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Chapter Text

Lasky had left him in silence, then again, there will never truly be a moment of quietness. UNSC Infinity’s engines hum all around him in harmony with another whine that’s higher pitched. John thinks that perhaps earth had joined in the song, but he knew it wasn’t true.

Planets’ noise isn’t audible to the human ears, normal and enhanced alike.

“ Can I take a guess?” Finally, the whine disappeared. His junior’s footsteps rattled the metal flooring as she came to his side. “ You got hit in your chest.”

In truth, he was hit all over. The Didact’s abilities with forerunner technology had almost crushed him like an ant. The protest of his muscles and bones in soreness against artificial gravity was evident. A greater ache was in his heart. John glanced at her, there was a new addition to the left side of her helmet, a small, black plate of metal, light blinking green.

“ New tech?” He asked.

“ Great tech.” Adara nodded and looked him up and down again. “ Oh, you have a sprained shoulder too.”

“ Right shoulder.”

He had hanged onto that bridge with his right arm and saved himself from getting swallowed by a forerunner black hole that way.

“ Exactly.” She nodded. “ So you do know that Forerunner beat you up.”

For a moment the young Spartan that had accompanied him through East Africa four years ago resurfaced. But quickly she was gone, replaced by the older, more polite one. “ Sorry.” Adara shook her head and laughed. “ I don’t mean to rush you, sir. But you really should be getting checked out in the med bay right now.”

There was a moment of silence after that where if Cortana was still here, she would have filled. John didn’t answer, he imagined what his lost, dead friend would say. It’d be something along the lines of ‘ Just one moment, he will be right there.’, or ‘ Your friend is right, Chief. You do need a medical scan.’. But before that she’d probably greet Adara happily. They haven’t seen each other in four long years, after all.

His thoughts drew back to reality when her hand brushed his.

“ The Captain did ask me to escort you to medical, personally.” She’s strolling towards the door, golden visor fixated on him. “ But I will see you there, no?”

“ You will.”

“ Alright.” Gone was she, but her voice remained. “ Don’t take too long, though.”

Chapter Text

“ Look, Chief. There.”

Her armor is different, John thinks, as he peers over the rock ledge, careful to not make a shadow under the beaming sun. 16 hours ago it was the cherry dark burgundy it had always been, and now it's gray, melting perfectly into the sandy cliffs they’re perched upon.

“ Nice paint job.” He says.

She shrugs. “ I think they meant for me to come alone.”

Their footing is all too thin for one Spartan, nonetheless two to stand on, but they make it work. He’s flat against the cliff face behind him, Adara is half hanging from where they had come down. Beneath them, their targets grunt in alien language. A pair of Brutes, sitting by two piles of fire, twisting flesh of some sort over the flame. The shape of the meat is familiar, the evidence of the hunt scattered across the Covenant camp. Their next meals are tied together under the eyes of the one on guard.

They are who the Spartans came for.

This pair has a particular taste for cooked things, but he’s seen others enjoy raw lunch before. She, on the other hand…..

Adara says nothing. He sees her vitals spike.

“ I have the one by the fire, you take the other.” John says, and draws the sniper rifle from his back. Clouds come over the sun, he gets into position quick. “ On my mark.”

She does the same in the next shadow, retreating onto the top of a rock for solid ground.

They do what they have been taught to do, breath in for 4 counts then exhale for another 4 until their hands steadies enough.

“ Mark!” John barks.

The bullets are a prototype, some new development by new scientists that ONI pulled out of colonies far away. They whizz out of the muzzle with a mute crack and split open mid-air, he sees, then strikes the target with a burst of fire.

Now the Brutes’ flesh is cooked like the leg they had roasted.

“ They’re down.” John says quietly. He hears several ragged, deep breaths over comm. “ Are you alright?”

The noise she makes is barely a hum.

“ Status report.” He lets the magnet on his back secure the rifle, then turns to look at her.

“ I’m good.” Adara breathes, swallowing hard. “ I can stay for look out.”

