Chapter 4: Exodus Part 4

=Ash looked around the room some more inspecting it=
Who's ship is this..? It can't Nikolaus, how would he..?

=She sighs, and runs her hand though her hair=
So many questions...? But do I really want the answers?

(He brings his face into his hands)
Why, I should not have done that.

(He feels the scar running diagonally across his face)
Should not have done that either

(He sighs)
(He falls deep into thought)

=i stand ready, waiting. Phantoms dance and swirl in front of my eyes, but they find nothing to grasp and torment. Nalepa Monday plays, but it does nothing. i ignore the pain coming from my arm and my foot, to seek help when there are orders to be done is paramount to treason. i am not treasonous. i am a spartan. i follow orders=

Hey zeru!?


Draco said he was in the court yard, where is he?

they left somewhere probably on some personal thing knowing us they'll show up again

-to domri-

get to medbay and get healed up that's an order

=i dully recognize the order. my voice is monotone= Sir, yes, sir.

=i walk to the Medbay and take off my armor=

No response.

*Turns to face the injured soldiers, one with an arm out-of-place and one with a large piece of shrapnel through his thigh.*

Looks like no-one is coming. There is a small settlement a click and a half north.

*Turns around so that all the soldiers and in full view and waits until I have full attention before speaking*: Move out! And keep the comms on. If we run into trouble, we will have to give them another attempt.

=I awake from sedation and continue my struggle at the door=

Hello!? Anyone there?

=A low humming sound is heard overhead which is followed by the loathsome shape of a Covenant Phantom, looming above.=

*Curses before speaking into the comm mic*: This is Major Hartley, we have wounded and no means of transport. We have just spotted a Phantom - We may be detected soon, we need immediate assistance!

follow me domri we're going to spar

=heads to the sparring room with domri=

=i follow, my wounds now healed and bandaged. my voice still monotone, no emotion showing on my face=

Sir, yes, sir.

=we enter the sparring room=

=i put on the gear and stand ready= Sir, yes, sir.

=my eyes stare straight ahead, blank=

=i rush forward, still no emotion on my face and grab his leg out from under him. i spin and try to slide him across the floor=

=gets back up and grabs his head and repeats the same move followed by full nelson then letting go and back up a little bit=

=after a little while of sparring he decides to end it for awhile=

tell me what all can u gather from this match?

=voice monotone, without really knowing what i am saying= Grapples are pointless in combat unless you wish to use your opponent's body as a tool. Strikes and combos are the only true way to fight.

=emotion flickers in my eyes, but quickly go away=

=i nod and absently walk back outside, my eyes, face, and voice all blank. i stand waiting, but i don't know why=

=Ash looked around the room, until she grew bored=
Its been hours..? Maybe I should look around...

=She walked over to the door using her crutch=
I hope Draco comms me to let me know he's okay... Jay said she had a plan..? I wonder what it is...

=She sighs and opens the door slowly, peeking her head out as she dose=
No one's here... To be honest I've never felt to great being around Elites... Where could they be..?

=She walks around the hallways very slowly, looking around as she does=
This ship is huge... I just hope I don't get lost...

(As he sits at the console he begins to explore the true depths of his mind)
(Going over every memory)
(Focusing on the good ones he had during his childhood with Lynn)

So much better
No fighting
No running

(He goes over the memories of his squad)

Matthew the father figure
Grace the crazy, funny girl
Jon the jealous
Lynn his former love

(Tears begin streaming down his face)
(He sighs)
(Probing back further to his parents)
(So happy)
(He speeds up in time and thinks of Ash)
(He smiles and laughs at the first time they had met)
(Kissed)
(Everything)

Andrea, try and comm Ash. please.

*Yes of course, done*

(Comms to Ash)
Ash. You there?

=I ram myself at the door with a lot of discomfort=

Get me out!


(Zeru, i have to admit it. I have feelings for you. I consider you more than a friend.)

=Ash hears Draco on her comms, she quickly turns her's on=
Draco?! Is that you..?

=She smiles and stops walking propping herself up against the wall=

(He smiles)
(Sitting back in the chair)
@Ash
So good to hear your voice.
How are you

=She laughs=
I'm fine... Just waiting... Its good to hear you, where are you?

@Ash
Im on Jay's frigate.
She left. God nows where.

(He smiles)

How is the ship you are on?

=an Elite arrives at ash's room with a box full of documents and papers and pictures of Nikolaus, dressed in civilian clothes standing just under six feet tall with short cropped blonde- hair and blue eyes with a full beard, and her grandparents (its labeled) and other historically significant things=

+back in the office+

I hope she learns something about herself......

Sophia- I believe she will. You needn't worry yourself too much, Doctor

I..... Thank you Sophia.

