Halo: T.O.Z.O.A. Ch. 1

Chapter 13

"This is Tozoa of the... UNSC science and research base, covenant vessel is what you say true?" Tozoa responded to the message over the intercom to the Faith of One, Asha pressed the button on the comm-array, "Yes, it is. It seems we are one agreeable terms, may we have permission to land?" she asked into the mic, "that's a big 10-4 from me." Tozoa rasped back. Asha nodded at Rkze who was already making the calculations for their decent Eon stood over near the brute brothers showing off his battle wounds and telling tales of his great victories, the brothers would howl in delight at the Sangheili as he depicted the scenes with his hands and reenact each part, Asha smiled leaning back in her shipmasters chair twiddling her dagger, but this time it was not out of boredom, but out of anticipation.

Tozoa looked back at Dan; he smiled as he stood up testing out his leg, "seems to work." Samantha said happily, "well I am the ultimate weapon after all." Tozoa said smirking. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE!" Pace said stepping over a scientist. "Well you're alive." Tozoa said chuckling. "Well I kinda shot some marines in the face." Pace said laughing. "Where's Dan?" "I think we need to go over a few things." Tozoa said turning to Pace putting on his helmet.

0730 hours on the mission clock, Jake turned to see not just one, but two wraiths waiting for him, he sprinted towards the closest one on his right dodging the wraiths mortars, he latched onto the machine and shot a full clip into the metal door causing a hole to appear along the crease, Jake rammed his hand into the hole pulling the door up, he saw a brute in the seat, though he didn't think twice. Jake punched the brute in the jaw causing him to go limp and the wraith to fall to the ground, Jake pulled the beast from the machine and jumped into the seat looking at the alien controls, he started it up and glanced at the timer on his HUD. He only had five more minutes. Jake started the wraith, it jumped from the ground and he moved it around firing the mortar at the other wraith, brute surrounded the area, they started towards the wraith, Jake hopped out and stood atop the covenant tank. "You bastards want me!" he screamed, "come at me!" The brutes ran towards the lone Spartan, Jake glanced at his timer, "three... Two..." Kevin looked back to see a white light erupt from where they left Jake.

The Faith of One came through the last layer of Havana's atmosphere. Asha sat in her chair looking at the destruction from the covenant invasion, she saw it all differently now, it all seemed so wrong. The ship landed on the pad outside of the Research facility, Tozoa leaned against the door frame and watched the covenant vessel uncloak, and it seemed no larger than a seraph though it had a black tinge over the normal covenant purple. The bay door opened as an elite stepped out first followed by two brutes and two Kig 'Yar. Tozoa stood straight and looked at them all, the smaller Kig 'Yar stepped from the group and put out its hand. Tozoa grabbed it and shook, "Asha, I presume?" he said, "You'd be correct she responded.

Dan sat up in the ward he looked around the room, he could barely remember a thing, he noticed a blue light coming from the work table, and he slowly stood up and looked at the disc on the table. He looked in shock as he read the name on it, "Ritchie?" he thought. Dan held the AI in his massive palm. He was nervous at first, but then forced himself to speak.

"Ritchie?" he said softly.

The AI came to life in his hand, it shown blue and was wearing a UNSC military uniform.

"Who are you?" the AI asked; looking confused.

"Do you remember me, Ritchie? It's me, Dan."

"Dan?" he asked; voice raised and looking shocked. "It's been so long, and I could hardly hear your voice through all of those mechanical sounds. Can I see your face again?"

Dan turned his head away. "I'm afraid there's no face for you to see. This titanium mask is all that keeps my brain intact; the only shreds of life in my body are simply vital organs that were too critical to destroy."

"Dan... Why?"

"They did this to me!" Dan shouted; his body beginning to expand. "The UNSC we followed into Hell itself turned me into something that they would have brought back!"

"Dan, stop!" Ritchie yelled. If it where anyone else, Dan would have just gotten angrier, but this was his only friend.

"Dan, this isn't your fault. Sometimes, we just have to make do, alright? Like for example, I'm a dang AI; what can I do now that I don't even have a body? Well, pretty much anything I put my mind to. Speaking of which, where is my physical self?"

"He's― you're dead. Torn apart by the very Brutes you loathe."

"Wow," he whispered; sitting down. "God forsaken monkeys..."

"Hey, we have to make do, right?" Dan said; smiling with an invisible mouth.

"Right," Ritchie affirmed; getting back on his feet. "And right now, I'd like to make do with the behemoth in front of me."

"That's what she said," Dan added with a grin while slipping Ritchie into the back of his neck.

"Dan, grow up! No matter how much metal they throw on you; you'll never change, will you?"

"I guess so, Ritch. I guess so."