Empyrean Iris Story Collection Vol. 4

Unprecedented Resurrection

The admiral opened his mouth, then closed it then opened again and then closed it one more time. Kelly stood patiently in the hallway crowded by several UNSC officers and more than one MP, all of whom weren't entirely sure if they were supposed to hug her or kill her. She could see the indecision and confusion in their faces, and could even read the partial awkwardness the admiral felt for the fact that he had long since moved into her old office.

How was he supposed to let her know that politely?

The MPs were just as confused and even more concerned at the outcome. They wondered whether Kelly was still considered part of the UNSC, or if funeral rights counted as an honorable discharge. Was she even allowed to be here? But somehow she had gotten past the gate and the door which both required ID, so clearly her card was still active, but what about her rank, was that actve? Did she get hr old job back?

Or is dying considered going awol.

She turned to look at the admiral, "Admiral Carson isn't it?"

The man nodded dumbly before pulling himself together and offered a hand robotically. She took it with a small smile and shook his hand. As she did she felt a slight tingle as a glitch came on, and watched the man's face as she phazed into a partial shadow before returning as herself. Out of reflex he jerked in shock, and she could momentarily read his confused thoughts. Whether he should be worried about void infection.

Was she a void creature?

Had she come to hurt them?

Even he wondered if she could be considered discharged or not.

"My apologies," Kelly said,"I seem to have trouble holding my corporeal form these days." She enjoyed watching the dumbstruck looks on their faces as they tried very hard to understand and wrap their heads around what she was saying. Kelly had always had a wicked little sense of humor. From the outside she knew a lot of people saw her as cold and hard and kind of distant, but her cold irony was one of her greatest weapons.

She liked subtly teasing people.

"I... th... we.." The Admiral began fumbling over his words, pausing and stuttering as he tried to find the right thing to say. The others around him did not look particularly envious of the position she had put him in. She raised an eyebrow as he stumbled but eventually, "This is all.... highly .... Irregular, Admiral I.... I don't know of the UNSC has a policy for..... For resurrection." She laughed at that watching as his eyes narrowed and his thought process grew that much more guarded, "And how do we know you aren't a manifestation of the void. We have had problems with that latel."

She nodded slowly in understanding, "that is what I would like to speak with the UNSC brass about."

He gave her a look, "I am not going to trust you in a room with some of the most important people on earth. I am sorry, Admiral but you.... If you are you.... You should understand."

Again she nodded slowly and simply smiled at the man who shuffled his feet awkwardly against the floor.

"No its alright I understand, a teleconference will be just fine. And as for your question, the UNSC does not have any protocols for the resurrection of an officer. But think about it this way, if an officer dies on the table and is resuscitated they still remain an officer."

He nodded through rather guardedly, "Yes, perhaps that is so, but it is likely if he died o on the table, he also sustained injuries that would lead to his medical discharge. And death is a pretty serious medical condition.

Kelly patted herself quite pointedly and looked up at the admiral with her eyebrow still raised, "You know for someone who is dead I am feeling rather well." She watched hsi face closely, and then saw him blanch white with confusion.