42 Chapter (38) Cat and Mouse, But Which One Is Which? (8)

[Sooo before we begin I think in my little Au canon here I gotta add some more head canon because according to canon this is what Halsey looks like

(Halsey)

Yeah btw she is like 50+ at 2543 and the image is of Operation: Warm Blanket in 2544. So this brings me to the fact that along with spartans having some absurd lifespan as shown with the fact that Johnson literally doesn't age. I am going to say regular humans live longer and don't age as quickly. I don't think that's to farfetched in real life human live expectancy has been slowly increasing and this is the 2500s. Even Jacob Keyes who is like 57 during Halo: Reach doesn't look that old except for the gray hair.

Another thing Halsey specifically has had like three different hair colors. Blonde in Halo Legends, Brown in Halo: The Fall of Reach, and according to the wiki it is Black, but I can't remember of anytime she was shown with black hair. So I am just going to go with brown because that is also Miranda's hair color.

Anyway I just wanted to clear that up before this chapter and subsequent chapters. If you have any questions leave them, and if you wanna call me a dumb ass for my head canon feel free to. Without further ado here is the chapter]

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(Mc Pov)

On the screen in front of me was a woman who seemed to be in her late twenties to mid-thirties. She had brown hair in a bob haircut that just reached to her shoulders and sky-blue eyes. Her attire was that of a lab coat along with the standard ONI scientist uniform, on the lab coat was a key card presumably for access to the restricted areas of the ONI research station wherever she was.

The woman was sitting, leaning back into her chair, and had one foot neatly crossed over the other. She wore an intelligent and calculating expression. She was analyzing me like another expression that much I could tell just from her eyes. Her, eyes were narrowed and weren't focused on my face or eyes like they should during a normal conversation.

Internally I snorted, 'When is it ever a normal conversation with this woman involved?' I couldn't help but internally sigh, 'She is looking at me like a toddler who doesn't know if they want to eat their candy now or save it for later,'

Deciding to end the brief moment she got to study me I replied after walking into an acceptable position for the camera, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting Doctor Catherine Halsey?"

Her eyes stopped scanning me for a moment and were brought up to my own upon hearing her name said aloud. Amused, she spoke, "Oh? You seem to be familiar with me, but I don't recall there ever being a Spartan that looked like you. Nor do I ever remember scouting you for my program yet here you are being given my armor," she paused as she formulated the sequence of whatever interrogation she would give me, "I have some questions for you to answer if you would be so kind as to entertain my curiosity,"

I wanted to say that I wasn't so kind as to entertain her curiosity, but I couldn't. First, she didn't ask me if I wanted to answer any questions she told me I was going to answer. Secondly as the best researcher and scientist in ONI with an innumerable contribution to the war effort, she could make my life hell. Thirdly she quite literally makes my armor and all subsequent gear that I may get later, so as I have said before Never. Piss off. The white mage.

'Although if she tries to bully me I will be happy to show her that I am not a spineless coward that she can push around, but for now, I will play along,' I thought before immediately responding to her command, "Go ahead, ma'am,"

"Excellent," she smiled and crossed her arms, "I would first like to ask why it seems like you know me so well,"

Without hesitation, I replied, "I was able to piece together things I heard from people around me. Colonel Ackerson and my teacher Kurt Ambrose specifically said the most about you, and from what they said you appeared to be a person with an important stature so I simply shelved what I have heard in case I ever ran into you later on,"

It was a plausible explanation, especially with the traits Ackerson exhibited and Kurt's close proximity with Halsey during training. She seemed to think so too because she accepted my words and moved on. Little did she know I had actually never met Ackerson yet ironically.

"I am intrigued. What did they say about me, Lieutenant?" she raised an eyebrow.

"It's best not to repeat what the Colonel said, but Commander Ambrose called you the closest thing to a mom that he had," hearing that I noticed for a brief moment she got uncomfortable by what I had said. She slightly shifted around but maintained her expression, not letting it slip.

"I see," she then tilted her head, "Your turn Lieutenant. I am certain there is at least something you would like to ask me about so go on ahead,"

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow. I was confused because I thought this was supposed to be my interrogation, not the other way around.

"Doctor, I don't believe that you called this meeting just to play 20 questions, right?" I asked, trying to discern whatever plan she had.

She waved her hand dismissively, "This isn't twenty questions. Just humor me for a moment Lieutenant,"

I raised my free hand and held my chin pondering what to ask. To be honest I didn't care about her too much. While she was a brilliant mind and probably was one of the reasons we won the war, she was far too unpredictable and uncontrollable.

I sighed internally, 'Huuuh why am I being forced into CIA political bullshit. I was trained to break shit and kill people not maneuver myself through a political landscape,'

I thought long and hard before finally coming up with a plan, 'In the end I can't outwit her, but I am definitely much more shameless. And judging by the small mention of Kurt and his abduction she still has some kind of guilt and emotion left…. This might actually be fun,' I couldn't help but internally grin at the questions I would ask.

