Halo 3: ODST Operation Cup o' Doom

Chapter Twelve

Aria awoke with a start, sitting up quickly. Her body was covered in a cold sweat and tears soaked her face. She began to sob.
Rha', awakened by her sudden movement, sat up. "Are you okay, baby?"
She shook her head. "I remember that moment." She whispered. "That last moment before the crash. Everything began to shake, and the Pelican went into a spin. George grabbed my hand and the last thing I remember was his voice, whispering to me 'You'll be okay'." She began to tremble as her sobs grew more intense.
Rha' wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down beside him.
She pushed her face against his chest as she cried. "He was sitting right next to me! How did I make it and not him?!"
"That is not something anyone can answer, my love." He held her as she cried.
Before long, she fell back to sleep.
He sighed and stroked her cheek. "These nightmares are getting worse." He thought. "I should talk to Sergeant Peril. I figured they'd pass by now."
****
"Is there anything we can do about her nightmares?" Rha' asked, taking a seat in front of Kayla's desk.
"We can try something, but the data is low grade and sparse, Sir."
"I'm willing to try anything to help her. She hasn't been able to sleep throughout the night without those memories plaguing her. She is so exhausted all the time. Honestly, I fear she may no longer be fit to lead a division or even continue to serve."
"She just needs time, Sir. It's only been a little over a month since she woke up. These things don't just clear up over night."
****
"Sergeant Peril, Sergeant Waters' records show he has no family left. They were all killed during the attack on Reach." The casualty assistance officer began.
She nodded, remaining silent.
"According to his will, he is leaving everything to you, his best friend. In the will, it states you know how he wishes to be put to rest."
She closed her eyes and lowered her head, remembering that conversation so very long ago.
*
She laughed. "Okay, okay. Your turn."
His face became serious suddenly. "When I die, I want to be cremated, and my ashes to be scattered in space. I want to become stardust."
She raised her brows. "That was almost scary."
"What!?"
"They way you became so serious all of a sudden."
He chuckled.
*
Tears swelled in her eyes as his words echoed in her mind.
"Sergeant?" The lieutenant's voice was soon heard, cutting through the memory. "Sergeant Peril?"
She looked away as the tears began to fall. "He wants to be cremated, and have his ashes scattered in space." She whispered as she began to cry. "He wants...." She sniffled hard. "He wants to become stardust." She broke down, her sobs uncontrollable as she got up and left the room.
"Sergeant Peril, we're not...."
"Let her go, Lieutenant." Colonel Mason interrupted him. "She needs more time."
Aria ran blindly down the corridor, tears pouring down her cheeks. She ran as far as she could before a set of double doors blocked her path, stopping her.
Between the sobs and being out of breath, she sounded like she was gasping. She managed to calm herself enough to get the sobs under control as she looked up at the doors before her.
Morgue was printed on the plaque beside the left door.
She wiped her eyes as she slowly looked through the nearest window.
The coroner opened one of the freezer doors, pulling a body from its depths.
Aria covered her mouth, recognizing who it was.
She backed away from the window, choking back her cry of anguish. She suddenly bumped into someone. Startled, she whipped around to see Yuri.
"You shouldn't be down here, Aria." He said in a gentle tone.
She slowly turned her head away from him, looking back through the window. Her lower lip trembled as she looked at his body.
Yuri's hand suddenly blocked her view as he touched her cheek, gently forcing her to look at him. "Don't watch."
She broke down, crumpling to the floor. "He was sitting right next to me! Why didn't he survive!?" She cried.
He had no answer for her and remained silent.
"Why can't anyone answer that?!" She asked, looking up at him with her nearly bloodshot eyes.
He knelt before her and pulled her into a hug, trying his best to comfort her. "Because we don't know the answer to that question." He whispered.
"It's not fair!" She bawled. "He deserved to live a full life as much as I do!"
