Return To Reach

Chapter 7

After what seemed like hours the ship landed and the doors opened, I was shocked to see a glassed over planet that was slowly being chipped away at by machines in an attempt to make it liveable again. I got a weird feeling whenever I looked in a certain direction at a glassed over building no one seemed to be able to get into, finally curiosity got the better of me so I walked over and pressed a hand against the thick glass. Suddenly I felt as though I could feel someone trapped in there, everyone was giving me curious glances as I began to smash away at the glass. Finally I broke through smashing a hole just big enough to fit through, instantly the smell of rotting flesh hit my nose making me cringe. I climbed through the hole and walked down a few hallways until I came to a dark room, I turned on my helmet light and instantly I froze in shock at what I saw. There slowly rotting away after many years sat another Spartan, something was sticking out of her neck which made me get closer. I reluctantly pulled it out and jumped when I heard voices, I almost threw it but I knew this was probably the AI we came here to get. I walked back out holding the AI chip in my hands, Chief froze when he saw the little pink chip in my hands.
"What is that?" He asked coldly, I tilted my head confused as to why his mood suddenly changed.
"It's an AI chip I think," I say simply, he walked over and grabbed it off me staring at it. I got the feeling the spartan had been close to him, he plugged it into the back of his helmet with Cortana so she could study it. We were walking back when a small glitchy AI appeared in front of us, I noticed Chief tense as memory flooded back to him.

*start of transmission*

"Everyone go now!" A spartan in pink, purple and blue armour shrieked, everyone got into a banshee except Chief who stood beside the last remaining banshee. His face was grim as he knew what she was about to ask him, she pulled his hand towards her and put the drive into his hand before curling it into a fist.
"John you have to go! They are going to glass the planet! Please even if I were to make it off I wouldn't live long! Let me die doing something I love!" She pleaded, he hesitantly pulled his hand away and jumped into the banshee. After they were out of sight she rushed towards the base, she had just made it down the first hall when the entire planet shook. She looked back to see a thick layer of glass covering everything, she sat down watching knowing this is where she would die.

She walked into a somewhat light room and took her helmet off to face her, she backed away and stood making sure the helmet light was on.
"John if you are getting this know that I am proud of you, know that I want you to go on fighting and never give up, make my death not in vain but make it a proud memory to remember, I have grown up beside the very man I hoped to marry one day but seeing as how fate has put us apart I see that my dreams were not meant to be, I want you to look around you, look at all the people you have ever known and cared about, find love in one of them and maybe even give me little minions I could never birth, I know this is hard for you to hear or see but know that I am always beside you, I am always watching you, I will forever be in your heart and soul, you were the only one I ever truly loved, please don't think I died hating you, I died doing the very thing I did best, sacrificing, every bullet I ever took for you, every explosion, stab wound, even my near death not long ago was for you, you are forever the man in my heart, please keep going on to be that same man, I may be stranded on a planet covered in glass but it was all worth it in the end, I swear if you cry while watching this I will come back to haunt you, anyways that's all I have to say, good luck John, I hope your life is far longer then mine ever was," she said before the recording stopped, she walked over and sat down next to her helmet.

Scarlett do me one last favour.
[what is that Caden?]
Make sure you get this recording to John.
[I will do my best Caden, also Caden?]
Yeah?
[your memory will go down in history as the bravest spartan known to man]
Thanks Scarlett.

She sat there slowly running out of oxygen, the toxic fumes from the glass began to seeping into her lungs. She pulled out her pistol and aimed it at her head, a tear fell down her cheek before she pulled the trigger and everything was over.

*end of transmission*

I turned to Chief who was almost completely still, I could tell he was on the verge of tears but he held them back. I went to put a hand on his shoulder but he turned and grabbed my wrist, he stared into my eyes through his helmet and I could feel his pain and agony. She had been someone he had loved from what I gathered, without thinking I pulled him into a tight hug. He froze but didn't pull away, I knew everyone else had seen what had happened but no one had dared to hug Chief until my foolish mind made me do it. I thought he would shove me off but instead he began to return my hug which shocked me, I couldn't help but smile slightly as I felt his chest shudder which meant he was holding back many tears.