Is it worth it?

Disclaimer: The original characters of Halo-

Arbiter: -crosses arms- "Are owned by Bungie and Halo, not anyone else."

MasterChief: -jerks his thumb at pyrostryke- "Not by that maniac. The author's just a lazy bastard."

PyroStryke: -indignant snort- "Hey." -But takes it all in stride, grinning-
PyroStryke: "Yeah, yeah." -tries to put up an angry front, but it crumbles in an instant- "Anyways, Author's Note: There is...."

MasterChief, Ghlariknee and Arbiter: -try not to seem like it, but are obviously straining to hear every word-

PyroStryke: -grins- "... not any yaoi in this chapter."
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Now it was Master Chief's turn to look baffled. Though everyone else in the bridge couldn't quite catch the expression behind his helmet, they could still read it from his posture. No one said anything. The UNSC soldier himself found it hard to keep breathing. If it was possible at all, he could almost believe his heart had stopped as well.


(--Chief?--) She whispered, her voice only heard by the Spartan when she did this.


'...' But even Master Chief's thoughts were difficult to register.


When the silence stretched on for some time, the A.I. decided it was time to say something.


--Aww, you did miss me.--


Knowing her voice was being transmitted to the outside of his suit, Master Chief was careful to keep his composure, "I never wanted to leave you back there in the first place. Now whose bright idea was that?"


Though he was chastising her, Cortana caught the edge of worry and concern in his tone and she couldn't help but want to smile, --Yeah, all right. It wasn't such a good idea. I can see the Renegade Forces have everything under control.--


The Spartan admitted grudgingly, "Yeah, I guess they do."


Cortana lowered her tone to a whisper, directing the next thing she said to Master Chief only, (--Hey, Chief. Show a little gratitude. The Arbiter was the one who rescued me, after all.--)


'He did?' The Chief looked up in surprise, meeting the cobalt Sangelli's knowing gaze.


That's when the armored soldier realized everyone's eyes were on him. Not that he wasn't used to stares. But just... thinking that they used to be the enemy... Let's just say he still had an unnerving tingly feeling. Starting to feel uncomfortable, he tried to look for an excuse to just leave the room.


(--I don't think dripping everywhere is a good way to show your thanks, Chief.--)


'Right' He replied in thought, grateful for the help.


Turning his attention to Drajha-Lee, he asked, "Hey, is there somewhere I can go to clean up?" He indicated the still-dripping goo by lifting an arm.


Blinking, the golden clad Elite seemed to snap out of whatever he had been contemplating as he nodded, "Of course. I shall appoint one of the grunts to sho-"


"I shall go, Drajha-Lee." Arbiter interrupted, as he caught the Demon's gaze, "I believe he still has some questions I can undoubtedly give."


"Very well, Arbiter. If you insist."


The cobalt Sanghelli caught the Demon give the slightest nod and turned to Drajha-Lee and nodded himself, though his was more visible. As they both exited the room, Cortana said, (--You know, I could have told you what happened--)


'You could have,' Master Chief agreed, 'but I want to hear his side.'


(--Why,--) The Spartan could feel her small grin, (--you think I'm gonna make everything up?--)


'...You know what I mean.'


Cortana sighed, (--Still as grouchy as ever...--)


Master Chief thought to make a smart reply, but something in him decided to go with another approach, 'You know...'


(--What? What is it?--) Cortana said wryly, thinking they were still joking around.


'I missed you.'


Now Master Chief was a blunt person. And Cortana, of all people, knew this. She had come to expect it on a daily basis. She had even missed it during their separation. Frankly, she regretted the decision she made the moment he had taken her chip out of his head. But the Chief had never been straightforward about his feelings. Hell, she hadn't even pinned the Chief as someone who even had feelings much less showed them. Well, besides anger. Anger he could do real good.


So you can't blame her when it was her turn to get all silent.


When the Demon chuckled, the Sanghelli swiveled his head to look at him, 'I wonder what they are talking about.' Noticing eyes on him, the armored figure returned the glance.


Throughout the whole exchange between the A.I. and the Spartan, they had been walking. The Arbiter leading and Master Chief following inattentively behind. Yet the Sanghelli himself had been thinking. His thoughts and feelings were in a turmoil. It was something the Elite warrior found troublesome and uncomfortable. During his life, he had discovered a great animosity towards uncertainty and all its aspects. Especially when he was the one who was uncertain. The Covenant had, ultimately, been the greatest uncertainty of all. It had also turned out to be one of his greatest mistakes. To think he had revered the Prophets...


The next words that came out of the Chief's mouth summarized the Elite's agitated thoughts so well, that the Arbiter was at first too baffled to form a reply.


