ambidexter | CONTACT: IC

CONTACT: 117@compass.net
MESSAGE: Ranger Becket, I am Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan-117. I'm checking in on your status?

[ It's not often that Raleigh gets hailed by people he doesn't know, but he's had a good run in the PPDC where strangers felt they could pull him out of patrol for a quick conversation or two, usually by higher-ranking officers. Hell, even Marshal Pentecost's done it a couple times. ]

still alive, sir.
permission to speak freely?

Permission granted. What is it?

i'm not on the up and up on chain of command here, sir.

[ To translate, it's the most diplomatic way he knows to phrase who are you? without, you know, actually asking. ]

I'm an acquaintance of Ranger Mori. [also you met me when i was 16 years old and tried to attack me in a hardware store.]

[ It strikes Raleigh a little strange how he feels like he should know this man, even through the text. And an acquaintance of Mako's that he hasn't met yet? Consider his interest piqued beyond relief. ]

which one, sir?

I wasn't aware that there was more than one.

which acquaintance, i meant. sir. it's been a lively week.

Before the Ishimura.

before charon, sir?

[ and then, immediately after that one: ]

she's my copilot.

In the city.

I see. Is there anything that the two of you require?

construction supplies, sir. we're re-purposing a few places into living quarters.
could do with electrical wiring tools, too.

actually, sir.
an off-grid comms system. anyone done that here yet?

Stop by my classroom for whatever I have left after I set it up. It's [location].

Spartans use encryption especially for UNSC. If you contact [ CORTANA ] , she might be able to assist you. However, I highly doubt that even with our communications systems that COMPASS wouldn't find out.

[ He saves the contact number for future reference, and takes a moment to drum his fingers against his knee. He has a lot of questions he wants to ask, but isn't sure if this is the best time for them. ]

i don't trust them. this COMPASS.
anyone with this much tech to pull from several universes on a regular schedule can't be out for anything good.

Distrust isn't a strong enough word.

you're not gonna scrub my mouth, sir?

I'm not your CO.

still just a ranger, sir.

[ What he means is that he respects the rank, especially when PPDC rangers know the value of respect when it comes to building trust; really, any friend of Mako's is a good man in Raleigh's book.

And he's not asked anything from Raleigh yet. Raleigh understands what that could mean. ]

It doesn't matter.

can i ask a personal question, sir?

Depends what it is.

why us?

[ Why are you helping us? It's out of pure curiosity. He's grateful, and not just a little surprised, but he can't help wonder.

(He says us because they don't come all singly; you pick up one ranger, you get the entire lot wholesale.) ]

We're soldiers. We look out for each other.

[in the end, we all fight for the same thing: humanity. it doesn't matter if you're fighting aliens in space or from the bottom of the ocean, they sacrifice their lives for the greater good.]

understood, sir.

[ He doesn't know why, but the answer loosens something in him, and Raleigh thinks, it's okay. This is someone he can follow. ]

thank you.

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