115

Chapter 11

I ran over to John and slid to a halt, "Chief!" I shouted as I threw my helmet off. "Chief! Don't leave, come on stay awake." I said shaking him.

He turned to me and pulled his helmet off, he had pale skin with a small goatee. His eyes had dark circles under them and his forehead had multiple wrinkles, there were a couple of scars on his chin and cheeks and he had short cut black hair. His blue eyes looked into my green and he smiled a bit, "That was a good fight." He coughed. "Is Cortana ok?"

"I think so, we'll have to run more tests."

"Good, take care of her."

I looked at him confused as tears formed in my eyes, Locke and Buck stood on either side of me. I looked over to my helmet and pulled the AI chip, I hit the same small button and Cortana came to form next to us. She was around 5'5, she dropped to her knees and looked at John. He smiled at her as she gently reached her hand out, testing if she was physical or not. Her hand pressed to his chest and she began to cry, actual tears hit the ground.

"J-John..."

"Cortana, you're my best friend."

She smiled and nodded, "You're my best friend too John."

"It's been an honor everyone." We all nodded to him, he looked to me and pulled his dog tags off. He held them in his hand with the motion of a grab, I grabbed his hand and we shook them with a sharp nod. "115-"

"Skylon."

"Skylon," He said, "Finish...the...fight~"

I stood up as his body went limp, I grabbed my helmet and put Cortana's chip back inside. I attached John's tag to my own chain, "Cortana?"

She looked up at me, "Give me my weapons back, and get inside. We have to finish the fight."

We ran out of the facility and I sent a distress signal to the Infinity, "115?"

"We have Cortana and we are requesting immediate evacuation and orbital strike."

"Send us coordinates and we'll be there."

"Cortana," I said, she came up on my HUD and looked at me with sad eyes. "Locate the highest nuclear energy sources in the rim of the ring, and place a strike marker on one of them." She nodded solemnly and began to work.

"We have received the coordinates, there will be a Pelican to retrieve you and once you are clear we will fire on the ring."

OoO

I walked onto the bridge of the UNSC Infinity with my helmet on, I walked up to the holotable and looked at the people standing around it. Laskey, Sarah, Halsey and Roland stood there waiting for my report. They would talk to me first, since I am ONI and wasn't meant to be on this team.

"Well?" Halsey asked, I sighed.

"I've brought back many things." They nodded, I pulled out many pairs of dog tags. "Kelly, Fred, Vale, and Linda didn't make it. They were killed in a high powered laser that tore the Pelican in half." They nodded. I then pulled out another tag, "And...John...also did not make it." Their eyes widened. Sarah lost her balance and leaned on the table, Halsey covered her mouth and Laskey sighed.

"We'll write the report and send it to the Admiral, thank you Lieutenant." Laskey said.

"I have one more thing." They looked up to me as I pulled the chip from my helmet, I plugged it into the console. Cortana's blue glow appeared as she came up, everyone in the bridge froze as they stared at her in fear. She held her arms together under her breasts and held her legs together, a sheer sign of nervousness.

"Very good Lieutenant. Mission complete. Now, give me the chip." Halsey said, I looked to her as Cortana turned away from her.

"What are you going to do to her?"

"That is none of your concern Lieutenant, hand me her chip."

"Answer the question Dr."

She got angry and glared at me, "I outrank you. Give me Cortana's chip."

I pulled her chip out and placed her into my helmet, "You're right Cathrine, you do outrank me. But you are nowhere near the rank of Petty Officer Master Chief, and Johns final task was for me to take care of Cortana. And as far as I'm concerned, that task goes on for as long as I and she lives. If you want to test her for rampancy, or upgrade her, then fine. But I'll be over your shoulder, and the second you attempt to delete or harm her...it's my duty to do whatever is required to protect her."

I began to walk towards the door before she stopped me, "Laskey, tell this man to give me the chip. Strip him of his rank, something!"

"There's nothing I can do." He said with a smile and shrug.

"You better watch your back 115, I can have you kicked out."

I turned to her and walked up to her, using intimidation I towered over her and looked down at her. "If I'm not mistaken, the Admiral ordered for your assassination. Sarah failed that task, and as far as I know that order has not been lifted." I leaned down to her and she leaned back and her eyes showed fear, "Let's not get testy. Because what am I?" I turned around and walked out of the room.

OoO

Halsey looked towards Laskey and Sarah, "Whatever, if something goes wrong with her tell him to bring her to me so I can fix her. I won't delete her."

"Yeah, I wouldn't he seemed protective." Sarah mussed with her arms crossed, Laskey nodded.

"I'll have to update his records." Halsey started, the other two looked at her in confusion. "He beat John in a hand to hand combat simulator, took down two Halo Rings, and goes on black ink assassination missions. It's time for him to join the legendary rank, the title only held by two others."

"And?" Laskey pushed.

"That man. That Demon...Sierra 115 is a Hyper-Lethal-Vector."