Legacy of the Precursors

Chapter 23: The Heat of Battle

Six felt an indistinct shudder as the Sabre launched, thrust out of the Great Fox’s hanger bay on magnetic rails, rocketing into the ever familiar pitch blackness of space. Not moments later a flurry of activity preceded the launch of his fellow team members, the distinctly alien craft assuming a standard formation around him.

It was good to be back in the cockpit once more, though he had yet to get used to the notion that he was flying alongside a team. He had always flown solo, even in his earliest days of piloting during the Mamore insurrection. The first time he had flown with Starfox, he had not really, charging off to deal with the threat on his own as he commonly did. This would be different. He had wingmen… or rather wingwomen. Krystal and Miyu would be accompanying him throughout the duration of this fight, both in space and on the ground, the spartan recalling the briefing with distinct clarity. Slippy and Fay would protect the Great Fox, a fairly anodyne task. Falco and Fox had more than enough experience between the two of them that Six was not concerned with the fact they would be essentially tackling the majority of the venomian fighters. He knew Fox to be an accomplished pilot, perhaps even as skilled the greatest airmen of the UNSC.

Falco… well the avian always had his arrogance to back him up.

Krystal had her telepathic talent which would hopefully keep her out of any serious trouble and from what he had knew of Miyu she was more than capable of taking care of herself. His true worry would begin once they landed. Six had taken great pains to ensure that they were prepared. The exterior of the facility was exposed to hard vacuum, which came as no surprise considering it was the surface of an asteroid. He had made certain both women were outfitted with the proper equipment to see them through the E.V.A. And that he was prepared in case they encountered any heavy armor.

Of course before he could worry about that they had to get there first.

Six studied the familiar bank of screens displaying tactical readouts, shield status, ammo counters, and real time positioning software. The Sabre was the pride of the UNSC fighter core, featuring the most advanced technology money could buy, and stealing it where it couldn’t. It was also very likely the only one of its kind left in existence. The last of the Sabres had been stationed on Reach and he could assume that they had been destroyed alongside the planet itself. And this one was nowhere near anything even remotely resembling UNSC territory. That must make it quite a rare piece of tech indeed.

A blip on his radar moved closer and the spartan glanced out the canopy, observing as Krystal’s Cloudrunner assumed a parallel flight path. Analyzing her vessel, he came to the conclusion that its designation was an apt one. He could very well imagine it skirting through the clouds of an alien world. Its graceful and sleek saurian design eerily reminded him of Covenant engineering. Yet he took comfort in the familiarity of who the pilot was; someone that could never be compared to those monstrosities. Krystal was nothing like them, the cornerians were nothing like them.

 If only humanity had stumbled across these people instead, he imagined history would have taken an entirely different turn of events.

Her ship was so close that he could see her, the vixen smiling and waving at him from across the short distance. Not realizing he was doing so, the spartan lifted a gauntlet and acknowledged her greeting.

The Sabre’s tracker emitted a sharp tone, signaling that his other wingmate had occupied his opposite flank, effectively boxing him in between them. Yet rather than the wariness he might have felt once before, he instead felt relieved. He trusted them, more than he had ever trusted anyone before. He would have no one else fly at his side then those on the Starfox Team. Whatever might come, they would endure it together.

*****

Krystal’s grin widened exponentially as Six replicated her action, even that brief acknowledgment enough to send her heart racing. She was content, more so then she had ever been in a long time, all thanks to the spartan. The pain of what she had had lost would always linger, her family could never be replaced. But she could find such feelings again, the connectivity, the sense of belonging.

Starfox was her new Family, but Six was something more.

As the days passed she could feel the ever burgeoning connection gradually maturing between them. Even in the beginning they had never really needed to speak to convey their understanding in one another. She could recognize the essence of his thoughts and feelings without the need or use of her powers.

She did not love him, the affection she felt for Six was stronger than just love. He was a part of her, the part she could never be on her own. He was her strength, her determination, and her courage, just as she liked to believe she was the parts he could not find on his own. The vixen took pride in what she did for him, that after all he had suffered, conditions that the strongest of individuals could not hope to endure. It was she that could show him the way through such trials.

So when Miyu told her that she loved him as well, it was a… difficult truth to swallow. Krystal could see why the feline had fallen for Six, why any women might. He was strong, stalwart in the face of mortal danger, without a doubt one of the more physically attractive males she had the pleasure to lay eyes on, and his loyalty, though hard-won, was absolute and undisputed. Betrayal and deceit were two fallings he did not suffer from. The spartan was utterly devoted to those who had gained his conviction, and she was thankful to be one of the few to possess it.

Yet the facets of his personality were wide ranging and enigmatic. There were parts of him she was not privy too, even though he had opened himself completely to her, parts he was not even wholly aware of, or perhaps kept closely hidden. At times as he slept she had lain awake, recognizing the tumult of sensations he let slip in his unwary rest. And on rare occasion she received the briefest of images or emotions, flashes of unguarded memories and sentiments, like nothing she had ever felt before, blinding rage, depthless anguish. The brutal and crushing weight of hopelessness, futility, and despair.

She feared he may never overcome the horrors of his past for they seemed vast and far-reaching… or at least he might not on his own. She was experienced in the arts of restoration, though she was uncertain whether she had the ability to mend the ingrained nature of the scars he bore. But Krystal felt that she had to try, if for no other reason than that she loved him and could not bear the burden of knowing he was in such pain and do nothing to heal his ailments.

The vixen feared she was not enough to help him, at least not on her own. It was the absolute only reason she had even considered offering what she had to Miyu. She cared enough about him that she would go to any length to help him, even if it meant she had to… share. The thought alone angered her. Six should belong to her and her alone. But she had to admit that the feline had the resolve and strength of character to pursue where she herself would often yield, could press him on things she would not have the courage to follow, find the truths he wished to remain buried. The only true path to healing was catharsis, he had to let go, to confide in others, to surrender the demons of his past. Then he might find some measure of peace in his weary soul.

And if she had to share him with anyone to achieve that, she would rather it be her friend.

“Hey Krystal…” As if called to action by her thoughts, the feline reached out to her on their private comms, away from the other members of the team.

“What?” The vixen snapped, her emotions still burning hot. Though, she swiftly regretted it. Lately she had been rather hard on Miyu. But that was to be expected, the cat asked a great deal from her after all.  “What?” She repeated with a sigh, this time in a much softer, forgiving tone.

“I just wanted to apologize before this all starts. I know none of this is what you wanted. I didn’t want this either. Heck, you even have a right to be angry.”

Krystal watched as they neared the asteroid field, narrowing the time they had left to talk. Soon it would be time to fight and though it had been some stretch since she last sat in the cockpit, she was fairly confident in her abilities. She would succeed. It was what would occur after that had her worried. But as long as she had Six at her side, she would not fear the battles that laid ahead of them.

