----------------H-A-L-O-:-S.I.T.C----------------

Chapter 9:

Sam sent me outside while she and Josh have an argument, but I couldn't help but listen to what they're saying. I put my head to the door and listen carefully. Their voices are muffled, but I can still understand what they're saying:

"Clothes shopping? You took a fucking alien clothes shopping?!"

"First of all, people get scared when they see an ex-warrior Sangheili walking about, so getting him civilian clothes was the best choice, and second of all-"

"That's why you keep 'it' inside the apartment! No-one was supposed to know about it-"

"Rodgers didn't care, in fact he agreed that Voro needed clothing!"

"I don't give a shit what the captain thinks, I'm it's caretaker, so I decide what happens with it"

"Let's see what command thinks about that. Now, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY APARTMENT!"

I quickly move out of the way of the door, and Josh bursts out of the room. He glares at me as he walks past and mutters something, "Alien Scum..". I REALLY think he doesn't like me.

"I'd think we'd be careful, he's done things in the past, bad things. Sorry for making you wait outside, it's just that your presence wouldn't have made it any better"

"I can understand that. However, is it wrong that I hope something bad happens to him?"

"No. Most people who have to work with him think the same way, including myself"

We make dinner, eat dinner, and then Sam goes to bed. Same as last night, I sleep on the floor. Again, I dream:

Me and my team are on a mission. We have to silently take out a human base that has been set up. I'm looking through the sight on my sniper, searching for the most isolated human to take out. I find one, then get given the order to take it out. But I don't. I don't know why, but I don't.

We are then given the order to leave immediately, as a human is coming up to our post to investigate a noise. But I don't, as I need to take out the target in my sights. We're given the order again, and again, becoming more urgent each time, but I can't, I've almost got it's head in the centre of my sight. We've been spotted.

Alarms go off, what I see as hundreds of human come out of nowhere, start shooting at us. We run, not caring who sees us. Three of my brothers die; one trips and gets shot, other two by sniper fire. Three of us left, running for our lives. Forth brother is taken down by a sniper round in the legs, we pick him up start running again.

We only just make it safely back to the tunnel. We run in, collapse the entrance and run all the way back to camp. I've been informed that we are being picked up and taken to the prophet, as he has a punishment for me. Me and what remains of my team are taken to the Covenant Stronghold on Sangheilios. A trial has been held, and I am found guilty of disobeying orders, from my brothers and council. They put me into temporary cryo-sleep;

The punishment is exile.

I wake up, sweating heavily. Not often I do that, but I really did not wish to remember what happened. At-least I'm safe, here on Earth. The voice comes back and speaks, "Revenge. Nowhere soon". Wait, so I'll get revenge? just not any-time soon?

"Yes"

Well, you're learning to speak, aren't you? Now could you PLEASE answer my question?

Something clicks in my brain. The voice did something, as if it changed where it speaks from.

Maybe.

So I no longer hear you, but you're speaking telepathically? So if I just think something to you, you'll hear it?

Yes.

Okay, well this is my head, my brain. You're only the guest here. When I ask a question, you will answer, okay?

Maybe.

Well aren't you stubborn? First question, what are you?

The voice goes quiet, goes back to sleep again. I guess it really didn't want to answer that, but now I see what it means in "Maybe". It's learning, which is interesting, but also worrying. I don't know what it is, and I don't want it taking over my head. If it tries anything, I'll force it out. Somehow.

I look down at myself; No rips or tears. Well, at least not to my clothes. There is some small rips in the fabric on the floor, but its not that noticeable. I sit up and look around the room; Its pretty early in the morning, so everything is still dark, but is visible. I lay back down and try to fall asleep...

I do, but I don't dream.

I wake up a few hours later. Sam is already awake, she's currently sitting at the table eating breakfast. I slowly get up, and sit down across from her at the table.

"Good-morning"

"Huh? Oh, Hi"

"You didn't sleep good again, did you? You look worried about something.." Sam says, while she scoops another spoonful of cereal into her mouth. Interesting, how the human mouth works. I guess they probably think the same thing about us, but with more "ew yuck" added.

"No, I had a bad dream. Or a bad memory"

"Huh, memory. So you guys remember instead of dream?"

"No, we dream just like humans do. It's just that for some reason ever since I arrived here on Earth, I've been remembering instead"