=the elite waits outside her room=

=She drops her Crutch to her side, leaning into the wall=
Big... Empty, I haven't seen anyone... Draco? I just want to say... No matter what you do, just.... be careful... For me?

(His eyes go down)
@Ash
Ash, I.........I will.

(He sighs)

=Ash hears him sighs though the comms=
Draco..? What's wrong..?

(He looks up)
@Ash
Nothin.
Its good.

=She looks down the hallway=
If you say so Draco... Why did you comm me..?

What's wrong..? I just hope nothing bad happened...

@Ash
I needed to hear you.
Everything is okay.
Dont worry.
Like I said Im alone in this thing.

=elites rush by Ash with out armour on, apparently racing to some-unknown destination. The Elites pass by her in a flash and disappear around the next visible corner. Just as soon as they were gone a group of elites gingerly jogging by without armour on=

=She watches the Elites pass her=
What's going on..?

=She speaks quietly=
I miss you Draco... Come back soon, I love you...

=She stands up watching the Elites run off into the distance=
I have to go... Sorry Draco, come back soon....

(He closes his eyes)
@Ash
I miss you too
Be careful.

I will.
Love you too.

=She nods to herself=
I'll be waiting...

=She turns off her comms and begins following the Elites, unable to keep up with them on her crutch=

Ill be there

(He sighs)
(Running his hand through his hair)
(He continues to sit and wait)

=She begins walking down the maze of corridors and walkways=
Where did they go..? I've think I've lost them... I think I'm lost

=She sighs and turns around trying to find the way she came=
This is just great... I wonder what those Elites were doing, in all my time studying Covenant behavior I've never seen anything quite like that...

=Ash aimlessly, having no idea of where she came from=
Great... Your sense of direction never seams to fail you...

=She sighs resting for a moment=
I just hope everyone will be okay...

=i stand ready, waiting, but i don't know for what. i realize something, something important. No, two things. One is someone, someone who left, but I can't do anything about that now. The other thing is actually a group of things. Arma, and a rifle. I walk back into the base to gather these objects. I find them, one on the floor of an armory, the others in a workshop. i put them all in their respective places, although the rifle i hold in my hand=

=i walk back outside and stand ready, in a stance that I never knew until the first time i did it. My feet are shoulder length apart, to show discipline. The rifle is held like a suicide man's weapon, barrel under the chin, to show that we were born in war and will end in it. My head held up, to show no hesitation for whatever is to be done. i wait, for whatever it is i am waiting for=

(He stands)
(He begins to feel uneasy)
(He begins to feel cold)
(He begins to slowly black out)
(Grabbing his helmet and putting it on)
(He falls to the ground)
(The armor locks up)

Cage the beast within
Quell his anger
Defeat his purpose
Prevent him from doing harm

Marine 1: Who are you?

They both raise their guns and aim at me. I sigh and respond, hoping my bluff pays off.

I am Sierra 297 and you will stand down marine!

They glance at each other in confusion and hold a heated whispered debate

I SAID STAND DOWN!

The marines turn and look at me.

Marine 2: We didn't know there was a Spartan on board Ma'am.

I glare at them

And what makes you think that the Office Of Naval Intelligence would bother telling two low rank, hard-of-hearing boot polishers something as important as a Spartan being on board?!

They gulp and lower their weapons. Both stand to attention and pull off a smart salute.

Marine1: Sorry Ma'am, please excuse our ignorance.

I walk off, continuing down the corridor and out of sight of the marines.

Okay, lets be more careful. Doubt that'd work twice

=She lets herself drop to the floor, sitting down she crosses her arms and drifts off into her thoughts=
I always felt like I knew my past... Like it was the one thing I could understand... One thing that was mine...

=Her eyes darken as they look into nothing=
What could he know..? Who is he..?

(He regains control)
(His armor unlocking)
(He takes off his helmet again)

Stay where you belong

(He sits back down into the chair)
(He sighs)

I slide through a set of closing doors into the hanger bay but remember the doors are locked.

Dammit! Why can't you just pay attention

I duck behind some crates as the ODST's set up in a firing position. I watch and wait for my armour to ready the camouflage again and i notice a red flashing on my HUD.

Oh thats bad. That is very, very bad.

My hand slowly reaches around my other shoulder and i feel the gap where the bullets have penetrated.

No vaccumn seal. That means i can't go into space. That means i can't reach my sabre.

I gulp but then light up with an idea. I stand up and surrender myself to the ODST's but put out a longe range comm, bouncing it off of my Sabre to the frigate and then down to Chi Ceti IV

If anyone can hear this. I need the exact co-ordinates of the planet and the base.