CHAPTER 6
12:30 HOURS, January 21st 2524, REACH WILDNERNESS TRAINING PRESERVE, ERIDANUS SYSTEM
5 YEARS LATER
Chief Mendez stood with his arms folded at the four trainees he had called over, 031, 053, 101 and 143. Otto, Margaret, Victor and Roma respectively. They stood in a horizontal line across the space between himself and the door.
"Trainees!" He barked "You are now designated your own fireteam! You are now "Black Team", you will bunk, eat spar and train together!"
The four young trainees each saluted, "Sir! Yes Sir!" they responded in unison.
"Trainee 53, your squad leader! I expect you to look after your team and complete the mission by any means nessecary, are we clear trainee?"
Margaret widened her eyes and saluted. "Sir! Thank you, Sir! she said
"143, your Black-Two, 31, your three, and 101, your four. Are we clear?"
They returned with "Sir, yes, sir!" in a symponious unison.
"Dismissed!" He finished up.
The four trainees saluted and marched out of the office, he turned to sit down by his window side chair, he extracted a sweet william cigar and chewed onto the end with his teeth, snapping his zippo lighter on and bearing the naked flame onto the tobacco, his lungs filled with satisfaction.
He puffed a stream of air, before someone came requesting entry, reading "Doctor Elizabeth Halsey."
"Come in, Doctor" he rested the cigar on his desk ashpot, he stood up to attention like the senior drill instructor he was. One may have thought he looked polished and chisled from steel.
Catherine Halsey carefully strode in, she held a datapad of what she had dubbed "Project: ASTER" which included the exact details of the next phase of SPARTAN II.
The younger doctor was visibly pregnant, from her "affair" with one Lieutenant Jacob Keyes. A UNSC Naval Officer, after they were "friendly" at the University of Calippus, at last november.
Mendez pretended not to notice her swell, still wearing her typical scientist labcoat, she was ever determined with the SPARTAN II program.
"Afternoon, Doctor Halsey, I was just briefing four trainees of their "reassignment"
"hm" she mused, "you did as I suggested?"
"I assigned them together as a team...as you suggested"
she gave a smile, "good, I personally feel like they are capable to function like the other teams we've made, rather than being a branch of John's own teams"
"good timing" Mendez patted the cigar with his thumb and set it back into his mouth, talking through fixed teeth "squad-on-squad training excerises are starting tommorow."
she nodded, "Thank you, Chief."
"I thought I should brief you on Project: ASTER. I'm also asking Admiral Jeromi on the UNSC Hopeful to begin tests on bonobo chimpanzees."
"are they safe, Doctor Halsey?"
She shrugged "I don't know, Chief. Deja is processing the survival rate and possible alterations and solutions to reduce any "side effects"".
He nodded, "alright, Doctor. This is the final stage before ASTER. I still have a few lessons to teach them."
She smiled, "you'll do it well, Chief, you've done well so far"
"Thank you, Doctor"
Mendez gave a nod. Before she took her leave from his quarters.
23:40 HOURS, 21st JANUARY 2524
"hey, team leader"
Otto came by the tree that he and Margaret usually hung out after "lights out". A tree that was some thousand years old, branches that were twirled and entwined with each other, they each sat opposite each other and rested on it's strong branches which held them high. The night lights casted magneta and orange rows of lights down upon them, almost like a romance scene from a film he since long forgotten watching long ago.
"Hey, Black-Three" she smiled back, her brown hair was let loosened from the bobble she used to keep it compact, it reached her shoulders. Her eyes were a soft brown which the lights seem to twinkle in, her face had smooth features, with a smile laden on her face. Her skin was fair, and delicate.
Margaret, which Otto had since nicknamed "Mag" or "Maggie". She preferred it over "Margaret" which she deemed to be too "polite and formal". She had drilled and bunked with him since they were six. into what he thought was the most goregous thing he had met. Over the years, they had grown to close, best friends. But he felt more than that for her, but as time went on, he found it harder to admit to it.
"hm? You zoning out there, Otto?" she whispered, raising an eyebrow
"n-no, just...thinking, Mag"
"thinking about what?" she smiled, and quietly giggled
"about everything, boss"
"what's everything?"
"everything about us, Vic and Roma"
she coyly raised an eyebrow, "gonna have to be more specific"
Magaret was sometimes a tease, and had a tendency to be cheeky towards him.
"I guess it's knowing I'm on your team, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm...grateful"
"me too" she put on a tired smile, somehow it made her more goregous "I need someone who's cute like you, mostly to catch up most of what they throw at us."
"are you trying to say I'm a pillow?"
"Maybe, your a great hugger, if it counts"
"Gee. Thanks, Boss"
"But I...wanted to talk about you". he suddenly felt nervous, as he clutched at words to express his feelings.
"What about me?" she playfully smiled
he sighed and said. "I feel like I can relax properly with you."
"yeah, I get that a lot, I'm pretty laidback, why don't ya tell me something I dont know?"
"I like you"
she raised an eyebrow, "you like me?"
"No, I like you more than...like"
she gave a soft giggle, "do you mean you "love" me Otto?"
She gave that playful smile as Otto's cheeks turned red from embarrassment, she caressed his shoulder
"well...do you?"
"Y-yeah, boss. I love you"
she suddenly seemed taken aback. "Well, I don't mind that, I love you too in the way your adorable, but mind telling me something?"
"what's that, boss?"
"what is your idea of a date?"
"I dunno" Otto shrugged "Prehaps everyday?"
"Good enough" she smirked teasingly. "you can breathe now"
Otto relaxed and collected himself, "I'm sorry Mag, that was just...random of me, I wasnt thinking straight"
She wrapped her arms and pulled him closer
"Doesn't mean I'm saying no" her soft eyes met his,
"Boss, I-"
"It's not like I spend time like this with anyone else, might as well keep you, now come here" she whispered
he felt a rush of passion as she softly pressed her lips against his. She suddenly began to giggle as he turned red.
"thought I told you to breathe" she laughed
"kinda hard when your smooching me"
"point taken, big guy. Oh and by the way, your now being promoted to my favourite personal pillow, so budge up"
he fell her fall into him, resting her head directly over his well built heart.
"Glad you see me as just a pillow"
She frowned and nudged him, "better get used to it"
She felt heavier against him as she got tired, she fluttered and closed her eyes, he ran his fingers through her hair as she began to fall asleep. "I'm still awake y'know, I just did my hair how I like it. Leave it alone."
"sorry, part of the job description, boss"
"I'll change that part of the contract later" she rested her eyes and tightened against his chest.
the orange and magneta hue swam across the midnight blue sky. Washing them both in streaks of orange and magneta, that danced and intwined between them. Otto laid his head back against the supporting branch, and watched the light show before he fell into deep slumber.