Chapter Four
November 14 2536, New Harmony

"I have confirmed Sergeant Ward is aboard the Covenant Frigate," February said. "I have prepared a data-burst transmission for the UNSC fleet when they return to communication range. It explains the current situation."

Julia turned to Sergeant Stock, "What should we do till then? We haven't seen anymore Covenant forces on the ground."

He paced around the table, the holographics temporarily offline. "Nothing. We have a pelican, but we'd be shot down without the fleet to back us up. All we can do is hope that they need him alive for something."

"My best guess is that there is a 87% chance he is still alive," February chimed in.

Stock nodded, "That's good enough for me, I'm headed to do another sweep of the city and then head to see the Council." He left the room, gathering his gear on the way out.

Julia turned to the console in front of her, "Hey Feb, can we talk for a while?"

February's face appeared on the screen, "Of course Julia. Is there something on your mind?"

"Well, since this whole thing started, I've noticed you've started to change. You seem more... Human."

She paused, "I feel that, even though I am not a 'smart' AI, that the recent events have presented a means of allowing me to grow and learn beyond my normal programming." Another pause, "I can not conform this with any diagnostics, however, I too feel different. We shall see what happens, Julia."

November 14 2536, Covenant Frigate Rectitude

Sol entered the Priestess' study, knowing full well that she was interviewing the Human. She quietly walked into their view, and bowed slightly. "Priestess, Anla 'Natodee wishes to speak with you and the Shipmaster in the Control Room."

The Priestess looked up, she had the air of annoyance but looked calm as usual. "Very well. Sergeant, if you'll excuse me."

Sol glanced at Will, he was grinning. She growled slightly on instinct, and followed the Priestess out. "I really wish you would put that Human in his place."

"You're starting to sound like Anla," she replied, entering her room.

Sol followed, "I saw the look on his face, and I saw the look in your eyes. He's getting to you, and he knows it."

"It's not what you think." The Priestess started to change into a more formal robe and headdress to meet with the Shipmaster and bothersome Anla. "We are slowly making progress. It has only been two sessions. It took us two weeks to break the last Human."

Sol sighed, "Yes Priestess. I just fear for your safety. After but one session he has convinced a Priestess of the Prophets to leave the path to the Great Journey. I do not wish to see what he can do given two weeks with you."

The Priestess set her hand on Sol's head. "Fear not, I am in complete control. Now let us go see what Anla wants."

Will waited a minute or so after the Priestess left before getting up. He grabbed her tablet, and started to tap icons hoping to find something useful. Unfortunately, unlike the reading material in his room, the tablet was still written in the crazy Covenant language. All the symbols looked the same to him.

"What are you doing with that?" Will looked up, Kev had walked into the room without him noticing.

He didn't put it down, "I was just trying to see if I could switch it to something I could actually read." A few more random taps, still nothing he could understand. "Trial and error doesn't seem to be working very well."

Kev started to walk over, "That's the Priestess' personal interface, not even Sol is allowed to use it."

"Well, unlike you, I don't take orders from the Priestess. I want to see the information in here," he said. "Can you tell me how to translate it?"

Kev froze mid-step, "What?"

He looked up at her, "Translate. Like the other little ones in my room. You all know our language, surely your computer can translate."

"Of course it can," she answered.

Will smiled, "Then can you show me how?"

"I'd be a traitor, Sol would kill me." She drew her pistol, "Please set the interface down Will."

He sighed, and placed it back on the table, "Very well Kev, but only for you."

She holstered her weapon and sighed, "Thank you Will. Come, let us get a snack while the others are out."

The Priestess walked into the room, which was completely silent. The crew all manned their stations, and did not look up as she entered. She had been up here only once before, when she first came on board. Anla glared at her and her three guards. The Shipmaster bowed to her. "Priestess 'Enoum, my apologies for bringing you all the way up here."

She nodded, and approached him and Anla, "It was no trouble, Shipmaster 'Rocusee." Anla gave a soft growl, but the Priestess ignored him. "Might I enquire as to why I was summoned?"

"Anla 'Natodee has expressed a certain... Concern... Regarding the methods you use to handle the Human," the Shipmaster explained. "A concern than I share."

The Priestess stood tall, "If Anla 'Natodee has a problem with my methods, he should address me in person, and take the matter up with the High Council." He growled again. "It is more likely that Anla simply has a problem with the Human being onboard while being alive. If you remember Shipmaster, it was Anla who killed my last-"

"ENOUGH!" Anla shouted. "I will not stand by while a Human lives in comfort on this ship, eats our food, and consumes our resources."

