DT 2023: Meeting Linda

During Halo: Lonely Frontier...
Andra sat in front of a set of unattended lifting weights, but her eyes were not on them and their unfulfilled challenge. Her eyes were up, looking to a different challenge across the Spartan-exclusive weight room.
While no crowd, more than a few Spartan-IV supersoldiers gathered near another who stood out from the rest. The veterans kept a socially-acceptable distance, out of respect and maybe even reverence. Many already had the chance to quench their celebrity curiosity, but they still watched on because the fascination never died.
The standout woman stood over the heads of the other men and women-supersoldiers alike, forged from a different breed. Stark red hair in an asymmetric cut, well-defined facial features, and green eyes flickering within the dark from the ground to the people around her.
It was undeniable to call her beautiful, but also monstrous – like a predator. Her character came all from her eyes. Unnerving and darting about; focusing and absorbing everything around her in indifference.
Linda-058 was Andra’s new challenge. A very different beast from other Spartans, from military personnel, or civilians. Andra spent three years with little ability to speak, and still suffered mute spells even after Doctor Romero declared her recovered.
Andra wondered if she could speak to an in-the-flesh savior of humanity. She allowed herself a desperate exhale, taking her eyes off the old Spartan-II sniper. Her eyes refocused on the dumbbells but she didn’t reach down to continue her workout. Instead, she continued her mental exercise: sitting, staring, and breathing. Hoping the uncertain flutter of her heart could settle.
Maybe if she calmed enough, the anticipatory fire could be directed towards hyping Andra towards her goal here. “Come on Andra… It’s just like jumping out of a Pelican at night. Trust yourself…”
Stand up and approach. Get it over with.
Linda-058 was still a person. A Petty Officer, First Class. She outranked Andra by one? Should be a cakewalk, but the small ten meters felt like ten thousand miles.
Andra exhaled again, flexed her leg joints, and curled her toes in her boots. Pressing into her soles, she pushed herself off the bench and skittered across the rubberized floor with a slight squeak.
She put a little too much energy into standing up, but compared to the clanking of assisted weight machines and other training gear, the noise didn’t stand out against the busy workout room.
Andra glanced down at her feet and made a self-conscious adjustment as if she was about to do a bar squat. Her eyes glanced at to Linda and founded piercing green ones probing into widening blue ones.
Linda lingered on Andra’s face, searching them ever so slightly. The Spartan-II smirked a little and once more looked down to floor and performed a confident 800-pound deadlift.
“Spartan-D054?”
Andra gave a squeak as a Spartan-IV snuck up on her left. Supersoldiers or not, their training made them equals. A regular human would be lucky to surprise her.
“Y-yes.” Andra confirmed, glancing over to the male Spartan who asked for her. He stood a head taller than Andra, but Linda by compare was easily two heads taller than both.
“Linda would like to talk to you if you have some time.”
“She requested for me?”
The Spartan-IV offered a glance in Linda’s direction but the Spartan-II sniper wasn’t looking at them. “Yes, she hoped it would be less uncomfortable if someone came to talk to you for her.”
“Um, thank you. I’ll… Should I just go up to her?”
“That’s fine. She doesn’t bite, I promise.”
“Thanks…” Andra muttered. The Spartan-IV nodded though his own brown eyes looked Andra up and down in uncertainty, maybe some sympathy. The young girl watched him wander off in the opposite direction of Linda and Andra.
Andra couldn’t help wondering how Linda got him to talk to her. She never saw the Spartan-IV speak to Linda, or vice versa. She didn’t even show signs of directing anyone – not with her eyes or hands? Could Linda have used some kind of neural communications? Andra would never have noticed. That made the most sense, right?
Andra wasn’t so sure. A single, cold drop of dread pooled into her chest. If Andra and Linda were enemies, Andra would already be dead. The skill gap between them as Spartans and snipers was so vast from one magic trick.
Despite her dread, Andra balled up her fear and apprehension and tossed it aside into a mental wastebin. She found ways like this before to bypass the doubt and terror. Treat it like an order; don’t think, just do. When she finally made things simple, they became simple.
One foot in front of the other. Andra fixated on her breathing and steps, trying her best to look casual as she passed two rows of weight machines to stand before Linda’s workout station. She could feel two dozen pairs of Spartan-IV eyes on her back. Andra opened her mouth, but not voice came out.
