Chapter I: Hell is Darker than the Darkest Night

Location: High Charity, Cellblock 7B-2

Date: July 9, 2526

Local Time: 10:12 hours

A woman with a hide in the palest shade of tan and violet eyes looked irritably to her cellmate as he gasped excitedly. "Back away from the door, you obnoxious fool," the guard spat, pointing a Needler into the threshold while his companion waited at the door controls. The armed guard nodded and holstered the weapon when her cellmate complied nervously. "No, you are not being released. Instead, we brought the both of you some company. Enjoy," he said, the two of them practically throwing the still body of a nude, umber-skinned male onto the floor.

"Oh! A new roommate! Can he be our friend, Mira? Can he?"

"Ryu," she croaked scornfully. It was all she could manage, for the San 'Shyuum had ordered her vocal cords to be destroyed as part of her sentencing; they hadn't fully succeeded, however. The youngling, not even old enough for Covenant service, immediately fell silent and sat on his bunk. She huffed at her cellmate and moved over to the bandaged form, and gently shook his shoulder. She thought nothing of his nudity, for all of the prisoners were not allowed any form of clothing; clothing meant that makeshift weapons could be hidden.

The man opened his right eye a crack, looked around tiredly, and promptly closed it again with a barely audible sigh. "Leave me alone," he rasped; there was absolutely no strength in his voice.

"Hurt?" she said, gently prodding the blood-soaked bandage on his back. The man hissed and nodded slowly. "Ryu, bunk, carefully." The boy eagerly stood and moved to place his hands under the man's arms, but the man snapped at him.

"Leave me alone," he repeated. She nodded to Ryu, and the boy retook his seat. They watched as the man crawled slowly toward a third and empty bunk on the far side of the cell, grunting with every muscle moved.

"Mira, we should help him, whether he likes it or not," Ryu whispered quickly; why the boy was so excited, she wasn't sure. They certainly had nothing to be excited about; heresy was a serious charge, and something told her that Ryu was innocent…that, or he was just a dimwitted child that had done something so heinous without actually realizing it.

She nodded and walked over to the fallen man again. "Help." The man shook his head slowly, but she repeated herself with more force. He growled, albeit weakly, and kept crawling. She growled back, with much more strength than he could muster, and he suddenly stopped. "Help."

"Fine," he sighed. She and Ryu took him up under each arm and set him down on the bunk he had been crawling for. After shifting uncomfortably for a moment, the man's uncovered eye closed and his breathing became slow.

"What did they do to him, Mira?"

"Torture."

"What did they do, though?" She simply shrugged and looked at the man when he sobbed under his breath; a tear ran out of his closed eye and his mandibles moved without forming words.

"Dream," she said to Ryu's confused look. The boy nodded and they continued to watch the man sleep, leaving him to his nightmare. "What did they force you to witness?" she thought with a sigh, lying back in her bunk.

"We aren't going to help him anymore?"

"Quiet," she hissed. "Respect, Ryu. Respect." He nodded and followed her notion, lying in his own bunk. Their existence was a lonely and miserable one, but Mira found some odd satisfaction at the fact that she was still alive. Normally, she wouldn't care anything for a newcomer on the first day of their arrival, but this man seemed to have something that others didn't. "Resolve," she thought with a small nod. Even though her speech was greatly hindered, she was determined to discover why this man had been imprisoned.

The man had wept all through the station's Night Cycle, which had kept Mira awake, but she didn't hold it against the man; most, if not all, of the new prisoners – male and female alike – wept on the first night. She waited for that exposed eye to crack open before sitting beside the man on his bunk. "Welcome."

"Ugh, you again." There was more strength in his voice now, but it was still incredibly raspy and quiet. "What did I tell you?"

"Name?" she said softly.

He glared for a moment before sighing and turning onto his side. "Dran. And yours?"

"Mira," she smiled.

He nodded at the sleeping form across from him, "And the boy?"

"Ryu."

"I am sorry, Mira, but I just want to be left alone. Before you ask, I cannot tell you what has put me in this state…perhaps when I have had some time to move my grief aside?"

She nodded, "Understand."

"Oh! He's awake! Sir, what did you do? What did they do to you?"

"Ryu," Mira said hotly, shaking her head. "Time."

"Yes ma'am."

"Glad to see you keep the boy on a short leash," Dran said lowly, turning over to face the wall, with some difficulty.

