Chapter Seven

The computer woke Em like it always did. She slowly got up, and woke Kate. The two were packed tight on the bed, neither one wanting to sleep on the floor. The two quickly cleaned themselves, got dressed, and headed to work for the day. Em got out all the supplies for breakfast, and started teaching Kate how to make this particular meal.

Tral walked out of his room, naked. "Emma, where is my combat harness?"

Em bowed to him, and rushed over, leaving Kate cooking. "Right here, master," she said, entering her room and bringing it all out.

Tral held his arms out, a sign Em knew well, he wanted to be dressed. She pulled his bodysuit on, and began assembling the armor. "I won't have time for a meal today. I will also be returning late, if at all."

"Master, is something going on?"

He grinned, "Nothing to worry about Emma. Lyoy will be up soon, I suggest you be prepared for her." As of late Lyoy had been in an increasingly bad mood. She hardly spoke to Tral, and not at all to Em and Kate. While happy that Lyoy seemed to have forgotten about her, Em was worried. She finished dressing him, and he strode off, without another word.

Kate carried a large pot containing the mornings main course to the table, "Something wrong?"

"It's not like him to skip a meal."

"Maybe he's just busy, you said there was a general mess hall right?"

Em returned to cooking, "He's the shipmaster, he doesn't eat there. Something is going on."

"What makes you say that, Em?" Em and Kate turned, Lyoy was headed for the table, already dressed.

Em bowed, "Lyoy, my apologies. We didn't mean to wake you."

She waved it away, "Tral woke me." She sat down at the table, "I asked you a question."

Em bowed again, and began serving her food. "Tral left early and didn't eat. Lately he's been stressed about something. Also, you and him haven't been getting along very well."

Lyoy nodded her head, "Quite observant." Em bowed. "One of our engineers is testing some new technologies, and it is not going well. Tral is depending on having this technology before we arrive to the next system."

"What's in the next system?" Kate asked. She still hadn't mastered being quiet.

Lyoy didn't seem to mind, "A demon. One of the kind you call Spartans. We intend to capture it."


Tral entered a large, unused storage bay. Several automatic turrets were in position, creating an obstacle course. Iala was standing next to the purple armor. "Tral, there you are. We're about ready to begin."

"What are the chances it'll work this time?" He asked.

Iala turned to him, "I've consulted with the medical staff, and we believe we have a formula for setting the strength of the suit based on the bone density of the Human. I have brought 3 of the remaining Humans, each with different bone density, to test this system." She touched the suit, "First one is ready to go."

Tral stood back, and nodded. Iala activated the armor. "Human, move your arms." The suits arms moved. "No sign of broken bones. Minor bruising on the forearms." She fiddled with her computer station. "Try walking." The suit took a few steps forward, turned around, and moved back. "Excellent. With your permission shipmaster, we can move it to the next stage."

He nodded, "Do it." Iala guided the armored human through the obstacle course, mapping out it's strength and agility. She clapped cheerfully every time it pasted one of her tests.

It took almost 4 units, but the course was completed. Iala removed the helmet from the Human. "How do you feel? Sore, tired?"

He shook his head, "No. Feels amazing."

Iala beamed, "Excellent!" She turned the armor off, and began pulling the human out. "We can dispose of this one. I'll bring in another test subject." Several guards pulled the Human away, resisting, screaming at Iala about how she lied.

When she returned, another Human male was placed into the armor, and given the same treatment. He too pasted the test. The third and final human was a woman, with a similar body to Em's. Tral watched as the woman completed every test, and came out of the armor unharmed.

"Excellent work Iala," he said, as the woman was removed from the suit.

Iala laughed, "With this, that demon is as good as ours. The analysis of the test runs indicates that this armor mirrors our recorded information on the demon. It should be a fair fight, and with our troops for backup, it couldn't be more in our favor."


Brilliant Exile in orbit of Beta Centauri III – Several Days Later

"I don't understand master," Em said. She was standing in a room with Tral and Iala, just outside the main hanger. They had just arrived in system.

Tral approached her, and spoke softly, "We want you to do something for us. This armor, will make you just as powerful as your Spartan. We want you to capture it, alive."

Em looked at the armor, "What if I turn against you?"

"Don't worry, I along with my best warriors will be there to keep you in line," Tral smiled. "Besides, they won't know you're a Human."

Iala helped Em into the armor, and sealed her up. The armor sprang to life, bringing up a HUD much like Em's old armor had. She felt a sudden pressure as the suit formed to her shape. A green light appeared on her HUD. "It's online, and adjusted for her strength. She's ready."

"Emma, let us board." Tral led her into a drop ship, and she found herself standing at the same hight as most of the other Elites on board. "Depart!" The drop ship detached and flew towards the planet. Em's HUD brought up a diagram of their entry, it had linked with the drop ship's computer system. As they rode, she accessed the various features, and experimented with them.

