Transmissions || Dustin Bates

Halo

Team 5501, Team HALO, after the countless lives they had saved, The Special Operations Team. Legends. Also, some of the strongest death glares I had ever encountered. The five of us sat around the large table in the missions room. I sat in the only vacant chair around the table: directly across from Captain Diaz. Her sapphire eyes were like ice towards me, her right leg cross over her left and her arms folded. The boys of her team followed her, sitting with their arms crossed as well, each of them glaring at me.

"So, um, hi. I'm Dustin Bates," I said, trying to break the ice. I folded my hands and placed them on the top of the table. The man with the gentle doe-like eyes looked at the other three before turning back to me.

"I'm Cadet Brock Richards. It's nice to meet you." The Captain rolled her eyes at him before going back to watching her foot tap against the air. The bearded one looked over to me.

"Cadet Adam Gilbert, welcome to the team." He seemed friendly enough, smiling at me as he spoke. The blonde sighed.

"I'm Cadet Ron DeChant, Captain Diaz's second-in-command." Everyone knew that there was someone to take over the team if a Captain were to be killed in battle, however, only the team itself and the Engineer ever knew who it was. It was the secret; a way to ensure someone would always be in command. Him telling me he was second-in-command was his way of saying welcome to the team, I guess.

Then, there was Captain Diaz. She straightened her posture, setting both feet on the floor before fixing her black jacket. She folded her hands on the desk and stared me down. Once again, those blue eyes penetrating my soul. Her black hair was pulled back into a ponytail today, the light curl still cascading through it.

"Look, Bates. This is how it's going to go. You make stuff for us and stay the fuck out of our way. Got it? I'm Captain Shaylee Diaz. Captain Diaz or Captain will do." Cold. That was the only word to describe both her words and my frozen state after them. I didn't move a muscle as she led the four others out of the room, leaving me behind. I couldn't move still. I had heard Diaz wasn't friendly to outsiders, but I had no idea she would be like this.

Eventually, I snapped out of my trance and I walked out of the room, walking past the team's rooms. I saw Ron coming out of Diaz's room, sighing.

"Hey, Bates," he called, walking to meet me half way.

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to apologize about Shay. She just hasn't been doing too well since Thomson passed. I mean, we all lose people, but she thought she would die before Thomson did. She never really prepared herself. Then, when Thomson got sick, Shay just convinced herself that she would come out of it fine."

"Oh, wow. I-I mean, I just didn't really think much of it. I had heard that Diaz wasn't friendly to outsiders. You didn't really have to apologize for her. I understand, though."

"Okay, I also wanted to let you know that the rest of the team doesn't share her sentiments," he paused. "Well, I mean, sorta. We all miss Doc Thomson a lot, but we are glad you're here. She always spoke highly of you from when she visited the academy, and then she did put in her final word that the council opened that she wanted you to take over her position if she were to pass."

My eyes widened. I knew the doctor always enjoyed seeing me when she came to speak at the university, but I didn't know she liked me that much. Shaylee had said that Thomson said she saw a fire in her, and she was certainly correct about the cold blue fire in her. Who's to say that Thomson didn't see something in me as well?

"I didn't know. Wow," I breathed, still surprised. The disappointment of Captain Diaz's behavior towards me had dissipated at this revelation.

"Yeah, she even tried to get Diaz to go out with you a few times. Diaz always said she was too busy for a boyfriend. That's a genuine lie."