The vixen had heard the sincerity in Miyu’s voice, and it touched her. For a moment, Krystal allowed herself to try and understand what it might be like in the feline’s shoes, imagining how it must feel to be on the other side of the fence, to be denied the one she yearned for, to have dropped so many signals and ques, only to be overlooked due to sheer ignorance on his part. And after all that effort, to have him taken by someone who did not spend the same level of effort. In his desire for understanding he had found Krystal, not Miyu. And if things had been even slightly altered, there might have been a very different outcome.

Krystal discovered that she pitied her friend.

“It’s… alright Miyu. I… understand.” It was difficult to pry those words from her mouth, but they had needed to be said.

“You… do?” The feline clearly had not expected to hear such admittance.

“Yes, I do. If things had been reversed, I very well would have felt the same way. He is indeed a very interesting male.”

“Interesting? He’s down right puzzling. The guy has more sides then a damned Furbik’s cube.”

Krystal chuckled, finding Miyu’s assessment to both be humorous and an apt comparison. 

“Indeed.”

“And of course he’s stubborn as a brick wall and twice as obstinate.” The cat went on and on, seemingly on a roll. For there was undeniably much to say when Six was involved. “Don’t even get me started on…”

Laughter filled the vixen’s cockpit as Miyu went in detail about all the things that frustrated her about Six And it seemed as if they both had the same issues in regards to the spartan. Krystal was loath to admit it, but she was glad to be on genial terms with the lynx once more. It was nice to have her friend back and gave her hope that they could work things out between them with civility.

As her giggles quieted down, Krystal noticed a change in tone from the feline, something more somber then she would have expected from her friend.

“You know this is nice, the whole not being at each other’s throats thing. I kinda almost forget what it was like. But it did remind me of when we first met. Do you remember those days?”

Krystal did indeed, for it had been much like the past few weeks. Back then she had been a different woman, one easily slighted. And Miyu had just been some rude cat with a lecherous tongue. They had clashed repeatedly in the first couple of days. Their conversations had been little more than thinly veiled arguments over the smallest of things.

They had only formed their close bond after a rather serious skirmish with some venomian forces, where Miyu had ended up getting them both out of trouble, very well saving her life in the process.

“Yes, those were different times. Back when things were less… complicated.” She did not wish to say what was really on her mind. That this had been before they encountered an otherworldly supersoldier, one it seemed they both held considerable interest in. 

“Different times indeed,” Miyu sighed quietly. “Kinda wish we could have those back, ya know?”

Krystal did not respond immediately. This was her moment to make a decision. Dare she make the jump? Could she tolerate sharing the male of her dreams with someone else, even Miyu, her closest friend? She was the only one Krystal could think to do this with. Six had sacrificed everything to get to the point he was at. Could she do the same if it meant it could help save him?

“We could have them back.” The vixen suggested in a soft voice, this time catching the lynx by surprise.

“I don’t gather…” The feline muttered in confusion.

“We do not have to be enemies, Miyu. We can still have things like they were before.”

There was only way the cat knew to make that work. “You’re not saying?”

“That I am.” She confirmed with an indisposed sigh, exhaling in unenthused resignation. She did not completely like or even accept the idea, but in the end it was the only one she could think to make.

“That’s… great.” Miyu was not successful in fully concealing her thoughts on the matter, or rather her doubts. Truthfully, she was glad. But that was merely one side of an already complex equation. Before they could even try to get comfortable with the idea they had to discover how Six might react or if he was even onboard with the notion. Any other ardent male might have been ecstatic at the prospect. But it had been long established that he was not like other males.

Even if he was unopposed to the idea, they would still have to sort out the details, what would end up being a truly uncomfortable process. But if it was for Six, both women would be willing to see it through.

Krystal picked up a flash of movement from the spartan’s craft as he signaled at her. Confused, she soon realized that they had been running silent for some time. The vixen quickly reestablished communications with the rest of the team.

“What is it?” She broadcasted over to the spartan’s ship.

“Is everything alright? I tried several times but could not reach you.”

The concern in his voice was welcoming and eased her worries, assuring the vixen that she had made the right decision. “Yes everything is fine, Six. I was just speaking privately with Miyu.”

“And all is… well?” He asked hesitantly. The spartan had become aware as of late with the knowledge that they did not quite get along.

“All is well indeed. Isn’t that right, Miyu?”

“Yep, right as rain. Don’t you worry, Six, we’re doing alright, better then alright even!” The feline supported Krystal’s appeasement with her trademark enthusiasm.

Truthfully, Six was not entirely convinced but did not have the time to dwell on it. “Good, because Fox tells me we are nearing the conflict zone.” At this point, if it had been anyone else but Krystal and Miyu, he would have felt the need to relay detailed orders for the engagement. However he was confident that they were capable enough to function without any need for tactical oversight. As long as they followed his lead all would be well.

In fact he had more cause to worry about himself. The sabre had been designed with a radar interceptor officer in mind, someone to occupy the tasks the pilot would be too busy to perform and manage engagements beyond his ability to perceive. And while he had extensive experience flying solo, being without required a great deal of concentration. He would not be able to keep tabs on either of his wingmates or the rest of the team. Six might have been a spartan, but there was only so much he could multitask before he would endanger his own survival.

Returning his attention to the interior of his craft, the spartan noted that his sensors console had picked up the enemy before anyone else, informing him that they had been noticed. Unnecessary given he could see that for himself.

The Sabre’s systems were more innovative than that of the arwings, allowing him an advantageous and detailed overview on the venomian forces. His HUD, connected with the Sabre’s targeting software, pinpointing the positions of over three dozen fighters that became active at the sight of their approach. This must be the frigates’ escort. Such would have been a considerable force and cause for concern if they were Covenant. Instead Six imagined it would not be all that of a challenge for the likes of the team. It was novel to have allies with equipment that was superior to the enemies’.

A few moments after he picked them up on his scans, Fox spoke and he watched as the vulpine’s arwing shot forwards. “Alright team you know the drill. Get ready to rock ‘n’ roll!”

Six grudgingly eased off the Sabre’s acceleration, his wingmates quickly following suit. As much as he would have preferred to lead the charge himself, he had a higher priority. Fox and Falco would be the lance to get them through the thick of the fighting, providing the interference needed to pierce the defensive lines of the enemy and deploy on the asteroid base. His responsibility lied with retrieving any information he could from the base’s computers. For once, he wished he had been supplied with an A.I.

MJOLNIR armor had been designed with the capabilities to house the most advanced artificial intelligences the UNSC possessed. Yet, like spartans, such resources were in high demand and it was rare to see them deployed congruently with each other. Besides, he had never liked the idea of having someone else in his head. Though, he thought wryly, such was indeed the case with Krystal. She, he decided, was the exception.

Either way, he would have to rely on his own abilities to get the job done. And as luck would have it he had experience in breaching alien systems, experience kindly presented to him with the help of the Covenant. With their advanced encryption, he was certain whatever these venomians used to safeguard their secrets would not prove to all that of a challenge.