Simple could only go so far. Her mind drew a blank. Andra closed her lips quickly, and shifted her legs and shoulders into a stand easy position.
“You can relax, D054.”
Linda’s accent-less voice was charitable, underused but inviting. Like Andra’s own but far more in control and open.
Andra let her arms slacken as her sides and awkwardly glance at the workout station poles or around for a seat. If she leaned or sat on something, would she feel better? Andra still said nothing.
Linda performed another deadlift and set down her 800-pound free bar.
“I can tell you want to talk. You’re a Spartan-III, right? I’ve met a few Alphas and Gammas in my time, but you maybe the first Delta I’ve met.”
“Oh,” Andra acknowledged. “That’s cool, I guess.”
“You, okay? You look even more pale than when you were across the room.”
Andra twiddled fingers together and looked at the floor.
“I was told maybe I should try talking to you.”
“Oh? Spartan Westerly owed me a little for a prior affair so I got him to come get you. It seems like you wanted to talk, but didn’t have the confidence.”
“I’ve never spoke to an active Spartan-II before.” Andra said.
“It sounds like you’ve spoken to a Two before though?” Linda asked in honest curiosity.
“One of my cadres was a Spartan-II washout.”
Linda gave a simple nod. “What can I do for you?”
Andra rolled her shoulders and focused Linda’s nose; she still couldn’t meet the UNSC’s best sniper eyes up close.
“I don’t know actually,” Andra spoke a little louder now. “More than Spartan Westerly, my commanding officer encouraged me to see Blue Team. I didn’t get around to it, but I then I saw you today in the weight room.”
Linda hummed in acceptance. “Well… I’m always happy to help my juniors. Maybe I could give you some workout tips? Or you looking for some kind of career or work advice?
Andra gave an uncertain nod, “I guess I could have a lot to ask or say. But I don’t want to take a lot of your time. I know you’re busy.”
Linda held up her hand. “I’m short on time, but I got some room to talk right now. Just focus on your question. You’ll feel better.”
“R-right. I, I lost my best friend recently. And I don’t have a team right now... How...do you handle the loss of your friends?”
Linda slouched at the question and crossed her arms. Andra grimaced a little, knowing she was asking a vulnerable question to an absolute stranger. But what else could she ask, how to be a better sniper?
“Just to be sure, you never trained under Kurt-051 right? You look a little young.”
“No, I was after Gamma Company. Graduated last year. Different program, it’s a little complicated.”
Linda nodded with a slight frown. “I’ve lost a lot of friends being a Spartan. You learn quickly to put it aside during missions, but the pain is always there. I lost my friend Sam on our first mission against the Covenant.”
“Samuel-034?” Andra supplied, to be certain.
Linda’s frown turned into a grimace. “Yes, he was one of the best.”
Andra nodded. “So was Merlin-D032. He was my best friend.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your loss. He died recently?”
“On our last mission, same day the Created made their announcement to the galaxy...”
Linda did not respond and Andra looked up to her eyes. The Spartan-II met the younger Spartan’s blue eyes before looking away. There was a spark there, something vulnerable.
Andra couldn’t tell if Linda was trying to escape or reminiscing on something else. She wished she could run away, or erase this conversation in its entirety. This wasn’t right.
“I’m sorry I brought it up. I’ll just go...”
Andra took a step back and turned away from the legendary Spartan-II. She caught a glance of Linda trying to reach out to her but let her hand drop to her side again. She called out to Andra instead, “If you want to talk about it later, come find me again.”
The younger Spartan froze in her tracks and stared at Linda. Their eyes held and met for a few seconds in silence. Linda continued, “It’s Andra, right?”
Andra gave an uncertain nod. “Andra is fine. And I’ll find you again.”
Linda asked, “By chance, are you a sharpshooter? I glanced at your profile a little bit.”
Andra nodded again. “I am.”
“I’ll message you when I have some free-range time. We can talk then.”
Linda gave another half-smirk as Andra gawked a little at the offer. She shook her head and then met Linda's green eyes one more time. “Alright, I look forward to it.”
Andra beat a hasty retreat from the weight room. She wasn’t sure what happened, but she wanted to be anywhere but here.
Category:The Weekly
Category:Short stories