Mira saw that he was still bleeding, and nodded in the man's direction upon getting Ryu's attention, "Bandage."

He nodded and moved toward the door. "Excuse me, guard? Could you send a doctor to our cell? The man you put in here yesterday is still bleeding." The guard simply ignored him and kept looking forward. Ryu sighed, "Mira…"

Mira took a deep breath and shouted as best she could, "Guard!"

The Guard finally looked over and allowed a small, albeit fake, smile. "Ah, yes. What is it?"

"Doctor," she croaked.

"Soft on the newcomer, are we? Heh." He turned his head and spoke quietly into his comm unit, "Urai, I need you to send for a doctor to cellblock Seven B Dash Two. One of the newcomers is still bleeding from his wounds, apparently. Yeah, I know," he finished with a quiet scoff. "A doctor is coming."

"Grateful," said with a smile, and the guard nodded. The doctor, one Mira had known before her sentencing, stopped at the cell door and keyed in an emergency code. She looked to Mira questioningly, and the former gestured to Dran.

She knelt at his bedside and spoke quietly, "Are you awake, prisoner?"

"Yes."

"I am here to clean your wounds and replace the bandages. Is that clear?"

"Clean the wounds and replace the bandages, understood." He hissed when she began with the soggy bandages on his back. Blood dripped onto her robes and his sheets, and she gasped quietly at the sight of his back after wiping some of the blood away.

"By the Gods…what did they do to you?"

"They took a Dekutresi to my ass. Hurry up, would you? You are here to work, not make small talk," he spat over his shoulder. "Doctors…"

"Dran," Mira scorned shortly.

He sighed, "Apologies."

"No, I understand. Okay, that takes care of your back. If you would, roll onto your back so I can remove the bandage on your face."

He complied with a groan. "Be more careful this time. My eye is ruptured." She nodded and carefully rolled the bandage away. He could tell she was fighting the urge to vomit as she worked to clean the cuts on his face.

"Can you close your eye, please?" He complied and more blood ran down his face. "Oh Gods," she whispered.

"Come on, I do not have all day…" Mira allowed herself a quiet laugh at his joke, and Ryu decided to share in it. "Glad to see you enjoyed that one…ah! That shit burns," he hissed.

"The bleeding should stop in a few minutes and the bandages can be removed in a few hours. Welcome to your new life, prisoner."

"Oh, you are funny," he deadpanned before giving a small smile. "Thank you, doctor." She took on a strange look as he closed his exposed eye yet again, but she quickly shrugged and left without another word.

"Er…Dran, was it?"

"Not now, boy."

"Sorry…"

The man wept again on the second night, and Mira caught a name while she listened from her bunk. "Shria…it must have been his mother or sister," she thought just as she heard him whisper the words "my love." She nodded to herself; it made sense, feeling such grief for your significant other after having them taken from you. It was a pain she knew all too well. The third day was uneventful, the three of them sitting or lying in the cell and saying nothing to each other.

Days became weeks, and weeks became five months. Dran had started speaking with them during the second week, only to break the silence, but he mostly kept to himself. Ryu, being as young as he was, still tried to ask Dran what had happened until the latter had actually slammed the former's head into the cell wall. "Shut the fuck up, child! For one whole day, just be quiet!" he had said. It had worked, to say the least, for Ryu hadn't so much as looked at the man since.

Finally, after six months and twelve days since Dran's arrival, Mira decided to put her anger for the man aside and speak to him. "Dran. You scared Ryu," she rasped; her ability to speak had improved, but the volume of her voice had considerably dropped.

He glanced at her and sighed. "I know I did. That was my intention…I just did not mean to take it so far. I am aware that he doesn't understand what it means to lose something that is held dear; he is only a child, after all, but…even in light of that, I could not control my rage. What I was forced to witness is nothing to take lightly."

"What did you see?" He quickly shook his head, a sad grimace forming on his face, but she placed a hand on his shoulder and repeated herself. He scratched at the scars on his face with another sigh and began to tell her of those weeks in full detail. His voice began to quiver and his good eye shone with tears when he reached the portion with the ship.

"S-she…she waved. Waved right at me, whe-when that…that bastard ordered the General to fire on the Keep." The young man began to sob, louder than he had on the first and second night, and Mira pulled him close. Being as old as she was in comparison to him, it felt as though she were comforting one of her sons. She caught Ryu watching them out of the corner of her eye; it seemed that his fear had sobered, perhaps even matured him a bit, because the simply nodded when she looked over. "Gods, I am pathetic…"

"No, Dran, you are not. Grief weighs us all, and yours is a heavy burden. Tell me about this Shria you have mentioned in your sleep." She loosened her embrace and he wiped his face with a sigh.