As he went over the coming operation in his head, a pair of bright green energy beams sailed out from behind him, crossing the open space and crashing into one of the venomian frigates, visibly diminishing its shields. The spartan did not need look over his shoulder to know that the Great Fox had commenced the attack. Not seconds later both enemy vessels’ responded in kind, firing their own salvos at the dreadnaught, the volley of crimson layers futilely passing through empty space as the ship dodged the attack with a well-timed burst from the portside thrusters.

It looked as if both ROB and Peppy made quite an effectual team. Six had never really met the robot. The spartan had never felt inclined to as it was just a machine, but perhaps he should considering his permanence on this team. It might be best to meet with it, even if it was just a automaton.

As the three spacecraft prepared to reengage, the team’s two frontrunners reached weapons range with the venomian fighters. In the time it took for Six to reach their position Falco and Fox had already eliminated a handful of enemy pilots, quite a notable feat Six was willing admit.

“Stay close to me.” He ordered his two companions as they reached the battle. It would be difficult, but if they were close enough, he could keep an eye on them, though that would undoubtedly interfere with his combat effectiveness, he was willing to make the sacrifice.

Sighting his first target, Six was caught by surprise when Miyu claimed the initial kill, blasting a venomian fighter that had tried to reach a more favorable location.

The feline chuckled. “Funny, I was about to say the same thing.”

With some effort, Six managed to refrain the eye roll he felt coming, instead diverting his efforts into squeezing the joystick’s trigger. The burst of high velocity shells perforated a pair of unlucky fighters attempting to fly past them and attack the dreadnaught.

A third tried to do what its companions had failed to do, and was quickly shot down by Krystal’s Cloudrunner as she swooped down from on high.

“That is one venomian who will no longer trouble us.”

“Correct.” Six agreed with the vixen. “However there are many more where he came from.” Even as they tore through the ships present, he could see even more launching from the frigates’ hangers.

“They will not be an issue.” The female fox replied serenely. “The three of us are more than a match.”

Turning another fighter into dust, Six rounded his Sabre to meet the oncoming foe, but did not get very far before his plans were interrupted.

“Don’t worry about them Six, we can take care of it.” Fox’s voice came over the comms, the vulpine’s arwing rolling nimbly through enemy fire and cutting down the ship he pursued. “Just head on out to that base and get that data.” He led another venomian into Falco’s sights and the bird quickly eliminated it.

“Yeah, we’ll be done before you even touch the ground.” Falco assured him. Both he and Fox seemed to be handling things well enough so Six saw no reason to disagree.

“Understood.” He was loath to leave a fight unfinished. But he was aware of the need for haste. If the venomians grasped what they had come here for, they might wipe the prevalent information the team needed.

The Sabre’s 30mm cannons spun up one last time, peppering a venomian fighter just within his weapon’s range, mulching the flimsy, mass produced and alien construct.

That of course did not mean he couldn’t leave a parting gift.

“Come on, we’ve got a party of our own to attended to.” Miyu urged him, directing the nose of her stubby interceptor to the large asteroid several hundred kilometers away.

Reluctantly, he flipped the Sabre around and followed after her, Krystal lagging close behind. With a slight pull on his stick, Six positioned his ship in just a way that shielded her for the oncoming approach, unwilling to put her in harm’s way if he could avoid it.

She was far too important.

His action did not go unnoticed and the vixen smiled warmly, though she refrained from offering thanks, aware that she need not say anything that he did not already know.

With Fox keeping the threat of venomian fighters at bay, the trio had an easy team reaching their destination, though once they were within sight of the facility, things changed.

From a glance Six’s trained eyes gathered all the information he needed to know. The facility did not have any outer defenses other than the rather limited network of AA turrets encircling the large, box-like structure. Unlike the Covenant, it seemed Venom did not bother with beatific architecture. It was rather rugged, utilitarian, not unlike UNSC design.

The comparison brought him little comfort.

With a sharp intake of breath, Miyu jerked her flight stick, the feline’s interceptor barely avoiding the flurry of incoming fire released from the base’s inadequate defenses as it spun wildly.

“Woo boy! That was an unpleasant surprise. Looks like they don’t approve of party crashers here.” The lynx muttered in mock disappointment. A burst of sustained fire and several explosions later and the cat chuckled. “Too bad I’m of the persistent variety.”

With the level of accuracy and skill of only the most experienced pilots, the feline had targeted and eliminated the groundside defenses with pinpoint precision. The spartan had to admit, he was moderately impressed, a sentiment he often felt when the lynx was involved.

“As much as she runs her mouth, Miyu does have her uses.” Krystal admitted with a rueful chuckle. The vixen knew Six well enough to have a pretty consistent read on his thoughts. Such a realization might have alarmed him some months ago, but now it merely was an occurrence he had come to respect. It was impressive to understand a spartan in such detail, and proof that she was worth the effort.

“On that we agree.” The spartan felt an unusual pull to his lips, a smile he came to recognize. It was an action he noticed himself preforming quite often nowadays.

The notion was… pleasant.

“Aw, you flatter me.” The feline chuckled.

With the immediate area clear, Six brought the Sabre into a holding pattern a kilometer from the facility, scanning for any more exterior threats. The motion detector was silent and he could see no more signs of energy distribution outside, meaning any external defenses were either destroyed or offline, most likely the former. Miyu was undoubtedly a good shot.

Once deemed safe enough, he dialed down the engines and used the VTOL thrusters on either side of the interceptor to bring it down to the surface. He was curious enough to note that though their ships did not possess the same utilities as his, Miyu and Krystal were able to replicate his actions without fault, a fascinating example of the usefulness of this G-diffusion technology so commonly employed here. The workings of such devices would have very much been an interest to UNSC scientists.  

As the landing struts took the Sabre’s weight, Six powered down its systems and checked his armor’s integrity before popping the seal on his cockpit, climbing out and down the side of the craft. The action was somewhat cumbersome given the very low level of gravity, but thankfully his experience in E.V.A training and heavy armor made it easier.  

The spartan studied his air gauge as his two companions exited their own craft. He had a few hours before the supply would run out, an unneeded concern as they would be inside a structure for most of their mission.

“Ya know, I always loved this kind of stuff. It was my favorite part of boot.” He heard Miyu remark.

Turning to the feline, he watched as she gave a few experimental hops, testing the limits of the partial gravity of the moon-like asteroid. It was simple to distinguish between her and Krystal, and not just due to their unique voices. Both had equally distinctive and differentiating apparel. 

The lynx was bedecked in a full-body armored suit of the olive green variety, and with a golden, albeit translucent faceplate, it reminded him of a certain individual he had dealt with a few times in the past.

“Be careful should you start to drift away. Neither I nor Six will catch you.” Krystal warned as she sedately stepped away from her ship, her instinctive grace entirely unaffected by the environment. She wore the same black and blue outfit he had come familiar with, though it was gloved and a trim onyx helmet obscured most of her more appealing qualities. Hers and the cat’s tails as he noticed interestingly enough; were enclosed in a ribbed extension of the suit, offering them free use of form, even in hard vacuum.

