Halo: Uncovering the Truth (Book 3, Arbiter x Female human series.)

The Space Station

Bria sat and read a book while she waited. Her sister's bible to be exact. She wondered if her former self watched her sister die. The blood-stained pages told her it wasn't pretty.

That could be her blood. She thought, even though she didn't want to think so. She sighed and flipped through more pages.

She then heard a small purr. She looked down to discover Hejiro.

"Hello!" They squeaked.

"Oh hey there!" She patted their head. "Missed me?"

They curled up against Bria's arm.

"You're alive!" Bria jumped as she heard a shout. She looked to see Cyva and Flas running towards her. Cyva immediately hugged her and Flas hugged her leg. She froze.

     "We thought you were dead!" Flas said.

     "Where were you guys? We lost sight of you immediately." She said.

     "We ran for cover when we saw the Spears. Then you and Tyra went missing. We looked for you for hours." Cyva said. "We were worried sick!"

     "We really were!" Flas said.

     Bria giggled. "We were fine. The people that threw Spears at us turned out to be a clan of rogue species. They took us in and taught me stuff and gave us a location that The Arbiter might be in." She said.

     "A rogue clan?" Cyva looked at Flas. "That's wonderful news though! Are we going to go find him?"

     "Tyra is discussing it with Buck. You know, without me..." Bria said.

     Hejiro started to growl at Cyva. They showed their sharp teeth.

     "Hey, stop it. You know them." Bria gave them a piece of meat. "Must be hungry."

     "Jackals are predators. Heh..." Cyva laughed awkwardly.

     "Bria," Tyra ran up to her.

     "Good to see you're alive, Tyra!" Cyva lit up.

     "Sure." She completely ignored him. "We found the location, but it would be wise for only one of us to go."

     "Ah, good to see you're besties now." Buck approaches them.

     Both Bria and Tyra look at each other. "No." They say in unison.

     "Fair enough." He put up his hands. "Anyway, about the mission, I'm sure I could go in. I am trained."

     "We'll discuss who gets to go on the way there." Tyra explained.

     "Do you need us to go with you?" Flas asked.

     "I'd prefer it if it was the three of us." She replied.

    "Four." Bria cleared her throat.

    Tyra looked at her.

     She gestured to Hejiro.

    "Ugh... I-... fine!" Tyra turned and stormed onto the gravity lift of a phantom.

     Bria sat and twiddled her thumbs. For some reason she was nervous. She was about to meet her husband. It seemed like for the first time. She sighed and patted Hejiros head again, who was laying by her feet.

     "I don't know why you don't want us to go as a group." Buck said to Tyra.

     "Because this is a rescue mission." She replied. "That space station could be filled with whatever kidnapped Thel."

     "Or maybe he just wanted to get away. You know, take a break from winey teenagers who think they're the boss."

     Tyra turned a glare on him. 

     Bria looked up at them. "Why can't I go in?"

     "You can't-" Tyra began.

     "Why not?" Bria stood up and Hejiro moved from their spot to sit on a chair. "I am his wife, and no offense but my powers are more powerful than your weapons. I could protect myself."

     Buck looked at Tyra. "She has a point."

     "Master would never forgive me, nor would I forgive myself if something happened to you." She said.

     "I'm a big girl." Bria smiled.

     "So Be It." Tyra said.

     "Here's your DMR." Buck handed her a weapon with "Bria V" carved into it. She gave him a look and picked up a pistol instead.

     "Fine." He said sarcastically. "Well at least take this." He strapped a device to her wrist. "It'll hack into any door. At least I hope... ahem.... anyway. It also lets us talk to you through a comm."

     Bria nodded. "Anyone else find this a tad suspicious that we found him so fast?"

"If we found him..." Buck added.

"I don't think that clan would have lied to us. But it would be wise to be one your guard." Tyra said.

Bria nodded again.

     At the space station.

     Bria landed with a hard thud and Hejiro followed behind. They quickly jumped on her back.

     Bria wore a helmet but the signals were not going off, meaning this place had breathable oxygen.

     "It seems clear." Bria looked around in an empty room and took her helmet off. She continued on to a door. The gadget that Buck gave her hacked right into its system.

     "Be cautious." Tyra reminded. "You don't know what could be there."

     Something fell scaring Bria and Hejiro half to death. But they continued. She walked to another empty room, and another, and another.  This place was a dump! Filled with debris and what looked like bones. She shivered as a chill went up her spine. Why were there so many bones? She stumbled into a room filled with prison cells. Some had bones. Some had blood... some were very clean.

     "All these rooms are empty. Are you sure I'm in the right place?" Bria spoke softly over the intercom.

The place was silent. The prison cells were empty. It seemed just as the Brute said, abandoned.

Buck cursed in her ear. "Maybe they fled?"

"Or maybe they killed him." Bria suggested.

"No one can simply kill the Arbiter." Tyra spoke.

Bria rolled her eyes.

She must have really liked this guy, he doesn't even sound that special if he gets captured all the time.

"Well, I'll say if the answer isn't behind this final door, I'm calling it quits." Bria said as she hacked the door.

She gasped when the door opened to reveal a tall, bloody elite.

"... Bria...?" He was panting, and his eyes were heavy.

However, Bria remained silent. She just stared at him with her mouth wide open.

"Bria, you... you're...." he started to fall, but Bria caught him. He was extremely heavy, so Bria used her powers to help.

"Guys?..." She spoke into the comm.

"I think I found him..."