You say that now, [ Ephemera drawls, returning with the first aid kit. There's no hesitation in the way he and Drake move around each other. It's easy, thoughtless. Ephemera hums to himself, reaching out to bump his forehead against Drake's briefly, before opening the kit. It's a quick, intimate gesture. Something only the two of them do. ] But everything's got its use. Even armor like mine is vulnerable to a strike from close quarters, if you can hit hard enough. Sometimes old weapons work even better than a gun.

[ It was one of his captain's earliest lessons. Never underestimate the past, or its weapons. There's a reason the Covenant still uses swords. Laser swords, sure, but still. ]

Kid's a good shot, [ he adds, starting work on the deepest of the cuts. Drake heals fast, but it doesn't hurt to get things stitched up. Speed up the process, make everything smoother. ] Never ran with anybody outta the academies, but I heard they're rough. Survival of the fittest and all that.