“Nah, you totally would.” Miyu retorted confidently, the feline taking a bold leap into the air, giggling merrily as she floated off into the void.

Six’s gauntlet lunged out and swiftly latched onto the cat’s booted ankle, dragging her back to the surface none too gently, only increasing the volume of her laughter.

“Told ya.” The lynx gave Krystal a smug glance, arms folded in a victorious pose even as Six lowered her to the ashen grey dirt.

“Please refrain from floating off into space.” The spartan muttered dryly. “I will not catch you a second time.”

“Oh don’t worry, I already proved my point.” The feline assured him, her barbed tongue visible behind her visor as she leered at the vixen standing unimpressed by her Cloudrunner.

“And such a miraculous point it was, truly incredible.” With that droll retort the vixen moved, pressing across the moonscape in the direction of the facility.

“Oh lighten up. I’m just trying to have some fun here. I thought we had a moment earlier girl!” Miyu rolled her eyes in exasperation and chased after her friend with mildly awkward bounds.

Letting them scamper off ahead, but not too far that he could not act if the need arose, Six stretched over his shoulder and grabbed the rifle secured to his back, bringing the weapon into a two-handed grip. Turning it to its side, he flicked off the safety and brushed a thoughtful gauntlet over the smooth, jet-black finish.

He supposed that since it was no longer truly an MA37 that he should give it a proper name for identification purposes in the future. But that could come later, after he tested it and it met his approval. For now, simply ‘rifle’ should do.

Patting the munitions cases on his breastplate, Six easily caught up to them with his unrelenting gait as he counted his magazines. The spartan had brought a dozen clips for the rifle, not sure if he would need more or less. He considered a dozen to be a well enough rounded number. If he needed more than that… well honestly he would be surprised. From results of his preliminary testing of the weapon Six was confident in its effectiveness.

Occupying the second magnetic holster on his back was a weapon he had borrowed from the Great Fox’s impressive armory. He had yet to test it as one did not test fire a device like it within the crowded confines of a starship, but he knew how it operated, had studied it in detail. If the time came, he would not be found wanting. The spartan would not have a repeat of what transpired on Fortuna, not when lives other than his own were on the line. Of course he had a sidearm as well, generously donated by Miyu. He recognized it as the very same one he had used before, which was fortunate as he happened to like that particular gun. It had decent stopping power and a fairly low kick.

As Krystal and Miyu chatted amongst themselves, Six stretched his gaze skywards, or at least what amounted to the sky on an immense hunk of floating space rock. He could see the crisscrossing multicolored laser trails of his other team members as they dueled for control of the skies, even his enhanced eyesight unable to make out individual ships at such extreme range. He could only see the Great Fox and its two combatants as slivers of silvery color. Six did not worry for them, but he did wish them luck. They had their task, and he had his own.

The structure grew larger in the distance as they drew closer, still no signs of resistance as they neared the compound’s doors. It was clear that the venomians had rushed to complete the facility as neither gates nor walls protected it and no signs of sentries besides the automated turrets had been seen as of yet. Most likely the entire force was holed up inside, which made the job quite easy for him. Nothing surpassed a spartan in close quarters. They had only hastened their demise by choosing to hide away, quite kind of them really.  

“To be honest guys, I expected more of a fight.” Miyu declared as she stepped towards the large steel doors leading into the installation, echoing his thoughts of not but a few moments ago.

“We are of the same mind it seems.” Krystal agreed as she followed after the lynx, eying the open expanse of deserted asteroid warily.

“The fight lies not out here, but in there.” Six gestured towards the locked doors with his rifle. “Inside you will find your fill.”

“Yeah… thought you might say that.” The lynx sighed, unslinging the blaster rifle that had been suspended on her shoulder. The weapon was remarkably large for its design, as were most armaments he found the feline carrying. “Ain’t anythin ever that easy.”

Miyu did nothing by half measures it seems.

A commotion at Krystal’s side caught Six by surprise and he watched curiously as the strange tool she carried extended outwards, what he had thought to be a rod was in actuality a jeweled staff that was nearly as long as he was tall. It was, Six was shocked to note, the very same he had seen her carrying on occasion, he having never considered either object to be related. Upon realizing what she possessed, he could not help but feel intrigued and uncertain. Six did not know what to think at seeing her carry a melee focused weapon. It would undoubtedly enhance the danger she would be in, but he trusted that she knew what to do with it. So far he had never had cause to think the team incompetent in anything too critical.

Seeing them both ready, he strode forward and motioned for them to take positions on either side of the doors as he accessed the panel keeping them locked. It was fairly simple to plug his TACPAD in and hack into their systems. Honestly, their cybersecurity was a joke, as if designed by an underdeveloped infant. He was through the encryption and accessing their systems before his two companions had finished stetting up. Finding the guidelines keeping the doors in the ‘locked’ setting, he swiftly plugged in an override command, forcing them to initiate their opposite directives. 

With a muted click, the lights flashed green and an open prompt flickered onto the access pad. “Ready?” He asked, looking to both of them. There would be no stopping once those doors opened.

“Always eager for a fight.” Miyu grinned confidently, her smirk taking on an orange hue through her visor.

“I anticipate the opportunity to fight at your side.” Krystal offered him a slight, nervous nod, visible agitation on her muzzle. Clearly she was not used to door breaches

The spartan reassuringly inclined his helmet in her direction and tapped the open key before shouldering his rifle. The silence of their environment only allowed their tense breathing to filter through into Six’s helm as the door lethargically peeled open.

He did not know what they would face inside. But he did know one thing.

They were all getting out of this alive.

*****

An explosion flashed outside Fox’s cockpit as yet another venomian fighter was added to his ever growing tally. He had stopped counting his kills shortly after Andross’ first defeat at his paws. But he was certain that the tally marks would cover an entire wall, possibly more.

Twisting his arwing around, the vulpine prepared a charged shot, activating the fighter’s lock-on systems to target one more ship.

“How do you think it’s going down there?”

Fox eased of the trigger, the overclocked bolt of energy scything through space to smash into the insubstantial hull of the unfortunate enemy in his crosshairs, blasting it into atoms.

“Honestly? I think they’ll have an easier time of it. After all, they have Six.”  Falco replied in an even tone as he ended the flight career of yet another venomian pilot.

Fox supposed the avian had a point. He was not worried for either Krystal or Miyu. Not only were both competent warriors, but they had the spartan with them. Whenever Six was involved, the danger of dying was reduced drastically. Such was the benefit of having an interdimensional-supersoldier amongst their ranks. If anything he was worried about himself.

The volume of venomian fighter craft was thicker than expected. Even fay and Slippy had a hard time keeping them off the Great Fox. The vulpine regretted not installing the short range defense turrets when he had the chance last time they were at port, just another problem that needed solving once they returned. And with all that was slated to come, he was certain the General would gladly foot the bill.