"There is something I must do first…Ryu."

The boy didn't even look up; he had suddenly become interested in his hands, "What?"

"Look me in the face, child." Only when the boy had complied did he continue, "I apologize, sincerely, for acting the way I have toward you. You may have gone too far with your questions, but I overreacted. Will you forgive me?"

"Yes. I feel the need to apologize, as well. I did go too far, I see that now. I didn't know what I was doing, really, but you showed me what could happen when too many questions are asked…perhaps better than the Prophets would ever hope to."

Dran nodded and turned back to Mira. "Do you really wish to hear about my Shria?"

"Yes. It is obvious that you are quite fond of her."

"Ah…she was an amazing woman. I know this sounds naïve, but it felt as though she made the suns rise and set," he paused to chuckle, "I had been in love with her since I was his age." He indicated Ryu. "However, I never had the courage to tell her how I felt; how could I, being a youngling? I eventually worked up the nerve after my first year of practicing with a blade…perhaps it was arrogance instead of courage…anyway, she told me that she shared in those feelings and we began seeing each other. When I was finished with my training, I was sent to Academy for military training, only to find her waiting for me when I returned. I suppose we were inseparable, because I joined the Home Guard rather than the Covenant, and we married shortly after.

"We waited for three years before actually trying for a child, and she was nearly due when…all of this happened. Astonishing how simply following orders can cost you everything, hmm?"

Mira nodded thoughtfully and realized that he had been holding her hand throughout his story, but she didn't say a word about it. He noticed, too, and he was suddenly embarrassed. "What? You were simply letting go of your demons. There is no need to be embarrassed for it. Besides, I am twice your age and unable to…well, have relations."

"Why?"

"It was…part of my sentencing. I would tell you about it, but it would likely scar you both, and that is something none of us need more of."

"Indeed…" They talked more and more with each new day, and within the next week they conversed and laughed as if they had been a family their entire lives. Even if it was a fallacy, they all admitted that false happiness was better than misery. But, after a year and a half of captivity, Dran had finally had enough. "Mira…why are we sitting in this cell, doing nothing?"

"Because we must," she shrugged.

"Says who? No Sangheili should ever be caged; we either die in battle or are executed for our crimes, or we live and prosper. Even as Heretics, I say we can do the latter just as well as any innocent person."

"Are you suggesting that we escape?" Ryu rumbled; his voice had deepened and he had grown considerably since that first day.

"That is exactly what I am suggesting, my friend."

"Yeah, well, it's impossible. This prison has the best security the Covenant has to offer…that, and we're located at the very bottom of this complex. We would have to either fight or run our way through over forty levels, just to make it to public access."

"And you would know this…how?"

"Because, I have attempted escape before…" Dran looked at him incredulously, but Ryu just shrugged. "Why would I lie?"

"I did not say you were. I simply do not see how you are still alive to tell us about it."

"I guess they think I'm important, or something," he shrugged again, "I don't know. I stopped questioning my existence long ago. I only know that I want out of this place, but I also know that it will never happen, so here I sit, on my ass with you two."

"Ryu, language," Mira scorned.

"Yes ma'am," he sighed. "You better have a really good plan for getting us out of here, or a lousy one that will get us executed. Either one would grant us freedom…why are you both looking at me like that?"

"How did you get out last time, Ryu?" Dran said.

"When they brought me food one evening, I simply shoved the guard down and ran. I managed to get as far as I did because of my speed and climbing ability."

"And now you have strength and height to add to that. I only have one more question to ask you before I begin to build my plan." Ryu nodded, "Would you be willing to sacrifice yourself so that Mira and I could escape?"

Ryu sighed. "For Mira, I would do anything. You on the other hand…you must gain my trust before I consider doing anything for you."

Dran nodded, "Fair enough. What would I have to do to earn your trust?"

"Just show that you are worthy of having it," he shrugged.

"That does not answer my question, Ryu…"

"You must do something for me, just as I instruct. If I am pleased with the results, you will have my trust." Dran motioned for him to continue, and Ryu began giving him very strict and elaborate instructions. All Mira could do was shake her head; Dran had no idea what he had gotten himself into.

