(no subject)

[sophrianic.livejournal.com]

[ Cortana doesn't sleep. Ever. Which is maybe why she had spent a good majority of her time watching John sleep instead, from her chip on the table next to him. She didn't need sleep, ever, got along just fine without it, and she had never been really sure if that was one of the quirks or the downsides of being inhuman.

At least she doesn't miss much.

Still, this isn't something that should have happened. Whatever it is, whatever it was, Cortana doesn't understand how she could be in one place one second, staring out the hangar of the Forward Unto Dawn, and then -- here, the next. There's no lapse of what she would call consciousness, no falter in her program, she's just there, and then she's not, and for once, Cortana doesn't understand at all.

The sun is stretched high above her, high above the chip from which she's currently standing on, fingers outstretched as if waiting for something. It takes her a moment to look down, to look around, and then finally, to figure out where it is she's at.

Her commands are a little shaky, her various programs slightly off-balance from whatever apparent instantenous journey she had just made, but it doesn't take her long to determine she's not far at all from Valhalla.

Which is. Great. Just what she needed. ]

Chief? . . . John?

[ And, of course, she's met with silence. ]

Scanning and analyzing area --

Retreating back into chip. [ And with that, the holograph disappears back into the data chip, hiding her under the grassy green field. ] Unidentifiable lifeforms. Total, 7, possibly more. Analyzing further. Human. Non-human. Non-human. Human. Human. Human. Human. Closest human lifeform, approximately three-fourths of a mile away.

Damnit.

[ But she had no choice, either way. ]

Releasing distress beacon. Chief, if you can hear me, standby.

Comments

[sophrianic.livejournal.com]

It's the only name I've been able to pull up. It says -- he's currently under arrest?

[exproject.livejournal.com]

[ bitterly, ]

Yeah, we'll see how long that lasts.

[sophrianic.livejournal.com]

And then --



. . . Was that all?

[exproject.livejournal.com]

One more ID.

[ He lists another number, fairly certain of what he'll hear. ]

--codename Texas.

[sophrianic.livejournal.com]

Allison? Agent Texas, former member of Project Freelancer?

It says here she's deceased.

[exproject.livejournal.com]

[ Yep. ]

That's about what I expected. The Director kept his secrets close.

Ah, thank you.

[overmood.livejournal.com]

All right, sweetheart, come on. Get your naked ass back in that glittery little cave of yours.



You better fucking watch what you try and dig up, Wash.

[exproject.livejournal.com]

[ Just watching him. ]

I said I would help you find her. You and I both know that the official records wouldn't cover... certain extenuating circumstances. They found a body and for them that's the end of it.

[overmood.livejournal.com]

Fine. Are we leaving?

[exproject.livejournal.com]

...

[ His hand closes like a vise around Church's wrist. ]

[overmood.livejournal.com]

-- What?

[exproject.livejournal.com]

[ soft ]

You and I have some things to discuss before we leave. So don't run off.

[overmood.livejournal.com]

Yeah, okay. I wasn't going anywhere, anyway.

[exproject.livejournal.com]

Alright.

[ okay back to work ]

Did you want to speak to Cortana, or may I have the disk?

[overmood.livejournal.com]

[exproject.livejournal.com]

[ NO YOU WERE SHOVING IT AT HIM LIKE A LITTLE BITCH which is why he didn't take it. ]

Thank you.

[overmood.livejournal.com]

[exproject.livejournal.com]

[ Yeah story of Wash's life.

Anyway he's got shit to discuss with Cortana, like how the fuck they're even going to take her with them, so he'll leave you two alone and slide into the next room and if anyone kills anyone in the next five minutes he'll come stomping back in here like the wrath of god okay.

He waits until the door had slid completely shut behind him before exhaling heavily, massaging a temple as he sets Cortana's disk down on a table. ]

[sophrianic.livejournal.com]

Really bad day? Sounds like someone's got a lot on his hands.

[exproject.livejournal.com]

[ A glance sideways. ]

It's nice that none of you are taking this seriously in any way. Almost like our lives aren't at stake and all.

[sophrianic.livejournal.com]

Listen, Washington, I don't exactly have the longest lifespan, so I have to make the most of situations as they come.

Like being taken "hostage," for instance. Definitely didn't see that curveball coming.

[exproject.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we didn't either.

Quite frankly, Cortana, a hostage is the last thing I need right now.

[sophrianic.livejournal.com]

You're quite welcome to put me back in that grassy field you found me in.

[exproject.livejournal.com]

No.

You sent a distress signal. It may not be the UNSC that answers.

[sophrianic.livejournal.com]

Then quit complaining and deal with it. I told you I'd assist you, and regardless of what you believe of my intentions, I'm a woman of my word. Besides, I have some time to kill before Chief wakes up from his little nap.

Now. Was there something you needed?