For now they would just have to do without. As is they were holding steady, but their situation would be decidedly less precarious if one of those frigates would go away. The thought gave him an idea, a suitably reckless one.

“Falco, form up on me. Slip, Fay, make sure those fighters have a bad day.”

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” The pheasant muttered under his breath as he complied with the vulpine’s orders. Fox was infamous for having stupid plans, yet his fame came from his dangerously high luck.

“I don’t know, but I have a good one. Come on, Falco. It’ll be fun.”

“Yep, definitely a bad feeling.” He confirmed, downing another venomian as he pulled up alongside Fox.

“You see that frigate over there?” Fox asked.

“Kinda hard not to, wouldn’t you agree?” Falco retorted.

“Yeah, well we’re gonna break it.”

“This can only end in tragedy.”

“Really? I thought a reckless, gung-ho plan would be right up your alley.” Fox inquired as he sent his arwing into a dive, intending to come up underneath the venomian warship.

“See that’s the thing, such plans usually don’t involve a painful death.” The avian grumbled as he tagged along, blasting a fighter that had traveled too close. The space around the engagement zone was slowly clearing up as the venomian presence was reduced, but it looked like it wasn’t fast enough for Fox.

“Aw, don’t be such a Debby downer. We’re not gonna die. I have a plan remember?”

“Which is why we will die I imagine.” Falco muttered sardonically.

“Oh ye of little faith. Just follow my lead and we’ll both come out with another badass war story to regale at a bar of our choosing. Just imagine all the tail you could pull.”

The avian had to begrudgingly admit, the vulpine’s words did sway him somewhat.

“Alright, I’m listening.

“Awesome, let me lay it out for ya. You make a kamikaze run on the frigate and get the attention of the deck guns. Meanwhile, I come up from below and send a few smart bombs into its gut. Peppy and ROB have done enough damage that this should finish the job… hypothetically.

Falco immediately saw a flaw in this grand plan of his.

“Why the hell do I have to be the bait?”

“Because A. I came up with this strategy. And B. As your Commander I order you to be the bait.”

“…You suck.”

“Hey you should thank me. You get the most heroic role here. I’m doing you a favor.

“Then why don’t I feel like it?” The bird grumbled inaudibly as he pulled up, not really believing that he was about to go through with this. “I see now why Miyu hates all of your plans.”

“She doesn’t hate them.” Fox snapped defensively. “It’s more of a… strong dislike.”

“Yeah, that’s it.” Falco shook his head. “Whatever, let’s just get this over with.”

“Hey, at least you’re up here. You could on the ground you know.”

“That’s the lesser of two evils I imagine.” Falco had a feeling Six and the two women were having a much easier time.

*****

As soon as the door heighted to just above his knees, Six’s motion tracker picked up thirty signals scattered across its twenty-five meter detection range in little clusters. The positions were spread out enough for him to assume the venomians were in cover, perhaps behind hastily erected barricades. He would have preferred to seek cover himself but there was nothing to move behind in the deserted scape of the asteroid. Miyu and Krystal already had each side of the door covered.

That of course left him with his least desirable option, a charge.

The spartan braced himself for the storm of directed energy he would be submitting himself to and rested the stock of his rifle against his shoulder, tensing for his moment of action.

Perhaps waiting to draw anyone else in, the venomians did not open fire until he was completely exposed. And in the milliseconds before the immediate area degenerated into a warzone, Six’s hyper alert senses allowed him to snap a mental image of the region in front of him.

The base’s airlock was a wide open space, with steel barriers set up in staggered lines all the way to the back, situated in defense of the interior door. The enemy was scattered across the chamber in small teams, two to each barricade with overlapping lanes of fire centered on the exposed entryway. The venomians had obviously known they would be coming. It would be a challenging advance, but not in any way impossible.

Six felt a familiar piercing jolt of icy electricity shock its way up his spine, the world suddenly slowing to a near standstill as all sound faded off into complete and utter silence. He watched as triggers were pulled by lethargic fingers, weapon barrels slothfully glowing a cherry red. From them rods of light issued forth with debilitating slowness, as if the whole world was trapped in amber.  

Too slow…

The spartan burst into activity.

Propelling his legs forward, Six traveled with such swiftness that energy itself could not touch him, the venomian’s blaster bolts flying through empty space he had occupied moments ago as the spartan flowed through the chamber with breathtaking and unexpected elegance, visibly unhindered by his seemingly cumbersome armor. In fact to all eyes present it became clear the suit was more akin to a second skin then a hindrance. The man was nothing more than an engine of fine-tuned destruction, his actions governed by emotionless and machine-like apathy.

Raise rifle…

Sight target…

Exhale…

Squeeze…

Sight target...

An endlessly rehearsed motion that was all but second nature to the human warrior, the entirety of his actions occurring within the span of a single second.

One high caliber round hurtled out of the barrel at fatal velocity, the kick of the weapon digging into his shoulderplate as it discharged the hybrid ammunition.

The projectile impacted on target, punching a crater in a venomian’s chest the size of a spartan’s closed fist, throwing the reptilian backwards with the force of an oncoming car. An explosion of gore fountained from the alien’s back as the hydrostatic shock of an armor piercing, plasma coated, FMJ .50 caliber slug shunted his internal organs into the far wall, painting it a bright crimson.

The focused soldier only allowed himself a brief instant of astonishment before he wheeled his rifle and selected the next target, one that stood beside his recently deceased companion, the incomprehension still clearly evident on the simians gapping expression though its transparent mask. The unfortunate ape did not have long to wonder on his comrade’s fate as Six pulled the trigger once more, blowing apart the ill-fated alien.

In time with the broken corpses journey across the room, Six felt several impacts on his shield, the energy barrier absorbing the attacks with some difficulty as the venomians recovered from their shock at the blitzing titan wielding an apparently semi-automatic cannon. The sheer volume of incoming fire forced him to take cover at the barricade he had devoid of life, lest he risk a shield failure. Positioning himself, time and sound rushed back to Six all at once with the accustomed and brief disorientation, his breathing having only risen slightly as blaster bolts crisscrossed the room in color-coded chaos.

He chanced a moment to pinpoint the positions of his allies, seeing that neither had the chance to get further inside, firmly pinned outside the airlock doors by the unforgiving venomian barrage. Miyu tried to offer her assistance, the feline jutting her blaster out of cover and sending inaccurate shots down range, thankfully nowhere near him. Her efforts did relieve some of the pressure he was under as a few of the venomian soldiers traded fire with her.

Krystal had yet to do anything, the vixen grasping her staff firmly in her paws, eyes closed serenely in meditation. Six knew not what she was doing, but hoped the vixen would act soon.

Just as Six readied to pop out of cover, he watched a small black canister float towards him, the spartan’s experienced mind instantly identifying the device. Shifting to stand, he fired a round with meticulous precision and the grenade detonated, distributing a wave of force that echoed throughout the chamber.

