Jenn was still asleep as I entered our room. I sighed and wrung my hands over my face. I had tried to keep these negative thoughts out of my mind in order to savor what would likely be my last few days of peace. I wanted to spend these next four or so days happy with Jenn and my friends, not miserable over a fact that was currently out of my control. I sat down next to Jenn and gently traced my fingers through her hair.
	I thought of all the things that could be. I thought back to the small farm in Pennsylvania where I grew up, and I imagined her and I living there, peaceful and content with just each other and without a worry in a world. The sounds of children would fill the house during the day, and only the sounds of a world without war would be heard during the night. I knew none of these things were meant for me. I viewed myself as a human being, as something besides just a Spartan. But I knew that I had been trained, no, bred to kill. First our fellow human beings, and now the Covenant. I wondered if I would ever be able to move on from the killing and bloodshed and be able to adjust to the life of a civilian, assuming a miracle happened and we won the war. Throughout the years, the one thing I could count on being the same was the fighting. People came and went, either dying or being re-assigned. But the war never changed.
	My eyes were starting to tear up when I heard Jenn wake up. She delicately opened her eyes, which seemed to glow when she saw me at the foot of the bed. She smiled softly.
	“Kept you waiting, huh?” she said quietly.
	I couldn't help but return the smile. She really was amazing.
	“Welcome back to the land of the living. How was your first night of sleep?”
	“Strange. I had a dream. Or, well, I think I did.”
	“What was it about?”
	She furrowed her eyebrows. “I-I don't really remember. I just know you were in it.”
	“I guess it was a good dream then.”
	“I guess so,” she replied as wrapped around me from behind, placing her chin on my shoulder. “Come stay with me Jake. I missed you.”
	We snuggled for a bit, not saying a word. Each other's company was enough. Even if I could die a virgin, I would still be content with moments like these. Sure, 41 years of no action had left me sexually frustrated, but I was happy with what I had. I didn't think there were any among my brothers or sisters that had any like it.
	“Jake?”
	“Hmm?”
	She turned to look me in the eye. “Can I ask you a question?”
	“Of course. What's on your mind?”
	“What was Spartan training like?”
	“I'm surprised you'd ask a thing like that. I guess I just assumed that, as an AI for a UNSC capital ship, you'd know everything.”
	“Well, I know all of the cold hard facts. But I want to hear it from you; your experiences I guess. I know what Halsey did to you; what you had to go through.” She looked away. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked now that I think about it.”
	I lifted her head with my finger. “Hey, it's fine,” I said as I stared into her deep blue eyes. Her eyes were one of the most striking features of hers. I'd never seen anything like them, they were so deep and defined they were almost artificial, yet they still seemed natural at the same time.
	“Well, you're right. The training was tough, and the augmentations were probably the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life. But it wasn't all bad. I got to experience a camraderie on a level I've never felt before or since. No, I don't think it was camraderie. What the Spartans have is more like...family.”
	“I bet you had lots of friends in the program.”
	“Not as many as you might think. Everyone was pretty reserved. Most people after the...brainwashing, didn't really have much personality, or remembered their lives before the program for that matter. The only group of people that really stayed the same was Gray Team.”
	She nodded her head. “I've heard of them. How come you weren't assigned to them instead of Gold Team?”
	“I kept my head down, and only acted like I had been successfully conditioned. Before I was conscripted, the people who owned the farm next to ours were from somewhere in Asia. I remember the son telling me a saying from their home country: 'The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.' I figured that the least-conforming people in the program would be the most expendable.”
	“I guess you were right. Gray Team's been MIA since last year.”
	“Maybe, but that's the also just the nature of their missions. Still, I'd rather be fighting the brunt of the Covenant up close with support, than behind enemy lines for years on end.”
	She smiled. “And besides, you wouldn't have met me.”
	“Very true,” I agreed as I kissed her cheek. She leaned in to kiss my lips, but a very loud sound eminated from her stomach.
	She laughed. “Oh my. I didn't even realized how hungry I was. You distracted me. Did you eat already?”
	“Yeah, but I won't mind going with you. The rest of the guys are probably up by now anyways.”
	She got up while I stayed in bed, enjoying the feeling of lying down, and the view in front of me as Jenn changed into her sweats.
	“Just for the record, your ass looks great in those pants, even if they are a bit baggy.”
	She blushed and giggled. “I didn't think you'd be looking. How naive of me.”
