Quality Friend Time (TPF)

Samuel-B256 got a notice that Mathilda-B079 is being held in a UNSC Infinity’s temporary holding cell. He walks down to the cell and sees her sitting in a cell alone, a barricade separates him for being with his close teammate and friend.

“What happened?”

“I got into an argument with someone who talked down about our comrades. I punched him a little too hard and he is in the infirmary.”

She kept her head down as her friend sat on the outside, a stupid mistake she made by not keeping her emotions in check when she needed to. Now Lieutenant Commander Ferguson needs to release her so she can prepare for the upcoming operation.

She notices him leaving and coming back with a chair to put down before the cell, he reaches into a backpack he brought and pulls out a chess board. A little game they can play as they wait for Lieutenant Commander Ferguson. Who knows how long it will be before she is able to get out.

The guard walks down to them, not amused that this is going on and needs Samuel out for a security change. It happens often but Samuel is not in the mood to leave his friend behind bars while he is free.

“Come on, we need you out.”

Samuel looks at Mathilda and sees the sorrow in her eyes, she regrets her decision of doing this and having to put the team in a position that delays them.

“Don’t leave me please.”

She looks up to him as he reaches in to pick up the chess board and its pieces. His face shows no emotion, but his eyes give Mathilda the hope she needs, that everything is going to be alright.

Standing up and putting the backpack on his shoulder, Samuel looks down to his friend and up to get the cell number. “I’ll be back.” Turning to the guard, he walks past him and gives him a cold glare.

As Mathilda sits in her cell alone, she continues to wish she is out there with him so they are able to play chess still. Her knees touch her chest and she rests her forehead on top as she waits for him to come back.

After Samuel places his backpack in the room, he locks the door and goes to find a SPARTAN-IV. The one way he can find himself not leaving Mathilda is by getting into a fight, so that is what he will do to ensure that he will not leave his friend alone in the small cell she is forced into.

Finding his target, Samuel knows the groups that are troublemakers and heads over to them. With every intention of starting a fight. The smart AI inside of his head has been trying to talk him out of it, but there is nothing more she can do to calm the nerves of her carrier. His friend is trapped and he is going to be with her.

“I know I cannot change your mind. So, I will help you in this fight.”

“Why are you implying there will be a fight?”

“There are four of them and one of you, I trust your abilities, but this seems a bit more dangerous and reckless.”

There is no denying that as Samuel stands in the elevator, but he doesn’t know what the SPARTAN was saying that caused a response like that from Mathilda. Nothing gets her that riled up unless it’s talk of the Sangheili or the SPARTAN-III program. With the talk being vague about a comrade, it’s unsure of what it could revolve around.

Samuel finds his target group, walks across S-Deck to talk with them. Placing a facade on and looking like a SPARTAN-IV, something he learned during his training and how to perceive someone he is not.

“You mates hear about that fight earlier?”

The four SPARTANs turn to look at Samuel.

“Yeah, some SPARTAN-III got pissed off when we made a joke about Operation: TORPEDO. Guess she took it the wrong way, poor guy ended up in the infirmary with a fractured jaw. The bitch is locked up though.”

“What’d he say?” It was a flat response; Samuel already knew he was going to get into a fight after they said Mathilda was a bitch.

“They sure avenged their parents getting killed altogether. Sarcastic of course, but she didn’t take it that way.”

The SPARTAN-IVs didn’t notice the quiet clench of Samuel’s fist, the calming breath and the death stare of the Beta Company SPARTAN-III.

Ten minutes have passed since Mathilda watched Samuel leave, now she hears the door open and hears four footsteps coming in her direction. A new guard stands at the door and Mathilda glances up briefly to see who her cellmate is going to be.

“In you go.”

Samuel walks into the cell and lets the guard take the restraints off so he can use his hands freely. The same guard who told him to vacate the area just ten minutes ago, he was not amused to see the SPARTAN arrive at his location.

“What did you do?”

“I accidentally hit a SPARTAN-IV too hard.”

She scoffs at the remark as the two sit down on their respective beds.

“Did you have to do it? I mean, I don’t care about the IV. I’m more interested in why you did it.”

“You told me to not leave you. So, I came to join you.”

“I meant after they do the sweep. You didn’t have to join me in here.”

“Huh, well. I am here now.”

“You’re such an idiot.”

“Makes two of us.”

As much as Mathilda resents him for making such a stupid decision, she will have a much better time being close to him. No longer feeling guilty that she made the dumb mistake, he is right beside her making the same dumb mistake.

She glances over at him as he gets situated on the bed. “Thanks for this.” She slowly gets settled into her own bed, the usual size for a SPARTAN.

“You’re welcome.”