“ Affirmative.” John tests a piece of bulging stone in the cliff and begins his descent. If Cortana was here, what would she say? Something encouraging, perhaps, or comforting. But the ship needed her more than they did, so he rumbles over the team comm.

“ It will be alright.”

He’s glad she did not come alone.

There is a long silence.

“ Acknowledged.” She says.

The hostages weep when they see him come.

Chapter Text

001. Speak
“ Adara-E24, sir. Call me Adara, sir.”
Carter-A259 regarded her and nodded. “ Noted.”
He’s used to looking up, Noble Five towers well over all the rest of Noble Team. But Carter still wondered what made her a towering 7’2 at the age of 15. If he disregards the sharp, youthful pitch in her voice, Adara-E24’s physical state could very well pass as a war machine honed by decades of experience.
002. Touch
Their new Number Six has his hands on Adara’s head. He’s talking to her about an injury, dizziness, pain, tension as he tilts her neck in all directions like a chiropractor. Whatever happened before sounds serious. Jun thought. Fitting to the Headhunter title, at least.
003. Memory
The first glare of white light sliced into his vision in a way that reeled Jorge’s mind back more than a decade. He was 26, stationed on Sura, and spending his days beneath the planet’s sky with 30 toddlers running wild. He was once proud to think that he took part in their course of becoming what would finish this war, but now, on this ship, Jorge only regretted how much he hadn’t taught them before they became Spartans.
004. Vanilla
Her armor’s filtration system let the scent pass through. Though unexpected, Adara let herself enjoy the sweetness of it. There had been much sadness, anger, and mourning as the civilians poured into the evac shuttles. The perfume distracts her temporarily from this breaking world, though it is quickly replaced by the thick taste of metal and ash once she regroups with the rest of Noble under the burning sky.
005. Chocolate
“ Eat.”
Kat-B320 raised her eyebrows at Adara, who blinked like she had misheard her.
“ Your hands are shaking, Noble Seven.” The Lieutenant Commander gestured to the energy bar again. “ Eat before you black out. It’s chocolate, good stuff.”
006. Ways and Means
It was as René-081 had said at the funeral: “ In sure and certain hope of the final victories to come, through all that had fallen before our time.”
007. Belief
In the quietness of a dead planet, where his death is on her fingers, Adara recalled the idea that she and her class was important and for the first time, found it untrue.
008. Linger
Four candidates, including herself, received additional surgeries in augmentation. They’d push their beds together during the recovery period and tend to each other at the height of pain and sickness. After Kat died, Adara found Emile and Carter sleeping shoulder by shoulder on the floor.
009. Illuminance
Jun was the calmest Spartan she knew. But in this bed, pale lipped, dry skinned, unconscious, and hooked up to monitors, he didn’t look any different from all other forms of dying she had seen before.
010. Ornament
They all have a raptor on the back of their dog tags. It’s an idea all Epsilon Class believed in. They were raised together, like the Raptors had been raised together in that dinosaur movie, and they, like the Raptors, are damn good hunters too.
011. Coup de fourde
Spartan DeMarco blushed when she caught his stare. Adara snickered, stared back, and dipped her hat. They were all in dress uniform today for the Spartan-IV class’s graduation. It’s a distinctive change from the usual, but she had no idea it would affect him this much.
012. Archway
The waiting room is filled with bright winter sun that scorches away the impending feeling of doom. After a long, silent wait, AI Black-Box’s avatar pixelates into existence at the empty receptionist desk.
“ On your feet, Spartan!” Its box shaped avatar pulsates, as if a CO calling their troops to attention. “ The admiral will see you now.”
013. Fate
The Master Chief aimed bursts of controlled fire into Atriox’s back, hoping that the Brute would turn his attention away from the Spartan in his grasp. But it was no use. She, like Sam, Johnson, Keyes, Miranda, Polaski, Li, Anton, Cortana, and all else, was gone, and he could only be a witness.
014. Pulse