	“Hey, ya can't blame a guy when a girl looks like you do.”
	“Do you really think I'm pretty?” she asked as she pulled the top over her head? “Seriously, I mean.”
	“Are you kidding me? You're the most attractive women I've ever seen in my fuckin' entire life. Just look at how the guys'll gaze at you at breakfast.” I said as she combed her hair. “They'll look away because of me, but not after taking a good hard look at you. Trust me on that, it's how we work.”
	“I guess all men really are the same,” she said playfully.
	“Eh, deep down we all have dirty thoughts. I guess what makes us different is how much we let seep into how we act.”
	“And what happens if somene stares too long?” she said as she turned around with a raised eye.
	“Well I guess I'll just have to fight 'em. Or you could slap 'em. Your choice.” I said with a wink.
	She placed the brush down. “I guess it's a deal then. Come on you beautiful hunk of a man. Let's go.”
	Sure enough, as soon as we entered the mess, what had been a loud conversation between three Marines quickly become a series of hushed whispers. I gave Jenn an “I told you so” look. She responded with a shrug, and made her way towards the food dispensers. I stood there, not knowing if she would know how to use them herself or if she needed assistance. But after a few seconds of standing around with her hand on her hips, she beckoned me over.
	“So Jake. Um...what do you recommend?”
	“Well, I always get bacon, eggs, and pancakes. Sometimes I mix it up with some doughnuts or waffles every once in a while. Granted your caloric intake probably isn't as much as mine, but...well, splurging on one meal won't hurt.”
	She smiled. “Thanks.” She took a look over her shoulder and tapped my arm for me to lean in.
	“They still haven't stopped, have they?”
	“No, but don't mind them. They're not saying anything bad.”
	“Oh? And you can hear what they're saying?”
	A shit eating grin appeared on my face. “Every word,” I replied. “I'm a Spartan after all. Come on, let's sit down. You should formally introduce yourself though. It would make it less weird.”
	She nodded. “Right, right. Let's go.”
	I noticed Pulowski and sat next to across from him, and Jenn sat next to me. We were accompanied by one of Barne's squadmates, Bryant, and Nakamura the MG gunner. There was an awkward silence for quite a few moments before I decided to break it.
	“Morning everyone.”
	“Morning,” came the mumbled response from the Marines.
	“...Hey, I'm Jenn. It's nice to meet you all.” She leaned in to shake everyone's hand but was suddenly interrupted.
	“Hey, your voice sounds familiar. Have we met somewhere before?” said Nakamura.
	Pulowski looked at him in disbelief. “Are you fucking kidding me? How much of a meathead are you man? Goddamn.” Nakamura gave him a confused look.
	“What?! She just seemed familiar, that's all. Chill.”
	“That's our AI from the Vienna man. Remember?”
	Nakamura placed his hand over his mouth. “Oh my god. I'm so sorry ma'am. I hope I didn't embar-”
	“It's fine,” replied Jenn. I had barely managed to stifle my laughter for the conversation.
	“So, uh...how did you, you know...”
	“Become human?”
	“Yeah...well, I guess.”
	“Well, it wasn't too complicated. The machine we discovered is an advanced medical facility capable of things beyond modern science. I programmed it to build a body that would match my avatar. And here I am.”
	“I see,” he replied as he nodded his head. I wasn't sure if he understood what she said. I wondered if I even fully understood what the Intstrument was capable of.
	The Marines continued to shoot the shit as Jenn began cutting her pancake. After a copious helping of syrup, she took her first bite of food, ever. Her eyes widened with excitement.
	“Oh my god Jake. This is...Hm...I don't have a word to describe this feeling.”
	“Delicious?”
	“Oooh, yeah!”
	“If you think this is good, just wait till you try real food.”
	“This isn't real food?”		
	“Well, it is. But...not really. It isn't cooked I mean. Not fresh.”
	“I see. I guess I'll have to learn how to cook for myself then. Oh, well, and you too if you'd like. It's just there's about a thousand recipes I'd like to try.”
	“Hey, do whatever you'd like to do, once this is all over. The world is your oyster, so to speak.”
	“Thanks, Jake. I love you.”
	“I know you do.” I leaned over and kissed her on her forehead. The Marines stared for a few seconds, then shifted the conversation towards something that both Jenn and I could talk about too. I didn't care if anyone saw what we had as weird. I was just glad to have her, and that's all that mattered to me.