New Bee

The Beehive group adopted their call signs as their names for their original names didn't have a soldier feel to them.

Shana had changed the simulator from Escorting to Dogfighting so she could try a different method to train the brats. Which became a try and hit the teacher for one day off from drills.

Sadly none could land a single hit, they always ended up hitting each other instead, it became amusing for her to watch them be unable to do basic maneuvering skills and their teamwork was horrible.

Yet when put up against enemy fighters their personalities changed as they fought each other for the most kills.

Shana was experimenting with different scenarios to train their teamwork to grant them the most basic system to survive… but she didn't believe this batch deserved it, as is her right to distribute it as she saw fit and not at the command of others, debating on rebuking their right for survival she had already marked their test as Failed, Unreliable, Strike Pilot recommended, Not Trustworthy, and Money Pigs.

Money pigs meaning that they make money disappear by any means as long as it makes them feel important like pigs.

She still tried to correct their behavior, yet nothing worked, and she wasn't allowed to kill or beat them just yet.

Leaving them in the Dogfighting simulation Shana got out of her pod as Corvin took her place and flew circles around them making them believe she was still piloting.

She checked on the other squads and gave advice when she saw some kids having trouble with a task or workout.

The Fighting squad, Tactics Squad, Support Squad, and Vehicle Operator Squads all were progressing well and their teamwork was excellent that you would think they were almost to the level of real soldiers.

A crappy feeling kept nagging at her as she kept looking up at the sky from time to time.

Making her way to the Dean of the Compound she stood with worry on her face as she saw a single heavy tall armored man standing in the office as she walked in.

Their conversation abruptly ended as the giant turned his reflective helmet in her direction.

She sighed and asked with a heavy heart, "So this planet is next to fall?"

The Dean was visibly taken aback as the armored soldier stood with his hands behind his back and cocked his head sideways in confusion.

The Dean then realized the question as she planted her hand with a loud smack onto her forehead and dragged her hand down her face.

"No!" The Dean replied with a wave at the soldier in front of her, "This! This Is your new pet!"

The soldier whipped his head in the Dean's direction before stepping to the side of the desk so the two could talk and he could observe both of them with ease.

Shana was still unconvinced as she eyed the type of Armor the soldier was wearing with a heavy sigh she muttered under her breath which the soldier heard clearly but the Dean just thought she was pouting, "What? They can't find the common denominator to make even a fraction of the real thing?"

The soldier, confused, stayed still and would ask her about that later.

"What did you say?" The Dean asked.

"Why is he my pet?" With a wave in the soldiers direction, "Isn't he here to 'Confiscate' me? Or is he here because of how the Outer Colonies are going dark and 'no one' knows why?"

The Dean, assessing her tone, realized that she knew something they didn't.

The soldier took a crisp step forward. His tone was deep and menacing, "That is Classified Information! How is a Kid. Like. You. Know. That!"

The Dean looked baffled, "She's Older Than You!"

The soldier looked at the Dean, "Master Chief Pilot Rescuer Shana Woods! Forerunner Child Of The Ancient Sphere! She's Came Out As A Six Year Old And Has Been On This Planet For Fifteen Years! That Puts Her At Age Twenty-One Years Old Today! What Age Are You Soldier?"

The armored soldier flinched at the request for classified information.

"How Old Are You?" The Dean demanded.

Shana chimed in nonchalauntly, "He's Seventeen!" All heads whipped in her direction, "His birthday is in a few days, then he'll be eighteen!"

pfft

The Dean made a sly face in his direction as she covered her mouth.

"Can you introduce yourself… or can I read your information out loud?" Shana said with ease.

The soldier lowered his head in thought as this small being sounded like she was challenging him before taking a step towards her and looking down upon her he said with a deep voice that didn't sound like a childs,

"Master Sergeant Spartan 053, survivor of the Spartan 1 Program, Mission is to protect and obey your orders above all other orders! Ma-am!" He held a salute and waited for her reply.

Shana looked past him at the Dean who was stifling a laugh.

"Is he serious?" The Dean nodded, "So I can do what I want with him and they can't take him back?"

The Dean nodded before confirming, "He has to follow 'Every Order' you give him and his main goal is to keep you safe… He"s your Bodyguard in all senses of the word!" The Dean's face looked a bit flushed as Shana could tell she was thinking dirty things as she was surely eyeing the soldiers' backside.

With a heavy sigh she faced the soldier before returning his salute, "There are things you'll see that you can not record nor report about, is that understood?"

Spartan 053 broke his salute as he replied, "Ma-am! Yes! Ma-am!"

"Hey Dean! Imma need to borrow Beehive to 'fix' the other compound pelicans… as a precaution and hope I'm wrong!" Shana asked as her poker face was still but her eyes showed sadness.

The Dean looked hard into her eyes as she knew Shana wouldn't ask something unless she felt like it needed to be done before disaster struck… the few times she had spoken up with a request, within a month's time something awful usually happened.