John had thought her a spirit when he saw her again on Zeta Halo. But the pressure of her pulse was strong and steady and real when he touched her wrist in passing.
At the end of it all, she walked up to him shoulder to shoulder underneath the stone rings that's half risen out of Zeta halo, and John felt a little more sure when he decided to continue the fight.
015. Envelope
When available, Commander Palmer asks her to deliver the paperworks to Captain Lasky. Often there’d be an envelope on top of that too, and Adara still thinks about why the Captain smiles every time the envelope appears.
016. Cold
The DI knocked each and one of them on the helmet before they’d enter Zero-G in the vacuum of space. “ Don’t forget to turn on the heater.” He said. “ It’s cold out there.”
017. Need
“ He’ll be in cryo until then.”
Adara continued to stare at Noble Six’s body behind the frosted glass. There is still blood from where the Sangheili pierced his heart. She wondered what then meant, and when it would come.
018. Drunk
The world becomes a haze, she’d sit quietly until it wears off.
019. Mask
The spies’ courage to wear a fake facade is admirable, Adara thinks there will never be a day she could commit to being someone else.
020. Rose
Naomi-010 stared thoughtfully at the bouquet of roses on her workbench. “Fix the wiring,” she handed the helmet to Adara and gathered the flowers in one hand, “ I’ll be right back.”
021. Two
Finley and Freya, together from birth to death. Sometimes Adara wondered how Lt.Ambrose reacted to their death, if he even knew they died at all.
022.Fresh
“ Musa is offering you a chance.” Jun tells her cooly. “ Somewhere to start new. Whether you accept it or not is your choice, but we will be waiting.”
023.Bribe
" Wow. " Adara dragged a hand over her face and laughed. A moment later she looked at the candidate again. " Jun schedules my shifts, flex your muscles in his office and see what he says, DeMarco."
024.Error
“ Wrong.” Doctor Pullman leaned back in the chair and regarded her calmly. “ If this was in combat, Adara, you’d have just killed your teammate.”
The 10 year old girl bit her tongue and swallowed the weird ache. Somehow, this was worse than being yelled at.
025.Appetite
The ODST dropped the MRE into her lap.
“ Go on.” She shrugged. “ Sure takes a lot to keep you Spartans in fighting shape, doesn’t it?”
026.Refrain
At some point the fire reached her throat, even the sound of a breeze was equivalent to another cup of oil to the flame. She paced, breathed, and tried to contain the boiling frustration. The fire almost brought her fist down onto the nearest surface, but Naomi’s roses, still alive and plump red in a UNSC standard waterbottle, made her stop.
027.Family
“ Hey!” Isla-E03’s palm landed hard on her shoulder. “ Somewhere else stopped needing you, huh?”
028.Grieve
No matter how much she wanted to say, Adara found herself only able to be silent in front of their headstones.
029.Vapor
They liked cold rainy days. All of them ran hot enough to steam like wild horses after a run.
030.Tea
“ If this kills us-”
“ It won’t! It’s mint.” Cadet E14 stuck a juice-drenched finger under her nose. It’s the coolest, most refreshing scent she’s smelled since the start of this exercise.
“ See?” She smiled at Adara and dropped the handful of leaves into the boiling water in the pot. “ It’ll be fine, promise.”
031.Medicine
The Corpsmen could feel her eyes fixated on the top of his head. He willed himself to not squirm. How could a 14 year old have the same glare as his CO?
When the medicine began to stream into her arm, he risked a glance at Candidate-E24 as he moved on to the next injection point. She was looking down at the IV with half quirked brows. Interested, almost.
032.Moth
Each year she attends the ceremony with Jun, and each year the names on the memorial statue grow longer. At some point Adara realized that they were no different from moths who seek a spark of light, and they are no more than animals seeking a purpose before death.
033.Perfect
She caged the Spartan against the ground and punched the glowing button on her chestplate before a blade of some sort sliced clean beneath her chin. The enemy BIOTRACKER died off. A rally of green blinks rushed her way from the other three members of her team.
Adara stood up, rubbed at the broken nano suit, and looked down.
