Chapter 16
Spooks… Even after ‘death’ those spooks still existed. This should be impossible. Could they have befallen the same fate as Six? Or was it something else entirely? She couldn’t be sure as such impossibilities had now since become commonplace for the Spartan. And now they had decided to reveal themselves, albeit with a piece of crumpled paper, a crudely drawn ONI Symbol drawn on it. It wasn’t very professionally made and looked quite improvised. Picking up the paper in her hooves she flipped it over, revealing a small string of numbers.
Numbers that would have been indecipherable if one had never invented radio communication. But to Six it was as easy as taking down a squad of Covenant Grunts. Punching the number into her radio, Six spoke into her helmet, making sure to disable its speakers so nobody could listen in.
„This is UNSC Sierra-B312 Callsign Noble Six, Identify yourself."
„A Spartan?!“
„No way…“
„it can't be... can it?“
„*Cough* Shut it up back there!” A Coughing fit was heard by the Spartan before a strained voice came through the radio “Six am I glad to hear your voice. Look we can’t speak for long so I’ll be brief. Come to the castle gardens and I’ll make sure you aren’t followed and I’ll get you a clear path in the meantime.” A laugh followed by another cough is heard “Boy is she going to love this“ The sound of radio static came soon after indicating the channel had gone dead, not giving Six a chance to respond.
Could it be? Could there be an actual UNSC presence on this planet with her? Or was she not the only one brought here. Whatever it was those questions could be answered later in Person when they meet face to face. Right now Six had a meeting in the gardens she intended to keep. Ripping the note to pieces Six made her way towards the door to her quarters.
Watching her tracker carefully, Six waited behind the door. Her tracker may have been empty but she knew there would be guards outside her room. So she waited for the coast to clear waiting to see if the person on the radio came through. Then suddenly some muffled shouting could be heard through the door as three markers appeared on her tracker, moving away from her door as a fourth marker made its way in front of her door before vanishing
Well, that...certainly makes this easier.
Opening the door she was met with a lone guard standing in the middle of the hallway, his eyes catching the tail of her room’s previous guards as they went out of sight behind a corner.
“Change of plans Six, come, follow me I’ll explain everything once we’re back with the others.” Began the guard, his gaze switching to the Spartan as she approached. “And before you ask yes, you aren’t the only one brought here. Now come, quickly! It won’t take long for those guards to return back to their posts” Exclaimed the Pony quickly trotting down the corridor with a slightly surprised Spartan in tow.
She wasn’t alone. It was now confirmed. She hadn’t told the Ponies anything about humanity and intended to keep it that way. She was still suspicious, sure, but with that unasked question answered the chances that they were also in the same situation as her rose dramatically. Perhaps there was a way for her to take the fight back to the Covenant after all? Such questions would have to come later however as now the pair needed to get to the castle gardens.
With the guard acting as her escort they were able to make it through the castle without suspicion much to her escort’s pleasure. Soon they had reached the gardens, Six constantly checking her tracker for any unwanted tails outside of their vision. Luckily the pair hadn’t been followed outside showed the tracker, it remaining empty save for her companion.
“Have we been followed?” Asked the guard to the Spartan as they began to make their way through the gardens towards its hedge maze.
“No movement except us for 30 meters in all directions” Responded Six as they entered the maze.
“Good” he began exhaling loudly in relief. “What I wouldn’t give to have my tracker right now, I’m not trained in counter-espionage.” He said under his breath. “Anyway follow me we’re almost there”
Several minutes later and they had made it to a rather inconspicuous statue inside the maze. Her, so far, unnamed companion walked up to it and pushed his hoof against one of its tiles.
“Here,” He held out his other hoof, “ hold onto me otherwise you’ll be left behind.”
Six did as instructed grabbing his outstretched hoof with her own armored one. The second she did that her shields flared gold. They did not drain but simply became visible to the naked eye. “Well that’s unexpected, hopefully, it won’t interfere with what’s about to happen. Alright, this may feel weird but that’s perfectly normal since this is your first time.” He removed his hoof.
Several things happened all at once in the following seconds. The golden flaring shields began to cycle breaking her protective barrier followed by the feeling of falling through Space topped off by a bright flash filling her vision. Once the Spots were out of her eyes Six could see the position she was currently in. Her body having acted on autopilot, Six found herself above her companion with her wing firmly planted against his throat, ready to end his life in less than a second should she wish it so.
“Stand *Cough* down Spartan, you idiot Crowly *cough* I told you how much of a bad idea it is to surprise her with the teleporter. *Cough* Goddammit you could have warned her beforehand” Game a gruff and strained voice from behind her. “Now would you please get off of the marine *Cough* before you paint the walls red?”
“Don’t do that again.” Came the cold voice through her helmet as she got off the now identified and terrified Marine and turned to face the familiar voice from her radio. Only to be immediately brought back into her battle stance as she pulled her knife. Standing in front of her was another of those insectoid creatures looking at her through his compound blue eyes.
However, as she studied the insectile pony in front of her, her hostile stance began to recede.
He was covered in bandages, green blood soaking through several of them. One of his eyes was covered and his chitin was covered in cracks. He approached the Spartan with no fear in his eyes as he limped closer. Six sheathed her knife, he was clearly not a threat.
“Agent Stanford of the Office for Naval Intelligence, a pleasure to meet a Spartan on this planet. So how did you end up here? It took a pelican getting shot down for me and Crowly over here to bite the dust.” Introduced Stanford moving to help Crowly onto his hooves despite his own injuries. “Get back topside before they get suspicious marine, their already on the lookout for any more changelings don’t make them think you are one.” He gave the pony a fanged smile and a pat on the back. Crowly smiled back in return, slightly rubbing his neck with a hoof, before turning back against the wall and vanishing in another flash of light.
Using the time Six examined her surroundings. They appeared to be in some sort of underground bunker, its walls being illuminated by several improvised lightbulbs. Said walls however were in varying states of disrepair. The bunker must have been abandoned long before they moved in but they had definitely put some work into reversing the damage it had sustained over god knows how long.
Turning her attention back to Stanford she removed her helmet.
“Took 3 days and a whole Covenant army to take me out on Reach” Began Six.
“I would expect nothing less from a Spartan.” His face suddenly took a dark turn. “Did Reach fall?” Questioned Stanford grimly
“I was the last one left on Reach...I made them pay dearly for what they did over those 3 days.” Responded Six with a fire in her eyes.
“Good that....” He sighed “That’s good, it just makes what the lady is doing all the more important. Now come, it’s not just me and Crowly down here after all” He said before limping his way towards the door. “What was your combat rating anyway?” Asked Stanford suddenly, standing beside the exit.
“Hyper-Lethal”
He did a double-take. “Wait you mean just like…”
“117” Finished Six.
“Christ…Well, co *cough* me on then! *cough* We can’t keep the lady waiting!” Exclaimed Stanford, a fire of excitement having seemingly been lit in his blue eyes.
“What’s this woman’s name?” Questioned Six following the excited Agent who simply smirked in response.
“Halsey. Dr. Cathrine Halsey”