"Very well then doctor. I would like to ask what Kurt meant by what he said. You two don't seem to be related… Did you adopt Kurt?" I asked calmly and innocently

Catherine's eyes narrowed instantly. She didn't see through my plan instantly, but she was suspicious. She also knew that my plan would be revealed with my next question, but what she didn't know was that I didn't care.

Unlike her, I am not trying to gather information. I already know quite a bit about her in the past and what her future self would be like. I am trying to end this conversation as quickly as possible, and from where I am standing there is only one option to hasten the conclusion.

Getting personal, VERY personal

Catherine Halsey is a woman who has a large number of skeletons from her past hiding in her closet. And No matter how stuck up, authoritative, cold, and manipulative she may act she still has emotions. In the end…

She is still human

…

She looked away and sat her chin in the palm of her hand and began contemplating her answer after she heard my question. Eventually, "In a way, yes I adopted him," she answered shortly and without giving any unnecessary details.

"Interesting," I said, turning with my chin in my free hand and acting like I was thinking deeply about what she said.

She frowned, "What's so interesting?"

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, "With all due respect ma'am," I said turning and pointing my fingers flimsily upward shaking them back and forth, "You don't seem like the type to adopt,"

She instantly glared at me at my blatant provocation that she was hiding the truth, nonetheless, she continued with her next question.

Changing gears she asked, "How old are you, Lieutenant?"

It took only a moment for me to answer with a pre-planned response, "I am twenty-five doctor. I was one of the oldest in Alpha Company,"

The atmosphere changed once those words left my mouth. It got colder as I watched Halsey place her crossed leg on the floor and lean forward with an icy expression before speaking, "Don't lie to my Lieutenant. The oldest in the Spartan-III Alpha Company is still currently twenty-four years of age. How old are you really?" she spoke with no small amount of hostility.

'Those damn lazy fucks forgot to upload my falsified file!?' I screamed internally about the apparent fuck up with my cover story about my origins. Outside I kept a calm expression before stating, "That's classified even for you doctor,"

She smirked, "I see so those documents were falsified. Just as I suspected,"

Realizing I had been had I felt my eye twitch in annoyance. Halsey also saw this and made her smirk break into a small grin.

I calmed myself down and decided to simply ask my question. I wanted to keep it for later but I changed my mind, 'Fuck it I am going for the throat,' I said internally before calmly speaking, "Say doctor do you have a niece in the Navy?"

She looked confused by my sudden answer before replying, "No I do not,"

I then scratched my head as if I was extremely confused and looked at her with my head to the side, "Are you sure you don't have a niece? Or maybe a young cousin? Or even a younger-looking sister?"

She regained her smirk thinking I wasted my question on a dumb curiosity, "No I have none of those,"

I played my confused act for a bit longer before I snapped my fingers with a sudden thought, "Oh! Do you perhaps have a daughter?"

That froze her smile instantly. She glared at me and if looks could kill I would be nothing short of a mangled corpse.

"How do you know about her?" she asked through her teeth

"Who?" I asked with the same calm expression

"Don't play games with me, Lieutenant. Interfering with my work will only earn you a trip to the brig," she spoke again

I wanted to say interfering with Spartan operations will earn her a place in a cell right next to mine, but I didn't for two reasons. One I don't have anyone to corroborate my words meaning it would be my word against hers and she has a good bit of pull in ONI. Though Ackerson will keep me from being put in jail, the time that it would take away from the battlefield wasn't worth it. Secondly, I doubted she would actually be severely punished in all likelihood she would get a reprimand and a slap on the wrist.

Keeping that in mind I yielded and answered the question truthfully, "Miranda simply has an uncanny resemblance to you. Combine that with the little bit she has said about her mother, and it wouldn't take a genius to piece everything together,"

Her expression softened and was anxious as she fidgeted with the side of her chair while looking at me before continuing to ask, "What does she say about me?"

Seeing her now she looked like a normal caring and overprotective mother. The sight would be saddening to anyone and especially coming from Catherine Halsey of all people.

Though it was technically my turn now I felt pity and even though she was a bitch. She still greatly cared for her daughter. Otherwise, she wouldn't have pulled so many strings to keep her safe.

I sighed before responding, "She doesn't say much, and what she does say is also not something you want to hear,"

She looked down with a hint of sadness in her eyes before whispering at a volume so low that even I barely made it out, "That's good it's better that way. Now she is safe and I can continue to focus on my work," she sighed

Hearing that I couldn't help but put my face in my hand and sigh myself before whispering at a volume I was certain she would hear, "They were right you really don't understand people,"

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Boom another chapter.

So yeah this was a long dialogue with Halsey. She will be a recurring character obviously. Halsey is probably the single most important character throughout Halo.

I hope I got her personality down and made it believable. If I did good say so and if bad say so as well so I can work to fix it.

I also have ordered a box set that contains The Cole Protocol, Contact Harvest, and The Ghosts of Onyx so I gotta bunch to read

Oh yeah so I am going to put questions of the day down here so today's shall be:

What is everyone's favorite vehicle? Mine would have to be either the Gauss Hog or Scorpion or Falcon

Anyway drop any questions you may have.

I hope you all have a blessed day and I will See You Star Side