The explosive did not have the effect that the soldier who threw it intended. With the spartan’s boots securely magnetized to the steel flooring, the blast only succeeded in knocking a handful of venomians off their feet. As they flailed helplessly in the zero-g environment, Miyu put them out of their misery with a few well aimed shots before she disappeared behind the wall once more.

Suddenly, Krystal burst into movement, rushing towards Six’s position as a strange blue light engulfed her body. Six watched in growing bewilderment as the attacks directed at her bounced harmlessly off the glowing bubble that encircled her, sending the crimson rods of energy streaming back at their owners, much to the venomians’ brief surprise.

“What was that?” He asked as the vixen crouched beside him, the light flickering away not seconds after she arrived.

“My staff, it can provide temporary shielding.” She explained tersely, the vixen painting and slightly out of breath. It seemed that however she did that must take some kind of physical toll on her. 

“You know, it would have been nice to share!” Miyu grumbled over the comms, the feline still stuck by the doorway. “Some of us don’t have personal energy protection, just saying.”

“I apologize, but such an action is difficult to do and takes some few moments of preparation. Even so, I could not safely get both of us across.” She could only stretch the temporary barrier so far before it weakened to a point of near uselessness.

Six leaned out from behind the barricade, sighting and turning another enemy soldier into pulp. “This is a tactical advantage I could have been made aware of.”  He admonished her gently. If he had known previously of her talent, he might have planned this attack differently, perhaps not… but possibly.

“My… talents, are something I do not really like to talk about.” The vixen explained as she fiddled with her staff, the scepter taking on a strange glow as she lithely extended herself out from behind the steel partition, a beam of golden energy flying out of the jeweled crest to strike down an ape that had attempted to stand, the unexpected shot easily piercing the soldier’s thin armor.

The action did not catch Six by surprise, the spartan deciding there and then to merely except what he saw. If her staff fired lasers… then it fired lasers, as simple as that.

Though he did have his fair share of questions, he did not press her. Her secrets were her own to keep, just as his were. Their first priority was completing the mission, and of course providing assistance to their other companion.

“Miyu, on my signal, sprint to Krystal’s position.” The spartan ordered as he primed himself for action. He would have to provide a distraction suitable enough to buy her the time to make a clean break towards them. Six knew what to do, but was mildly hesitant. It had been some time since he went down that road, and he never felt quite right afterwards. Still, such measures were necessary, no matter their aftereffects.

“Alright, just give the word. I could use a change of scenery.” The lynx replied with a chuckle.

Six grabbed the top of the barricade; rifle secured firmly in his other gauntlet as the muscles in his legs tightened, the supersoldier tense like a loaded gun.

In that moment he knew the battle in this room was over.

“Now,” He barked, mantling over the steel barrier with all the speed of his warrior heritage. His greaves kicked out from under him, propelling the spartan on a terminal trajectory into war, the heavy rifle in his grip thundering deafeningly as he showered the immediate area in truly molten tungsten.

The sight of a colossal suit of hulking armor charging towards them, spitting out death from its equally massive firearm had the desired effect, every weapon in the room instantly focusing on the undeniable threat he posed. The volume of fire directed on Miyu dropped considerably and the feline was able to bolt inside, crossing the short expanse and ducking into cover besides Krystal. Once in position the feline readied to offer Six her assistance, but noticed that Krystal had yet to do the same, the vixen’s staff resting idly in her padded grip. Miyu turned to ask the Krystal why she was just sitting there when she finally noticed the truth of the reason.

Six simply had no need of their help.

The spartan was a distortion to the eyes, a whirlwind of chaos and destruction so incomprehensibly fast that it was nigh impossible to track, even with their superior vision. Both women were nearly unable to comprehend the sight of Six as the spartan laid waste to the surviving venomian infantry spread across the expansive airlock, wholly incapable of perceiving his near instantaneous movements. Though held in one gauntlet, the rifle in his possession was no less dangerous for it, the weapon lethally accurate as it jumped precisely between targets, a single round more than sufficient in laying down anyone in his sight with brutal efficiency, exploding gaping holes in their vulnerable flesh with nauseating ease.

The gun eventually coughed dry as the remaining ammunition was expended. But that did not stop his storm of devastation. Without hesitation or reprieve, greave and gauntlet lashed out with bone crushing force, pulverizing flesh and armor with equal simplicity. Broken corpses sailed through the airless chamber, impelled by the spartan’s incredible strength to float listlessly in the silent vacuum, leaking ruby red droplets into the oxygen and gravity deprived environment.

Panicked and most certainly terrified, the venomians peppered his armor with crimson energy beams, the severely depleted volume of fire muted by the shimmering golden haze of energy that enfolded him from helm to boots. It was clear to their doomed eyes that their attacks had little to no effect, only adding to their already mind numbing fear.

Despite this hectic display of carnage, the only sound coming from Six was his idle breathing over the comms, inhale and exhale as calm as if he was merely resting, not ending the lives of more than twenty people with his bare hands.

It was… extraordinary, something neither Krystal nor Miyu had realized before. This was their real, firsthand experience in fighting alongside Six. They had seen the bodies on the venomian battleship, the massacre left in his wake, but it was something else entirely to witness the spartan’s proclivity for bloodshed with their own eyes as it occurred before them. It truly spoke volumes of what Six had intended when he expressed to them his creation to wage war.

The knowledge invoked conflicting emotions in both women. It was hard to place the man they knew in comparison to this specter of death before them, this…. demon of warfare.

Miyu recalled the conversation they had shared back one Corneria, when they had exchanged stories, the embrace he had swept her up in coming clearest to her mind.

This was the man that had held her close? The one who had eased her sorrows? If he had so wished he could have snapped her spine like dry kindling. Yet she hadn’t felt endangered, in fact she had been reassured. And though by rights she should be afraid of his capabilities, knowing this fact about him brought her a level of security she had never experienced before. This was the man that had promised to keep her safe. If he would protect her then she had nothing to fear, from Venom or anything else they might face. She knew Six to be an extraordinarily single-minded and resolute individual. He had the kind of determination that could move mountains and potentially shake the foundations of a world. Nothing kept him from what he decided to do. So if he said she was safe, then she was unequivocally sheltered from harm.

Unsurprisingly, in the few moments she dwelled on these thoughts, Six had dispatched with the remaining venomian soldiers, their corpses suspended in zero gravity. The sight of thirty bodies trailing shards of frozen blood was… unsettling, especially in the dead silence of the airlock chamber. Miyu found that she had nothing to say, and would have been unable to articulate the words if she had.

Instead the feline squared her shoulders and moved to stand by the spartan, pushing away a corpse that had floated too near, earning a particularly queasy stomach in the process.

It was better not to look too closely.

Krystal was not far behind her, the vixen likely sharing similar thoughts on their situation as she observed the grisly sight.

Well this is what we signed ourselves up for. Miyu theorized with an internal shrug. Despite herself, the lynx could not help but think he had been rather badass, like an action hero flick on steroids. Instead of plowing through swarms of antiquated villains with cheesy puns, he decimated whole formations of battle-hardened infantry with ruthless discipline and eerie silence.