The Shipmaster simply stood straighter, his arms moving behind his back, "Anla, there are some orders we have to follow. The Prophets told us to help the Priestess when she required our help, and to stay out of her affairs when she didn't. Her work is top priority. She could have had you killed for interfering before, but she spared your life."

"And I will not be so kind again, Anla. Shipmaster, I assure you the so-called breach in security was nothing more than one of my guards following orders in a way we didn't expect. There was never any danger to the ship, or to anyone on board," the Priestess explained. "The only danger is that Anla will attack my subject."

The Shipmaster sighed, "Anla 'Natodee, as your superior, I command you to remain away from the Priestess' quarters, and away from her Human subjects, under punishment of heresy."

He growled, and left the Control Room. The doors somehow slamming shut behind him. The Priestess bowed to the Shipmaster, "Thank you, Shipmaster."

He bowed back, "Were it not for the Prophets Priestess, I would be with Anla on this matter." She turned to leave, ignoring the comment. "Priestess."

She paused, "Yes Shipmaster?" She looked over her shoulder at him.

"How many more subjects will you require?"

She waited a bit before answering him, "I think this will be the last. I will let you know once I break him." Gathering Sol and her guards, she left the Control Room.

Will and Kev were coming out of the guard's room when the door from the rest of the ship opened. There stood a very angry Chief Squid. He roared, and charged at Will. "HUMAN!" Kev jumped out at him, drawing her weapon, but the berserk Elite simply punched her mid-jump, sending her sprawling to the floor.

He grabbed Will by the throat, and slammed him into the wall of the entry hall. "Human, I do not care if you are the Priestess' pet, or if I shall be killed. I can not sleep knowing my enemy enjoys the comforts of the Priestess not ten yards from my bunk."

Will wheezed as the Elite squeezed his throat. Kev managed to get back up, and tried to tackle Chief Squid. "Kig-yar SCUM!" He threw Will aside to focus on the threat. Will landed on his arm, and felt the bone snap on impact with the floor. He groaned, holding his arm still as he pushed himself away from the Elite.

Chief Squid shook Kev off his back, and kicked her. She toppled over, but didn't fall completely. Before she could fully stand to attack, he punched her in the side of the head. She fell, and he stomped on her leg. Bones shattered under his weight. She screamed.

"Filthy, treacherous mercenary. You mock the Covenant and the Great Journey, and so easily join a Priestess knowing the rewards she'll pay you." He stomped on her other leg, breaking it as well. "I will take great pleasure breaking all your limbs, leaving you just alive enough to see your Human charge killed. Then I will end your life." He kicked her in the chest, and she rolled across the floor screaming in pain.

Will managed to get to his feet and remember something. He ran past the raging Elite and slammed himself into the door control for the Priestess' private room. It was just enough to trick the door into thinking someone was trying to break the controls, and sounded the alarm. That would bring the rest running back.

Spinning to face Will, Chief Squid growled. "If you think that will save you, you are dead wrong Human. Dead. Wrong." He charged, and Will tried to dive out of the way. Unfortunately, the Elite managed to remain upright while Will fell to the floor. The charge missed, but now Will was on the floor, looking up at the angry Elite who obviously had no qualms about killing an enemy on the ground.

Will kicked a leg out at the Elite. Wrong thing to do. The Elite grabbed his leg, and with a well aimed punch, shattered his knee. His leg was a fleshy limp lump of pain.

A sudden plasma bolt clipped the Elite in the back. His shields were off, and he howled in pain. Dropping Will's leg, his shields instantly snapped into place, and he turned to Kev, who was gripping her pistol in one hand. The second shot splashed over the shields guarding his face. He cringed from the heat, but charged Kev, kicking the gun from her hand, breaking both the gun and her hand in the process.

Just at that moment, the door to the ship opened, and there stood the Priestess and the three Guards. Behind them was a collection of Elites, all with weapons drawn. They rushed in, quickly surrounding Will and Chief Squid. "ANLA!" The room was silent as the Priestess walked over to him. He was breathing heavily, and still growling with rage. "By the order of the Prophets and the Shipmaster, you are to surrender yourself with honor, or die without."

He gave Kev one last hard kick to the face, several Elites moving to try and restrain him. As they pulled him away he snarled at the Priestess, "I may not have gotten to kill him, but I regret nothing."

