The Wilted Planet

Chapter 1: Nightmares

Caleb woke with a start and sat up quickly. The nightmare had returned. He rubbed his eyes and sighed throwing off his covers. He wasn't going to get anymore sleep tonight. He never did once his nightmares struck. A red armored elite's face plastered in his mind.

Caleb stumbled down the sleeping quarters. Trying to make his way to the door. Suddenly he slammed his toe into the edge of a fellow marine's belongings chest. He muttered a curse as the pain flared in his toe. Dean, Caleb's best friend who slept a few beds down from him, gasped as he woke from the noise.

"Sorry Dean. I didn't mean to wake you." Caleb whispered softly. The other marine sat up with a groan rubbing his head. "Yeah well you did buddy. Good going." He said gruffly. Caleb sighed. "I'm sorry Dean." He replied apologizing again. Dean waved his apology away in the dark. "Ah don't sweat it. Why are you up Cal?"

Caleb glanced at his watch checking the time. "Well it's four in the morning. We've got drills in an hour. I just was gonna get an early start and maybe grab some coffee." He said trying to hide his real situation. Dean stared at him for a moment. Then started moving towards the side of his bed. "Well count me in. You're making it though." He said the grumpiness fading as he woke up more.

"Sounds fair." Caleb agreed. After waiting for Dean to stand, they headed for the break room. Caleb stepping around the chests of other sleeping marines much more carefully. Dean snickered behind him but didn't say anything. Caleb got to the door and typed in the code. The door slid to the side and the two stepped into the hallway.

Once the door slid shut they started down the short hall towards their goal. "So now that we're out of earshot of any light sleepers in there. Really why were you up Cal? No one likes to wake up early." Dean questioned glancing at him. Caleb stopped at the break room door and sighed staring silently at the code board.

"I've just been having these weird dreams.." He said finally, and started typing the code. Dean frowned. "What kind of dreams?" Caleb finished typing the code watching the door slide open before replying. "Bad dreams." He said softly and walked into the break room. Dean right behind him.

The break room consisted of a solid total of three tables, two coffee makers, a fridge, a counter with a sink, and several soda machines. Caleb walked over to the counter and took the pot off the coffee maker. He glanced inside and groaned. "Ugh. Why can't people clean their own coffee leftovers?"

Dean chuckled. "Sorry buddy. Not my problem." He sat down in a nearby chair and kicked his feet up onto the table edge. "I'd like my coffee extra dark, no sugar just cream." He said contentedly. Shutting his eyes as he put his hands behind his head. Caleb grumbled and started cleaning out the coffee pot in the sink.

The smell of day old coffee made him slightly queasy. But he rinsed out the pot and scrubbed it with the dish brush. Adding some soap, he started cleaning the old coffee out. "Hey Cal?" Dean said behind him. "Yeah?" He answered prompting him to continue. Dean paused then asked. "What was your dream about?"

Caleb scrubbed the pot harder wondering why Dean wanted to know. "Well.. You have time to listen?" He asked. Dean opened one eye. "I wouldn't ask unless I did." He said honestly. Caleb nodded and rinsed out the coffee pot one last time before filling it up with hot water. "Well it started out with some gun shots." He said quietly.

"I was fighting somewhere and most of the guys on my side were getting killed." He continued moving the filled pot to the maker snapping it into place. "We were losing badly. But then we started winning. We actually were beating those alien freaks." Caleb said excitedly, but then stopped, remembering the next part of the dream.

He tore the coffee packet and poured the contents into the top of the maker. "As I was fighting. Something grabbed me from behind. It turned me to face it. And.. that's how I die." He finished trying to avoid the last part. It just seemed too real. He sat down by Dean who looked at him expectantly. "What?" Caleb asked. Dean raised an eyebrow. "You know what. How did you die?" He asked.

Caleb sighed and smiled slightly. "Can't slip anything past you huh?" Dean shook his head. "I'm as sharp as they come buddy. Really though. How did you die?" Caleb tapped his fingers on the table. "An elite." Dean eyed him curiously. "An elite?" He asked. Caleb nodded. "Yeah an elite." He repeated. Dean tilted his head. "What color was it?"

Hearing the coffee maker ding, Caleb got up and grabbed two mugs from below the counter. "I dunno.. I think it was red." He said. Dean watched the coffee as he poured it into the mugs. "Red? A red elite?" He asked confused. Caleb nodded and added cream to the coffees. "Yeah, what's so weird about it being red?"

Dean shrugged. "Nothing really. That's why it bugs me. It's just they're almost always in like blue or red armor. I've never seen an elite in another color of armor really." Caleb added sugar to his coffee and grabbed the two mugs walking back over Dean. "You haven't even seen an elite Dean. How would you know what they look like?" Dean blanched. "I have to seen elites!" He said flabbergasted.

Caleb set the coffees down and sat beside Dean. "Oh yeah?" He said teasingly. "When?" Dean took his mug and blew on the top a few times before risking a sip. "In training." He replied simply. Caleb rolled his eyes ignoring his own coffee. "I don't follow." He said. Dean looked up and lowered his mug.

"Where were you in training Cal? We spent at least a full month on just the appearance of alien species." He exclaimed. Caleb avoided his shocked gaze. "I don't know.. maybe I was sick or something." Dean snorted and took a big drink of his coffee. "Sick for a month." He echoed from his mug. Caleb sighed. "Don't make fun of me De."

Dean drained his remaining coffee and set his mug down. "I'm not. Anyways it was just a dream Cal. Lighten up. No elites or any other Covenant are within worlds from here. Don't worry." Caleb nodded and smiled getting up. "Yeah you're right. I shouldn't worry. Thanks De." Dean grinned and eyed his coffee. "Are you not gonna drink that?"

Caleb glanced at his full mug. "Nah. I'm gonna just go through today naturally. Hopefully I'll get so tired by tonight I'll actually get some sleep." He said. Dean quickly snatched it and gulped it down. Caleb smiled as his face quickly turned into one of disgust. Dean set the mug down and almost growled. "That had sugar in it. Why didn't you tell me?"

Caleb laughed. "Not my fault you decided to drink my coffee. But be a dear and put the mugs in the sink for me would you?" He asked sweetly and headed for the door. Dean glared at the back of his head. "Oh sure of course." He said gruffly. Dean grabbed the mugs and set them in the sink. "Anything for my little princess." He said with a snicker.

Caleb glanced over his shoulder as he typed into the door keypad. "Laugh all you want De." He said smartly. Caleb finished the code watched the door slide open and stepped out into the hall. "I still got you to do that for me. So I'm the winner here." Dean followed him down the hall chuckling. "Come on princess don't be bitter." He deadpanned.

Caleb whirled around. "Really De please cut it out. It's getting on my nerves." Dean shook his head. "Nuh uh. That's gonna stick for at least today. If not forever." Caleb groaned and started down the hall rapidly. Dean followed suit laughing at his attempt to shut him up. "Fine fine I'll stop for now Cal!" He called. Caleb glanced at him and stopped, waiting for him to catch up.

"Good. Now come on let's get our boots and get down there. We're actually almost late." He said urgently. Dean nodded and the two power walked. After getting their boots, they jogged to the morning exercises room. Where the others were waiting.