"That's not a choice we have control of, Aria. We all should be able to live full and happy lives, but it doesn't always work that way." He took her cheeks and made her look up at him. "We already know life is not fair but remember, he lived a good life. He was able to be by your side, and that is something he wanted more then anything in his life. He loved you very much."
She closed her eyes and lowered her head as cried harder.
Yuri hugged her once again. "Everything will be okay. I know he would want you to be happy. He will always be with you in spirit."
****
The forward hangar was full of personnel, all in their dress uniforms.
Seven decorated tables sat beside their adjacent tubes, a flag hung on each tube.
The majority of the ship's personnel had attended the funerals. Each table was nearly surrounded by those who had know them and their friends.
Aria knelt before the table on which many different picture of George sat, along with the urn that protected his ashes. She sighed and rested her chin on the table, tilting her head slightly as she reached up to touch the silver urn. "I'm sorry, George." She whispered as she glided her fingers along the smooth metal.
Muhmep stepped beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder as she lowered a yellow rose before the urn.
"Good choice." Aria whispered suddenly. "Yellow was his favorite color among the roses." She looked up at her. "Did you know that, Muhmep?"
"No, I had no idea." She replied, releasing her shoulder. "It's fitting though."
Yuri also came up with a yellow rose. "It's a color we all agreed was perfect for him. Despite being a sore loser, he definitely was the life of the party."
Kayla came up beside her and knelt down as well, placing her yellow rose before his urn. "I am going to miss those jokes of his." She whispered. "And his random outbursts of rage." She began to cry. "I will definitely miss his flirtatious nature."
"Are you crying?!" Aria asked, looking over at her with tears falling down her cheek.
She looked at her and nodded as a sniffle escaped her lips.
"Wuss!" Aria joked.
They both laughed as they broke down and cried.
"Stop crying, Kayla. I'm trying to keep myself together over here, and you're not helping." She teased as she wiped her eyes.
They suddenly hugged each other as they sobbed.
Rha' touched both their shoulders. He didn't share their grief, but he knew how they felt. He too had lost a good friend many years ago.
He lowered his head.
A corporal soon interrupted them. "Sorry, Sergeant, but it's time."
She looked up at him and nodded, getting to her feet.
Before she could grab the urn, Yuri stopped her. "Wait." He dug through his pockets, pulling out a candy bar. "A snack for the trip to paradise."
They all chuckled.
He grabbed some tape and taped the candy bar to his urn. "Rest well, my friend!"
Grabbing the urn, Aria passed it to the corporal who moved to his position before the tube.
All three honor guards saluted before the Corporal placed his urn into the tube.
A whistle blew suddenly, followed by Taps.
"And so we commit the bodies of our fallen brothers and sisters to space." Colonel Mason nodded to the honor guards.
Two per tube, they gathered up the flags, folding them before moving away.
The two with George's flag saluted Rha' as they handed it to him.
He returned their salute and they parted ways as he neared Aria. He held it towards her. "On behalf of the President of the United States, UNSC, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service."
She began to cry as her shaky hands grabbed it, slowly pulling it from is.
He then saluted her and moved aside as he took his position beside her.
The entire unit stood tall and saluted as George's ashes were shot into space, followed by the six caskets.
"Helljumper, Helljumper, where have you been?" Yuri began.
"Feet first into hell and back again!" Muhmep answered.
"When I die, please bury me deep!" Kayla continued.
"Place an MA5 down by my feet! Don't cry for me, don't shed no tear! Just pack my box with PT gear! Cuz one early morning, 'bout zero-five! The ground will rumble, there'll be lightning in the sky! Don't you worry, don't come undone. It's just my ghost on a PT run!" The entire unit sang together.
Aria smiled slightly and held the flag to her chest as she whipped her tears. "Oorah."
Rha' placed his hand on her shoulder as they watched his ashes slowly scatter apart, the specs soon blending with the stars.
She moved away from him and to the window, placing a hand to the glass. "Now you are stardust." She whispered.