The next morning, Mira stood by the shield door to keep a lookout for approaching guards. "Well, Mira?"

"It is clear. Nero," she whispered across the hall, "Keep watch that way, would you?"

"Of course Mira, but might I ask what for?"

"I will tell you later." The large male nodded and leaned against the wall, watching the opposite end of the hallway.

Dran was demonstrating some hand-to-hand techniques to Ryu while the guards were on their early-hour patrols. "Twist and pull on the arm, and the bone will separate at the elbow. You will hurt me, but I can just reconnect the joint later."

"Are you sure about this? Surely, there are other ways to get you out of this cell for a few minutes…"

"This way is simple and more likely to succeed. Now, you will likely be put with someone else for this, but we will not forget about you when the time comes. Understand? Do you remember the tale you are going to tell?" Ryu nodded once and Dran held out his left arm, "Begin."

"Right on time," Mira whispered. There was an audible pop before Dran cried out and Ryu tackled him to the floor. "Guard! Guard, get over here," she called as best she could. "The youngling is attacking the newcomer."

The guard growled irritably and unclipped his weapon. "This is the third one this morning. Step away from the threshold!" She complied and the guard rushed toward Ryu. Ryu elbowed the guard in the face when he was grabbed by a shoulder and went back to beating on the struggling form of Dran. Three others ran in and dragged the boy away while the first guard knelt over Dran. "Ugh…I knew the boy was excitable, but he was never violent. Damages?"

"The son of a bitch broke my arm. I think he also tore my eye back open…" The guard nodded and hauled him up roughly.

"You are going to the infirmary for a day or so. What did you do to drive him to that point, prisoner? I must know, so I can report it to my superiors and they can pass judgment on the both of you."

"He was taking vengeance on me for slamming his head against the wall, I suppose. Release me, I can walk on my own." Dran told hold of his broken arm and walked as slowly as he could without being suspicious while he took in the each hall's architecture.

"Magnificent, even for a prison full of your kind, eh? You should consider yourself lucky, prisoner. Even in light of your crime, you were allowed to live a quiet, albeit shamed, life."

"If this is what you call living, you must not get out often," Dran spat.

"Aye, I do not. But, every Sangheili has a duty and this one is mine. I know it is none of my business, but my curiosity often gets the better of me. What did you do, exactly, to earn those scars?"

"I killed an Ascetic and brought his head to the High Council."

"And they did not execute you? That is ridiculous…"

"Glad to see that I am not the only one to think so."

"Ah, but who are we to question? I am sure they had their reasons for convicting you so."

"Indeed." Dran decided to fall silent and ignore the guard's further banter upon gathering enough of the cellblock. He thought that they could, perhaps, take this particular guard down easily enough when it was time to escape. "Or, we could persuade him to help us, if he is being honest about the ridiculousness of my conviction…"

His wounds weren't as bad as he initially thought, and Dran was returned to his cell a few hours later. "By the Gods…what did they do to him?"

"The guards saw fit to judge him themselves," Mira whispered, looking on the battered form of Ryu.

"I'm fine…just a scratch," he mumbled through broken mandibles. "Now that I think about it…this was a terrible idea."

"But it worked," Dran assured. "I gathered what you wanted. There are cameras and sensors lining the halls, but they only just above head level; if one of us could get into the rafters and into a security office, we could disable the security in this block and escape."

"Dran, in doing so, we would unlock all of the cells, and some of the prisoners here are…well, they are rather violent, to say the least," Mira said.

"True. Try to spread word around that something is going to happen. Perhaps we can gain control amidst the confusion, hmm?" She nodded and promptly whispered across the hall to Nero, and he did the same for the cell next to his, and so on.

"How do you plan on getting me in the rafters without being seen?"

"There is only one guard in this section when the evening meal is brought to our cell, correct?" Ryu nodded, "Is the guard more…agreeable?"

"No, not in the slightest."

"Then, just kill him," Dran shrugged. "I want you to make it quick and keep it clean, however; they may be ensuring that we remain in our cells, but they are simply following orders and do not deserve to suffer at our hands."

Ryu sighed. "How should I do it?"

"Break his neck; daze him with a punch, and just sharply turn his head to one side. You should have no trouble, with the strength you have gained." He looked between Ryu and Mira, "I want no more talk about this plan. Do what you must to prepare, but I want us to be ready within the month."

"This is going to be far from easy," Mira mumbled.

"Yes, well, Hell is darker than the darkest night."