"Granted! I'll have them meet you in the air… Are. You. Positive?"

The Dean asked clearly as she watched Shanas' face briefly contort with sadness and fear before her body shivered as she recalled the devastating images of war and broken buildings atop crushed bodies before shaking her head clear before replying with sadness in her voice that the soldier picked up,

"Yes… Hopefully I'm wrong this time!" With that she headed to leave the room as Spartan 053 followed closely behind her at a slow walk.

Stopping abruptly she added to the Dean, "I'll have something for you to send back to sender tomorrow so I'm going to need an ammo crate ready by then."

"Sure. Sure." She replied as she mumbled under her breath that the Spartan overheard, "She needs a 'real man' to take care of her… more than she needs to worry about others!"

As the doors to the office closed the Spartan wondered,

"Isn't a man still a man? What is this 'real man' she speaks about? I'll ask when we're alone… It didn't seem like an open air question. Especially with all these younger kids about… The Dean must have used a code speech while I was in the room, but why?"

Following the figure, about 3/4th his height, around kids that came up to his waist was a bit of a challenge.

One wrong move and he could crush them if they got in his slow moving path. Following her trail, close on her heels, they reached the practice room as they made their way to the pods in the back. He noticed the change in everyone's demeanor. The younger kids stared in awe as the very few older ones gave him a glance before ignoring him yet still keeping track of him.

A group of eight got out of the pods all smiles that abruptly turned to fear, unsure if it was him or her, as Shanas' demeanor changed so did the eight kids.

"I'm Busy!" She said with flair and demand, "So Pay Up A Month's Worth Of Days Off!" As she held out her hand with a watch on it.

Thinking it was an odd demand until he saw their faces light up with delight.

They greedily came forward in a single file line as they tapped their watches to hers.

They paid her what would be thirty days worth of pay each before running happily out of the doors… like they had a time limit to get out before she changed her mind.

As soon as they were all out of the room she walked around him and he pivoted and saw that everyone was standing to salute.

The older ones had tears and resolve written on their faces as the younger ones were a bit confused but followed suit without the sadness.

Shana replied with a strained voice, " I made a request. Prep.Your. Birds!" With that she briskly walked out down the hall with the Spartan in toe.

Spartan 053, with his hands clasped behind his back, easily kept on her heels. He kept wondering that if he only needs to follow her orders… then does that mean that all the important prior orders are obsolete?

Thinking he'll ask a captain of a ship when he gets a chance to. The captain of most ships are the only ones who are understandable and explain things without beating around the bush, if that saying is correct.

In the large hangar multiple large pelicans easily sat side by side on one side and the other side held a multitude of smaller space and orbital-able fighter jets. In the middle was rows upon rows of ammo for each vehicle as well as provisions for a long journey… though the amount there should not be physically able to fit in the amount of 'Birds' present.

A deckhand noticed the large soldier then he saw the small girl. With a wide grin and a hand raised he hallard very loudly so that all workers stopped to look,

"Yo! Kid! What Ya Taken Today?"

In a teasing tone that Spartan 053 has never ever heard a supervisor make.

She replied like a kid with hands clasped in front of her swaying side to side with her head down and eyes up in the 'puppy dog eyes' stance,

"Pwe~eze, may I get Blackie?"

With a startled Spartan behind her and a grinning adult in front of her she just swayed her hips and hands before her and all hands on the deck bursted out laughing startling the battle hard Spartan.

"Y'all Heard The Missy!" The deckhand hallard as giggles slipped from his mouth, "Get Blackie Out Here And Prepped!"

All available hands dropped what they were doing before lining up along the large long rows of supplies as an overhead crane creaked and moaned as it brought out an extra large slick black shiny heavy armor plated pelican to just above the back end of the supply line.

Every section of the supply line began to rise and the contents of each section began to disappear beneath the shadow of the black behemoth.

Multiple whistles came from behind the Spartan as he turned to see four geared up pilots all the same size as the Master Chief, and relatively built muscles in different patterned black and yellow jumpsuits with fully black colored helmets with silver reflective visors. Looking closely he saw that one of them was a female and just as built as the boys next to her.

One walked faster as they took off their helmet and to reveal a lose buzz cut hair with brown eyes and a wide grin and he tossed his helmet up and it landed within the group with ease,

"Commander! Long time no see!" He said cheerfully with his hands outstretched as he whined with a smile without a care for formalities "Thought you had abandoned us from getting bri~bed for half~ a~ day~!"

Shana smirked and shook her head as her eyes flickered to just above their heads briefly, "Looks like y'all changed your names? Was about to drag y'all around campus for insubordination!"

He whistled, "Yea… I saw that punishment from the obstacle course… No Thank You!" He finished with a bow as a teammate put his helmet back into his outstretched hand before standing up with a different face on and a tone filled with malice, "Who's. Your. Friend?"

Shana chimed like a kid with a wave towards the Spartan, "My new Bee!"