#freta

The Master Chief was not one who went into missions blind. Intel was required to keep risk of fatalities and complications low, and right now he was in desperate need of intel. 

Frederic-104 was John’s second in command, and though he outranked the Chief, he had stepped back on John’s return, to ease him back into their old roles. He was a capable leader, but Fred had never thrived under the anxieties of leadership he once confided to John. 

He appreciated his brother’s stability and humor more these past few months than he had anything else. Yet recently there’d been a noticeable air of agitation surrounding Fred, and though John knew he wasn’t the most up on interpersonal matters, he gathered there’d been a change in Fred’s focus. Some detective he had met and her team. 

John knew on these matters the two other members of Blue Team, Kelly-084 and Linda-058 would be the best source of wisdom. Linda was away at the shooting range, and no one bothered Linda when she wanted to be alone. Kelly was, as usual between missions, in the gym, there was almost nothing else you could for R and R that did not drive a Spartan II crazy. Bed rest was out of the question even during medical recovery.

The Infinity’s gym was a cavernous and layered room, tiered with levels like many of the sections of the ship. Equipment for ODSTs and Spartans after all had some differences. Kelly stood near the weights in the Spartan section, where admiring IVs stood far away from her but watched in open admiration of the mythical Spartan II at work. He ignored them. As John approached, Kelly met his eyes through the mirror before her, the decades of familiarity meant he didn’t even have to say anything. She could tell her brother needed a talk.  He heard the weight clang onto the rack as she followed him to a nearby hallway.

When they rounded the corner, John leaned onto the exposed metal girder between them, which half jutted out of the wall, shooting up like a pillar into the plastimetal ceiling above. By leaning he gave them an air of privacy, making it clear to anyone approaching they were not to be bothered. He took a deep breath and contemplated her a moment before beginning. 

“Kelly, what’s your sit-rep on Fred’s current operating capacity.”

“Physically? He’s never been better.”

“Not physically. Emotionally.” John corrected.

She scoffed. “John surely you can describe someone’s emotions other than operating capacity.”

A slight smile ghosted his lips before fading, “I’ve never been taught the procedures for that.”

“No I suppose not.” Kelly joked. 

“He’s mentioned Veta Lopis before, and the events on Gao briefly.” John continued. “Do you have know of any reason that this could be affecting him personally. Do you believe it to be affecting his focus?”

“As for affecting his focus that’s difficult to quantify, though he’s not the one I’m concerned about.” John ignored that swipe as Kelly moved on. “ Though I think it’s pretty obvious that she’s important to Fred.” Kelly squinted up at the gym lights, carefully phrasing her words which immediately warned John that there was something on her mind.

John nodded at her to continue.

“I knew it pretty shortly after Gao… even if he didn’t…and doesn’t.”

John sighed and though he wondered if it would affect mission performance he remained silent. He knew he had not been exactly all clear lately and it showed, it would be hypocritical of him to comment now. Instead he thought of a better question.

“How could you tell?” He asked.

Kelly paused again, which was unlike her.

“Her name, not just how often he says it but… how he says it. Haven’t you noticed?” John shook his head, and awkwardly crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall of the passage in thought. He’d been too preoccupied to notice Blue Team. They’d been through a lot these past fews years without him and had changed in his absence. He owed it to them as their leader to pay closer attention. He had lost his footing with his team and though they’d been patient with him, he needed to find it again.

“Look, don’t believe me? Make him say her name. I can not explain it but her name sounds different coming out of his mouth. I don’t know…” Kelly faded off with a laugh and shook her head in silent frustration with something. She suddenly seemed to switch topics. “I don’t like things to change, I never have… it’s like losing control.”

John remained silent, but kept his eyes locked on his sister’s trying to make it as clear as possible that he valued this rare admission from her. But it was already over, Kelly pulled the towel off her shoulders in a languid motion of casualness.

“Did you need help with analyzing anyone else’s operating capacity? Or perhaps you ought to speak with him, it might do him good having you to help him understand.”

“No. I won’t do anything further at this point, sounds like there’s no harm done if he doesn’t realize.”

A ripple of amusement crossed Kelly’s face along with some other more indignant expression. “Well I think it would do him good to come to terms with the reality of the situation.” She turned to go back to the gym, and John was just beginning to mull over her words when she spoke again.

“John,” Kelly asked, spinning on her heel suddenly. “What was the name of your ai friend, the one you lost?”

John felt a strange sensation of pain rise up in his stomach, and a slight betrayal that she would bring up something so casually. Spartan IIs were usually so careful about the pain their fellow Spartans felt.

“Cortana” He said, voice low. There was for him no harder word.

Kelly raised her eyebrows pointedly, as she turned back around. “Oh... right.”  

Fred though….he deserved to know what he stood to gain or lose. John roused himself and decided to leave the gym another way so he would not have to face Kelly. After this next mission to Argent Moon, he’d get his head straight and he’d find out more about this Veta.

The Master Chief took a slight step back as he watched the other Spartan march away. Her name still on his tongue, realization hit John like a powerful electric shock, and he found that he could not move. He remembered, before she was gone, he found increasing pleasure in hearing Cortana say his name. How he found himself with her name on the tip of his tongue, and took pleasure in pronouncing it. As if everything she was was encapsulated in those syllables. Saying her name, and feeling attention turn on him generated a sensation undefinable but if he had to John might describe it as almost sacred.