Seriously, it was kind of cool.

The feline could not help but feel pleased with herself.

I definitely knew how to pick ’em.

“I suppose this leaves us with just seventy baddies left to go through, eh?” The feline remarked casually, eyeing Six’s armored back. The spartan had yet to move since the fight ended, his silver visored stare focused on the opposite wall, his weapon clasped firmly in one gloved hand, the other resting idly at his side.

A body drifted past his helmet, fragments of its shattered mask hovering beside it as the disfigured reptilian snout passed millimeters from his faceplate.

“Are you… alright?” The lynx asked hesitantly, uncertain what exactly was going through his mind at that moment. It was odd for Six to be like this, especially in an active warzone, no matter the fact he had brutally disassembled close to thirty people.  She had never known the spartan to be so distracted when danger still loomed. 

The warrior remained unmoving and unspoken for a few more moments before shifting into activity once more, as if suddenly the whole world returned to him.

“I suppose you would be right.” He agreed; his reply distant and unfocused as he unloaded his spent rifle and inserted a fresh magazine, either unaware of or choosing to ignore her previously stated concerns.

“We should keep moving.” He suggested, turning on his heels and traversing the room to the interior console. Fiddling with the controls, he activated the cycling sequence and pumped the room full of air. Exterior sound returned just as gravity was restored, its arrival followed by the disturbingly wet smack of thirty floating bodies abruptly returning to the ground with the aid of artificial systems, the patter of blood sounding disconcertingly like summer rain as it drizzled to the flooring.

With a patient sigh, Miyu popped the seal on her helmet and tugged the olive drab covering off her head, turning to look at Krystal as she did, eyes shining with unspoken curiosity.

The vixen merely shrugged, unaware of what troubled the spartan. Following in the cat’s footsteps, she removed her own helmet and belted it to her waist, moving to stand beside her friend.

All the vixen knew for certain was that he was in some kind of pain.

*****

Six scanned the deserted corridor as he lead the way deeper into the facility, on watch for even the slightest motion that they were in danger as his companions followed faithfully behind him. Since they had not encountered any more resistance since entering he was lead to believe either the enemy had expected the first position to stop them or they were lying in wait to ambush them.

Even so he should be entirely focused on the mission; the spartan was unable to completely put his disturbed thoughts to rest at the unsettling realization that came to him.

He had nearly lost control back there.

In the last few moments of the brief engagement he had nearly surrendered to the ‘rage’, the all-encompassing cavity of mindless aggression and cruelty that the office of naval intelligence had honed into him throughout their coldblooded tutelage. It was the very thing that had earned him his names, both from the insurrection and the Covenant, the monstrous darkness that allowed him to fulfil the unthinkable deeds he committed in their name and fight with such unmatched ferocity.

This brought to him a fear he had not felt since the sacking of his homeworld. It had been years since he last felt its comings. Six had thought he was finally rid of it.

The spartan snorted.

He should have known better.

Six was just thankful that his discipline had won out in the end, ripping him back into reality before it was too late. Otherwise he would have never been unable to forgive himself.

He was still haunted by the memory of what had nearly transpired, his detached, analytical thoughts returning to him in sickening clarity of when Miyu had approached.

Alien.

Felinoid.

Non-human.

Threat.

Eliminate.

Strike chest at half-strength, shatter ribs and collarbone, debilitate with pain.

Low kick, break legs, cripple movement.

Debilitated and crippled, execute quickly, force boot down on neck, shattering verteb-.

NO! Six denied vehemently, resisting the impulse to smash his fist across his helmet, instead continuing down the corridor with no outwards sign of distress.

That is not who I am, not anymore. I do not want to be that… thing.

He was done with ONI, finished with his past. There was no office, no inhuman directives to obey. He had escaped, though he had not considered it as such at first. But it mattered not. He had washed his hands of the errors of the past. He had finally found something that genuinely made him happy, a place where he could at last fit in, though graceless the transition may be. Six had never felt such things before. Everything had always been forthright in its cold and unsympathetic severity. War, for no other purpose had he served.

No matter how different this team might be they, were all he had. Such a sentiment as true joy was something he had long considered to be unattainable, having lost all hope to experience it firsthand. But that had changed, they had given it to him. Krystal had given it to him. And he would fight tooth and nail to keep it. He would destroy anything that might try to interfere, even himself.

Six could never forget what he had been, the evil he was directly and irrefutably responsible for. But he could strive to change, if for no other reason than that his team would be safer for it.

That they, would be safer for it.

His helm shifted slightly to the women trailing beside him. They had given him so much that he would die before he became responsible any suffering to befall them.

Six knew not what these returning thoughts of old signified, but it could not possible involve anything good.

“Are you alright, Six?” Krystal interrupted his thoughts, the female fox watching him closely, as observant and concerned as ever.

“Yeah, kinda got the feeling you were out of it back there.” The voice of Miyu issued from below him and to his left, supporting the vixen’s argument.

The spartan in reaction forced an unconscious, placating smile onto his scarred face, though they could not hope to see it.

“I’m fine,” he answered. “Just… on guard.” The soldier lied through his teeth. Even if he so desired he would not know how to explain his situation. This was something no other could help him with. Only he could save him from himself.

But if he was unsuccessful, if he proved to be a threat to those he cared for….

The spartan’s gauntlet trailed instinctively to the sidearm mag-locked to his thigh.

He would not let it get that far.

“Well, if you say so.” Miyu replied, not entirely convinced. Something was up with the man, she could sense it. But now was not the time to worry about it. Later, after the mission was finished.

Moving slightly faster than him, she turned to round the corridor but was halted instantly as the spartan swiftly snatched the collar of her armor, tugging at it forcefully as she let out an unbecoming yowl. He yanked the startled feline backwards, just as a wave of searing hot lasers filled the corridor she had nearly entered.   

Her senses overloaded by the near instant and violent shift in her movement, the cat barely realized how close she had brushed with her own mortality as she looked up to her savior.

“Thanks.” She mumbled weakly, her gut clenching tight at the near death experience.

“Don’t mention it.” The spartan replied steadfastly as he partially leaned into the corridor for a brief moment, sending a burst of fire down range, the ;arge weapon deafening in the compact corridor. The action was met quickly with several final shouts of pain and surprise as the intensity of the barrage lessened. 

“Seems I am not the only one that is, ‘out of it.’” He chuckled softly, the bark of his rifle cutting out the reverberations of his low laughter.

Lucky for her it seemed as if he was in a forgiving mood, though she noticed their other companion was not. The skin inside her ears turned a deep crimson as the feline gave Krystal a bashful look, lowering to her skull as the vixen eyed her reproachfully.

“Do try not to get yourself killed, otherwise I alone will have claim over the prize.” The vixen smirked knowingly.