“ Good job.” Naomi-010 shook herself off and punched her shoulder. “ That was efficient.”
The burst of pride was perhaps more than it should be. Adara smiled, “ Ma’am! Yes, Ma’am!”
034.Rope
“ How did you learn to make a fishing net?”
Jorge-052 looked almost lost for a second, brows softening in some fond memory before he went back to weaving together nylon ropes. “ Training exercise.”
“ Cool.” Adara laid back against the boulder and aimed herself at the sun, letting the MLJONIR soak up its heat. “ That sounds fun.”
035.Wind
She circled him.
“ Wanna spar?”
“ Jeez, no. ” Emile frowned. He sounded muffled over New Alexandria’s burning wind. “ Take another lap if you’re itching this bad, Seven. There’s bound to be another civvie under the concrete somewhere around here.”
036.Crossroads
“ Chief, please.”
John-117 looked at her. It must be the heat, because Adara hears her own voice crack. Then she found herself hoping that he would agree, take the olive branch that she extended on behalf of head-strong Fireteam Osiris, then they could do this, together.
“ Spartan.” The Master Chief turned to face her fully. “ I have a job to do.”
037.Summer
The pack of Moás dashed across the green horizon. Kat crossed her arms. “Don’t get too close, Seven.” She said, “ They can stomp your head into the ground with no problem.”
038.Candy
Olivia-G099 blinked, eyes taking in every inch of the cave’s detail until Adara was certain that they ached for something new. It wasn’t like she could move to another spot either with her legs in that condition. If I had only been faster-
“ Hungry?” She fished out an energy bar from her belt pouch and showed it to the Gamma Company Spartan, who looked at her like she had grown another head. “ It’s got chocolate. Good stuff.”
039.Photograph
The marines knocked her on the chestplate as they passed after the photo in front of their Pelican. “ Damn straight, Spartan.” The Captain nodded at her. “ Good work out there.”
040.Spoon
The vivid memory of something sweet and a spoon knocking against her teeth comes flooding back at the height of anesthetic deliriousness. It was gone before she could catch it, though.
041.Forest
An animalistic yowl of some sort shot through the pine forest. Adara stopped, grabbed Finley’s arm, and they stood still and listened. The second signal was a hoot, like a great big owl who had the lungs of an elephant.
“ That way.” Adara pointed into the depth of the lush summer trees. Finley nodded, and they started off together towards the source of the noise.
042.Mirror
Doctor Halsey regarded her and Li-008 with half narrowed eyes. Adara squinted. “ Do I have something on my face, doctor?”
“ No.” The woman ceased her investigation. “ Carry on.”
043.Smoke
“ Spartan.” Adara glared. “ Methane?”
“ Flapflap said it was great.” The man gave her a sloppy grin and a thumbs up. “ It was good, ma’am. Please don’t kick him into space, he’s a good Grunt.”
044.Shine
“ You will be fine.” Doctor Pullman’s cool fingers laid the gauze back over her eyes. “ Your eyes have not adjusted to the amount of light intake, Adara. They need more time to heal.”
The Spartan turned towards the source of the voice. “ Will I fall behind?”
“ No.” The Doctor answered. “ None of you will fall behind.”
045.Ballon
They are released each year with doves and drift beyond the sky. She wondered how many of the dead will see the efforts in their honor.
046.Vine
This thing pulled her closer like a doll on a string. Adara breathed, stared at its flapping, bone riddled lips, and considered the option of detonation. The program flashed across her HUD when a tentacle brushed across the Neural Interface Slot. E02. She commanded silently.
“ Do not try your useless trick.” The thing spoke then with a voice that crawled inside her skull and wormed through every inch of her body. “ It is futile.”
047.Butterfly
She watched the insect perch on top of the flower and flutter its wings. Adara wondered what consequences will this simple motion stir up in the future.
048.Gloves
“ Will he make it?”
Pullman peered down at the red that had caked her hands. “ We don’t know yet. Go wash your hands, Adara. Sanitary protocols.”
049.Venom
“ Ain’t nothing but pathetic that they’ve got you on a leash, Spartan!”
050.Remain
The silence of space has always been a comfort, now it should bear her final resting bed.