grabbed a comm unit and hooked it onto my ear and took the live feed with me, slipping it into a pocket. I headed off towards the hanger bays, to get my transport over to the Repent=

"If anyone made it up here. They had to attack in the middle of lunch..."

=I felt tired. Just had to activate the jump. Then things would be okay. I guessed. The jump.

I didn't even want to worry about where we could end up.=

-Atlas-

=They exit over the planet and are immediately contacted by a nearby station=

Olmund: Who are you and state your business. We will open fire if not acknowledged.

*This is Atlas of the Whisper of Life. With the ships known as Repent, Transcending Soul, Heaven's Descent and Night's End.*

Olmund: You're an A.I. Where is your Shipmaster?

*He has been injured and cannot be of full use. His name is Dante Faulkner.*

Olmund: Fine then. State your business.

*We have many ships that have undergone heavy damage from an attack upon us. Please. We require your assistance.*

=The doors opened and I stepped through. A shot hits the wall next to me.=
"Jenkins! What the hell! They're spartans!"
"Sorry!"
=I looked at the rag-tag bunch on Marines. There were a good few, but no full squads.=
"We're jumping. If the covvies follow, we ALL get to the Escape pods. Understood?"
=There were a few murmurs of discontent with the plan, but oh well. If we lived they could complain then=

"Escape Pods? They are going to go ka-boom, you know that, right?"

=I started the emergency protocol, flipping switches, entering codes.=

=The station's head pauses=

Olmund: You UNSC?

*No. We most certaintly are not*

=He pauses again=

Olmund: Alright. I need to do some checking in on Mr. Faulkner.

*It is to my understanding that he has visited this place before. More than once in fact. He knows Sarah Creed*

Olmund: Talking won't confirm. I'll do the check. You wait there.

=Atlas let's out a 'sigh'=

*Alright*

"Only if you forget to seal them during the jump.... like in the sim..."
=I walk to the AI Console=
"Summer, Protocol says I have to get you outta here."

Summer: Understood, Caeser. Let me just turn off the the life support on our 'guests'.

"Summer, I love your sense of humour, just don't kill us all."

Summer: I take that as a compliment. Done. Lets go.

=I download her to the data crystal=

=Minutes tick by and finally they are contacted=

Olmund: Alright, information on this guy has been verified. I apologise. We have just pulled through a war. Defences are at an all time high and we can't have the UNSC screwing with our lives. Your ships may be refitted here. Enjoy your stay on Zephyre.

*Thank you, but until Dante wakes up. We have no orders. Do you mind if we stay here until then?*

Olmund: I don't. However, tell Mr. Faulkner that Lady Creed would like to see him.

*I will. Thank you once more*

=The ships begin to move near the station for a refit. All except for Repent and the Whisper of Life=

"Okay, Summers downloading..."

=I activate protocol '451'. A small screen appears, flashing. I tap the console, the screen pops away.=

"Ten Minutes."

=The XNNOs all followed Jason to the Transport and boarded without a word. Sigma looked around a bit=

=I Plug Summer into my Helmet.=
"Do NOT touch my armour settings."
Summer: Aww... Are you 'special'?
"Fuck off, Summer."

=Summer laughs as I sit on top of a console, facing the door with my battle rifle drawn.=

(Dormii)
=i made it to the hanger bay, and grabbed a pelican over to the Repent, sending a message to the recruits to meet at the hanger bay for suiting up and final decisions on who get's the armor and who doesn't=

"Five minutes left. We passed the cancel stage.

Oh, and by the way, there is a 79% chance that the engine won't explode. And we'll all be torn apart by Brutes."

=I pull back the cocking handle on my rifle.=
"Let them try. If John-117 took down an entire Covenant Army, We can take these fuckers down."
Summer: Is that Arrogance I hear?
"No, just confidence."
Summer: You think we could survive if this plan fails?
"Yep."
Summer: And less of the language. It isn't pleasant.
"Of course Mother."

"1 Minute. Cooling system offline. Reactivation attempts deactivated... Back up jump generators starting..."

=I tapped the console, and a 'damage selection' thingy magig popped up. I had no idea what to do.

So I tapped away.=

"Hey Jamie? You realise Summer could've done that right?"
Summer: Yes, I just wanted to watch you struggle. It's rather funny. Would you like me to take over from here?

"Don't worry, I got this! Jump has started... Great! There will be explosions of course... First location is... Comm Room 2. That's underneath us. Oh..."

=I sighed.=
"Seal the blast doors, Summer."
Summer: Understood.

=No joking here, it felt like we had sentenced everyone who wasn't here to death.=

"Cargo bay 1... Hallway B-10... The Mess Hall. It's all going. At least... We'll make the jump."

=I sat down, leaning against the console. I felt dizzy. But I'd carry on. Probably just my ear.=

=I sighed loudly.=
Summer: Jump in 10..
9...
8...
7...
6...
5...
4...
3...
2...
1...
"See you in hell you Covenant Bastards."

(Dormii)
=i arrived on the Repent, seeing the results of the damage everywhere. The recruits showed up, scarred and beaten, but it wasn't lethal. One thing I did note was that only four of the nine showed up. I was about to ask when I realized they had just been attacked, they were probably dead. A shake from the head of a recruit confirmed my suspicions. I didn't say anything yet, simply motioned for them to get into the pelican so I could take them to get their armor=

(Jason)
=I stood on the ramp for the transport, turned back to face Delta and his people=
Okay, hop on board.

=I didn't even bother to make my next comment sound like a joke=
Oh, and the first one to strip one of my people, and shove them out the door, gets a bullet in the head.

"Our time together is almost done. You've been taken care of"

And if I need you.

"I'll be there. Don't worry"

=He closes his eyes. They slowly flutter back open. A dull pain fills his body. He doesn't move his body any for fear of creating more pain. His eyes move so he looks next to him. Lynn's head is on his arm. She is fast asleep. He wants to make a sound, but decides against it=

=A few of the SS soldiers chuckled at Jason's comment, remembering the event. Aebeir, on the other hand, remained completely silent=