"Lock him up, for he is a heretic, and shall be brought before the Council." The Priestess turned to Kev, she was unconscious but alive. Will was still on the floor, holding his arm, and gently moaning in pain. His leg was bent at an unnatural angle as well. "Sergeant, what happened?"

He looked up at her, "I don't know. Kev was letting me get a small snack, and then he came charging in and attacked me. She jumped in to defend me, and he broke my arm, and then her legs, and then my leg. It all happened so fast I... I... I..." His eyes rolled up and he passed out.

The Priestess looked around at the Elites who had responded to the alarm, "The Prophets have ordered me to study Humans, lean about their weaknesses and tactics. Lean all I can. I can not do that without my guards and my subjects. Therefore, I request a room be made for me to treat their injures."

The Elites all looked around at each other, Sangheili never treated injures, especially not on lower species. "Either prepare the room or join Anla in heresy!" They all snapped to, and ran to prepare. A few stayed behind to help move the wounded. The Priestess followed, heading to their make-shift medical bay.

November 15 2536, Covenant Frigate Rectitude

Sol Cas walked into a medium-sized storage room, which at the moment was filled with the oddest amount of computer terminals and stolen Human supplies she had ever seen. It reminded her of a Human 'laboratory' she had seen while escorting the Priestess in one of their abandoned military outposts. There were two large make-shift beds, each one surrounded by holographic readouts and little trays of supplies.

"Priestess 'Enoum, what is all this?" Sol had been forbidden from entering the previous night, as had everyone save a single Huragok, who had long since gone back to real work.

The tall Sangheili had stripped herself of her formal gowns, and was wearing a soldier's bodysuit, and a strange pair of bright blue gloves. She looked up, "Sol, I thought I told you not to come in."

Sol slowly approached her, "You said not to enter until tomorrow. It's tomorrow, I just came from morning meal."

The Priestess looked surprised, "I was working all night, must have lost track of time."

"What are you doing?"

"I was treating their wounds with Human medical supplies. The Sergeant would not have survived long with two broken limbs, and I do not want to loose any of my guards," she explained. "All this is from my personal collection, I only wish I knew more about how they all worked."

Sol approached the tables, she could see Kev and Will, covered with a sheet, lying still unconscious. The Priestess smiled, "I managed to reset all their broken bones, and I used enhanced steroids to increase bone growth. Hopefully they will be completely back to normal once we reach our drop off point."

"This is... I don't know what to say. Using Human knowledge, surely that is such an unwise decision..."

The Priestess was still in a good mood, "On the contrary, because of the heretical way Humans live, they surpass our knowledge in many subjects. Maths, Sciences, Medicines. I have come to understand our only advantage is in the holy relics we find and analyze."

Sol was frightened, not because she believed the Priestess was in danger of becoming a Heretic, but because the more the Priestess explained, the more Sol realized she was right. "Kev and the Sergeant will be fine then?"

"Yes, I just have one more step to do. The medical database calls it a 'cast.' It is a fabric that hardens until it becomes extremely tough, and it protects the broken limbs while they are repairing. I have just enough supplies to create them. It will take me quite some time," the Priestess explained, pointing at several piles of a white fabric.

Sol nodded, "Very well, I shall leave you to your work." She turned and headed for the door. The Priestess pulled her tray of supplies over to Will, starting with his arm. She followed the database instructions, and started to wrap the various layers around his arm.

As she was finishing up, there was a slight flutter in the artificial gravity. She immediately elbowed the communication to the Control Room. "Shipmaster, what was that disturbance?"

"The Human fleet as returned, we will deal with them quickly." The communication closed. She sighed, and returned to work. Occasionally a small flutter would throw her balance off, but she remained steady, and soon had wrapped both Will and Kev in thick casts.

Shipmaster 'Rocusee swore under his breath. The Humans had pulled off a strange maneuver, and had destroyed the Orpheus. Loosing a Cruiser to a such a small Human fleet was shameful, however 'Rocusee had orders to follow. "We must protect the Priestess. Take us into the Slipstream!" He called to his crew.

The ship slowly moved away from the remains of the Human fleet, 2 badly damaged vessels and 1 relatively intact ship, and started to pulled the slipstream open. Unknown to the crew of the Rectitude, the intact Human ship, the UNSC Razor's Edge, launched a tracking beacon with one of it's missile groups. They would track the Priestess, and Will, where ever they went.

Author's Note: Things take a turn for the worse, eh? Had to get a bit of action into the story. Next few chapters will be recovery, so don't expect anymore action for a while. Lots of plot development though! See you next week.