"Why? Why did you do it?" Master Chief asked, his gaze drilling into the cobalt Sanghelli beside him.


"Why did I..." He echoed. But he needed more time to think. The Elite hadn't even answered that question with himself, "I... truthfully, Demon, I do not know why."


Master Chief just stared back at him, not knowing what to say. He hadn't known what the Elite's response would be, but he had expected it to be more than that.


"Gravemind betrayed us, you know." The Arbiter said calmly, as if they were discussing the weather, "I had barely stopped the ring from being activated when I was suddenly transported to High Charity. Where the parasites were waiting."


The Spartan blinked, something clicking in his mind, "That's how I survived the fall. I must have been teleported closer to the ground."


"Into the hands of the parasites as well, no doubt." The Sanghelli replied bitterly, already having been somewhat told of how the Renegade Forces had spotted the Demon.


"Actually, I met up with your Sanghelli pals first. Though the flood weren't too far behind.." Master Chief replied, not adding the part that he had been making a tactical retreat.


(--Hah, a tactical retreat...?--) The Spartan could feel one of her eyebrows raised questioningly. But he was glad she was talking again, even if it was to make a jab at him. She had gone so silent when he had told her that... well, he was just glad she hadn't keeled over and died or something.


'Yeah, it was. I was not running away, despite what you 'all-knowing' A.I.'s seem to think.' The Chief replied defensively.


(--Uh-huh--) Cortana chuckled, not an ounce of belief found in her tone.


Master Chief sighed and shook his head mentally, outwardly returning his attention to the Arbiter.


"It's not exactly like we had a choice." Master Chief stated, arching his own brow.


"Still... I fear he will soon be the most troublesome parasite of them all..." The cobalt Sanghelli turned his gaze downwards thoughtfully, his three-clawed digits stroking his chin with an absentminded air.


--Oh, Gravemind is a sly one. Much more different than your regular everyday brain-bashed flood.--


Simultaneously, Arbiter and Master Chief asked, "How do you know?"


--Well... besides the fact that I was the first one awake when we all just met, I managed to have a chat with him before the Arbiter here picked me up--


"...And...?" The Chief replied with his usual tone when he wanted to get to the point.


--Well, gee, don't you know how to make a girl feel good for trying to help out.-- Cortana snapped back good-naturedly, before adding in a more thoughtful tone, --Though... I guess you do have a right to be impatient. What with that evolved flood mastermind trying to destroy the Earth four times over and whatnot.--


"Cortana." Master Chief growled threateningly.


--Oh, right.-- The A.I. chuckled, --Sorry.--


"Why would he want to destroy Earth?" The Spartan asked, his tone more calm since he knew the A.I. would put joking aside for now. Even if for only a short while.


But the Arbiter beat her to it, "Because that is where the Forerunners have placed the Ark."


Master Chief felt both the Arbiter and Cortana waiting for his reply. But all he could think to say is: "What the hell are we talking about?"


"Tha Ark is located on the planet you humans call, Earth." The Sanghelli repeated.


Unfortunately, this repeated info didn't help the Master Chief at all. He just made a point to stop in the middle of the hallway and stare back at the cobalt-armored Elite. He repeated more slowly, "What.... the Hell.... are we talking about?"


The Sanghelli frowned, having heard that expression before and clearly developing a dislike to it. Especially with the way the Demon seemed to place more stress on it the angrier he got. The Arbiter tried once again, obviously thinking the Demon to be slower in thought-processing than he had been led to believe, "The Forerunners, Demon, the.... constructers of the ring-"


"Yeah, I got that part." The Chief snapped. He was getting irritated really fast. Don't think he missed the insinuation in the Arbiter's voice. Master Chief was not an imbecile, "What I need to know is about the Ark. Is it like that old legend where the animals are gathered in a damn boat?"


The Arbiter was starting to get angry as well, "What?"


The A.I. sighed exasperratedly, feeling like the mom of two bickering boys, --The Ark is basically a main switch.-- She heard Master Chief start to object angrily that, once again, it didn't tell him anything. But she was quick to cut him off, --Look, just think of all the rings like light bulbs. The Ark is the switch to turn them all on. It also holds the power to shut them all off.--


Finally catching on, Master Chief thinks aloud, dawning horror in his voice, "And if he gets to Earth, shuts it off, and destroys it... then..."


Arbiter finished their trail of thought, "Then Gravemind will have permanently shut off the only weapon ever created to utterly defeat his species."


Suddenly, Master Chief no longer noticed the goo that still clung to his armor. His spirits, lightened by the safe return of his A.I., swiftly and unerringly darkened.