The ride was short, and Em soon dropped out of the gravity lift surrounded by Tral and the other Elites. A string of Sangheili characters appeared above them when she looked at them, however she hadn't learned enough to pronounce their names. "We run, towards the humans. The demon should come to us," Tral ordered, leading the group.

Em was nervous, this was her first combat engagement, and she was fighting for the wrong side. She knew about the Spartans, everyone did. They couldn't be defeated. And yet, wasn't she as powerful as they were with this armor? Em tried to clear her head, like Jack had taught her, and focused on the mission. She had been given two plasma rifles, only one of which she held, and a plasma pistol. Iala had told her how to access the recharge functions incase she drained any of her weapons.

"The human encampment is on the other side of this ridge. No doubt they have detected us," Tral said, his voice filling Em's helmet. One of the Elites said something in Sangheili, and Tral nodded. The Elite then disappeared towards the top of the ridge. "When the demon appears, let Emma deal with it. She has been trained in Human combat, and can best react to the demon."

Suddenly the scout appeared, "He comes!"

"Hide yourselves, and be prepared to assist once Emma takes him down. Remember Emma, we want it alive!" The Elites all activated their cloaking devices, and faded from view. Em's HUD outlined their positions for her, so she wouldn't shoot one on accident.

Sudden movement in front of her startled her. The suit registered movement, but she didn't see anything. She crouched, and held her rifle at the ready. A green object launched at her, but the suit detected the movement before hand and Em sidestepped, elbowing the Spartan in the back. It dropped to the ground, leaving a large indent.

Em backed away as the Spartan stood. "You're fast," it said, dropping it's broken rifle. The human voice caused Em to pause for a split second. Just long enough for the Spartan to kick her weapon from her. A plasma bolt impact the back of the Spartan, it spun to face the new attack. Em jumped, taking the Spartan to the ground. "I got it!" She called out, knowing Tral would hear.

"Move in, bind it." The Elites brought out a portable forcefield generator, designed to project a sphere around the target. Another one of Iala's inventions. The Elite in charge of the device was fumbling to activate it, and the Spartan used that time to free one it's arms. It grabbed Em's helmet and ripped it off her head. She could feel the Spartan staring at her, it didn't make another move. The forcefield snapped into place around them. Em's armor allowed her to walk through the field, grabbing her helmet from the Spartan in the process.

The Spartan, now aware it was being dragged along the ground by the forcefield, immediately tried to fight back. Nothing it did worked. The two generators for the forcefield were outside the field, it had no way to disrupt them. Em placed her helmet back on, and walked next to Tral in front of the group.

He turned to her, "You did well."

"Thank you, master. It is all because of this armor."

"Now that the demon knows you are human, I shall use you to interrogate him," Tral said. "Maybe even convert him like you did with Kate."

Em bowed her head, "I will try master. I don't think he will join us of his own will."

Tral grinned, "Then there are other things it is useful for."

"You! You're human!" The Spartan called out. Some of the guards growled at him. "Why are you doing this?" She glanced back at him over her shoulder, but didn't reply.


UNSC Hidden Descent – A Day Later

Jack sat on the deck of the bridge, listening to the noise of the crew at work. They were about to drop back into normal space. Captain Mai walked over to him, "There's a chance they don't know we followed them. They could still be in system. Don't give up hope."

"I won't sir," Jack stood. "Every day we don't get her back, she's that much closer to being killed."

Mai nodded, "Then we'll do our best to catch them." He turned to face the front window, "Take us back to normal space." There was a moment pause, and the ship shuddered. The windows opened to reveal they had come in almost in orbit of Beta Centauri III, much like how the Covenant enter systems.

"Being hailed from the surface."

A General appeared, with an AI unit standing next to him. "I take it you're here because of that ship?"

"Yes General. They have taken a marine alive, and we intend to get her back," Mai replied.

The General nodded, "Well, while they were in system, they came down and captured one of ours. Sierra-073 engaged the ground forces, and never returned. Loki here managed to briefly find his transponder signal headed for the Covenant ship. The they took off back into Slipspace."

"Loki, did you manage to get their heading?"

The AI nodded, "They appeared to be headed for the Hellespont System."

"Hellespont? Everything there is glass," Mai said to himself.

The General turned to Loki and nodded, "Son, I want you to take Loki. She'll be more valuable to you than she's been to us."

Mai nodded, "Thank you General."

Loki's hologram disappeared. "She'll arrive momentarily," he nodded, and the communication ended.

The computers all whirred loudly, and finally Loki appeared next to Jack, "All secure. Ready to take the ship into Slipspace."

Mai nodded, "Let's go." The ship shuddered as it entered Slipspace yet again.


Notes from the author:

OH SNAP! Em attack the UNSC! Looks like the lines are blurring. Not much to say about this chapter, it's just starting up a plot arc. Getting closer and closer to the part of the story I love (the part I'm writing right now).

Comments, Reviews, and Criticisms appreciated. See you all tomorrow.