“Heh, don’t get too comfortable with the thought.” Miyu snapped in good-humor as she reached for her blaster. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“A shame…” The vixen muttered in jest, already sending a bolt from her staff-like weapon down the corridor to augment the spartan’s fire with her own.

Once Miyu joined in short work was made of the next batch of venomian defenders, more than a handful of bodies strewn about the pre-fab hallway.

“Ya know, at this rate. Pretty soon we’re gonna run out of enemies.” The feline remarked as she followed Six down the now clear passageway.

“Is that disappointment I hear?” Six inquired, barely offering a glance at the corpse he stepped over. The spartan had no interest in the dead, having become numb to such things over the course of his war-ravaged existence. This was barely a postscript in the dissertation of conflict that was his life, and a pathetic one at that.

As he waited for her response the human warrior checked the ammo counter for his rifle, one eye on his weapon and the other the corridor ahead. He did not come as far as he had by not taking precautions.

Twelve rounds left.

His conviction was rewarded when his motion tracker lit up once more, a small grouping of red dots heading on a direct course for them.

More than enough.

“Not disappointment per say, it’s more like… curiosity.”

“Then fear not, for you shall soon have your fill.” He informed her as he moved into position, intending to offer himself as cover for the approaching firefight. With nowhere to hide in the exposed corridor, it was only logical that he took the brunt of any attack with his superior armor.

“You know what they say about curiosity and the cat.” Krystal quipped lightly, the vixen already taking cover behind the newly erected living barrier that would be dubbed the ‘spartan wall’ from then on.

“Yeah, satisfaction brought it back if I remember correctly.” Miyu countered just as wittily, boldly resting the barrel of her blaster on the spartan’s shoulder and perhaps getting too close to him in the process. But was it really her fault? How did one resist such a rare opportunity? The answer was simple.

You didn’t.

Something soft flicked across her cheek and she turned to cut Krystal a short glare, the vixen having tapped the cat with the tip of her tail in reproach.

Yet before they could continue their silent bantering, the spartan open fired as the venomian squad rounded the corner, the small troop easily dispatched by their effective ambush. With the path once more free of obstruction they continued forward. Since they had yet to find a branching off point, he could only assume they were heading the right way.

The next few minutes of delving into the facility was met with increasingly weaker resistance as the enemy thinned out. Each consecutive fight was briefer then the last, and once they did finally come across a crossroads they merely followed the defenders deeper in. The venomians were certainly not good at misdirection or subterfuge. It was quite simple to find which direction they were coming from and take the path offered. And though he was certain he could have easily accomplished this on his own, the presence of Miyu and Krystal was not as much of a hindrance as he had first expected it would be.

Six was surprised to find that they made a good team, though their idle banter was something he would need to acclimatize to. Despite the hostility he had observed between the two women, they functioned quite well together in a fireteam, with coordination and proficiency he would have expected to find in only the most battle-hardened ODST battalions. They were no spartans certainly, and they were perhaps more blasé then he would have liked, but they sure as hell weren’t pushovers. He could only find his respect for them growing.

Yet he was not wholly satisfied, and would not be until he had taken every step, every precaution necessary, that might see them through this fight any other to come afterwards. He had already taken it upon himself to teach Miyu further in the arts of war, though that had been near instantly halted after the… incident. However spartans were nothing if not persistent. Once he had the time their lessons would resume and in further detail to touch bases on all fields of combat. He would also try and include Krystal in this. Although her telepathy would provide some… unique altercations, and perhaps even possibilities to enhance the speed of her training.

But this was for much later, they had immediate concerns to deal with, his thoughts focusing back in as they reached a main chamber in the center of the venomian base.

“Looks clear.” Miyu indicated as she cast an eye over the array of empty chairs and abandoned consoles in the dark room, rifle raised in preparation for any imminent fight. 

“They might have cut power to this part of the facility.” Krystal theorized upon seeing the dimly lit and deserted command chamber. In all likelihood the cowardly foe had scattered upon hearing of their approach.

“That matters not.” Six stepped past them to the nearest console, easily ripping open the access panel before digging into the mess of wires within. “I will have it back soon enough.”

True to word less than four minutes later the lights in the ceiling flickered back on as power was restored to the bank of terminals. From there they watched in fascination as the spartan manipulated the workstation, deft fingers dancing across the glowing orange keys of the haptic-interface.

“Wow Six, I had no idea you were so tech savvy.” Miyu tried to lean over his towering shoulder in vain, instead choosing to peer from his side, watching in wonder as a sheet of data scrolled across the screen.

“I was taught many things by my…. superiors.” There was a clear note of… displeasure as he spoke that word, his attention still centered generally on the console. “I have some measure of inclination towards these things. Cyberwarfare is still warfare after all.”

A mischievous smirk suddenly formed on the feline’s muzzle. “Say, do you think you’re skilled enough to hack well I don’t know…. say Falco’s computer?”

“Such a thing would not be beyond… my… capabilities.” The speed of the spartans typing and verbal response slowed and his helmet slowly wheeled in her direction warily.

“Why?”

“Nothing, just thinking aloud is all.” The cat replied innocently, pulling an expression Krystal knew well.

The vixen could overhear tidbits of their discussion as she guarded the door, her smirk growing stronger.

“No…” Six’s firm response…

“But why? It would be hilarious.” The feline’s desperate plea…

“No.”

“Pweese?”

“No.”

“Pretty Pweese?”

A pause before…

“…No.”

“Not even for me?” The cat tried one last time.

“………..”

Miyu’s ears perked forwards expectantly, the feline visibly leaning forwards in the spartan’s silence, tail quivering with anticipation.

“No.”

The cat instantly deflated, slumping in defeat.

“Gah,” She swiped a paw half-heartedly in his direction. “What a wet blanket” Muttering darkly, she sulked towards the door, her mischief makery shot down before it could even gain flight.

“Who brought this guy along?” She demanded of the air and stabbed a thumb in his direction, receiving no answer other than a poorly concealed snort from Krystal.

Just as Miyu was about to tell the vixen exactly where she could shove her grin, Six spoke.

“There, we have what we came for.” He declared, stepping away from the machine as he eyed the device latched onto his wrist armor. There was not much data to begin with, and most of it was indeed what Fox was looking for. Yet he had caught something else of interest deeper in the coding, hidden better than the rest.

Most of it was still encrypted but pointed to someone the remnants were looking for, an undisclosed individual that had information on a threat of some nature, hiding on a planet whose name was buried in the source code. The spartan huffed irritably. He was experienced, but it would take time to crack the rest of the data, that or some outside help.

Perhaps it was time to see ROB.

Sighing, he snapped the panel on his TACPAD shut, heavy boots echoing through the empty room. They got what they came for and hunting down the survivors would be a waste of time. The mission was easier than he expected, not that the spartan was complaining. It was done and no one had been injured, what he would call a near perfect operation. It was nice to have an easy victory. He’d had few of those before.

Signaling to his teammates, he headed for the doors, intent on contacting Fox and returning to the ship.

“Let’s get out of here.”