Disclaimer: I don't own Halo or any characters.
Authors note: Ug! This took me a while to put up! I can't believe how much I have to do!...and I've also been playing Fable but most of the time I just don't have time. Hmm ….time is confusing…
Time passed slowly and the only way to tell if time was still going was the elite leaving and returning. He would depart about and hour each time and return with a little sway to his steps. The scientists and marines were taken out each 'day' but none of them spoke of what had happened outside and it didn't seem like a thing Kat wanted to know from the way they looked at her after they came back. Food was also handed out two times a day and Kat was always given a bowl with a few words of scorn. She would ajust push it back to him with her foot and a give him a silent stare. She guessed about 4 days had passed and she had had neither food nor water. But while she watched Dr. Tyler and the others eat their soup slowly with sour faces, her stomach ached. Kat couldn't imagine how bad it tasted just how good it would be to have her stomach satisfied. In training they had been starved one time, she had lasted 5 days while everyone else survived 6 or more. Some had even been forced into eating when they refused to loose the 'mission.' It wasn't physically possible for humans to last that long but the Spartan's had been enhanced in a way to survive without food for 8 days and still have enough energy to take a whole Covenant army. Kat thought it crazy that she would be able to not eat for that long, but then again she had never tested it.
The Spartan lifted her head slowly and groaned as she watched the Sergeant stuff a spoon full of the soup into his mouth and scowl. Her stomach rumbled and Kat slouched forward again. Her shoulders had a tiered slump to them and she let her head hang as if she were asleep. She swallowed and almost choked as her spit slid down her dry throat. Kat let her eyes close a moment so she could get the pictures of food out of her head and when she opened them again the elite was standing in front of her cell. He regarded her with carefully, studying her longer than he usually did after handing out food. That was unusual. The elite normally go right to bench and sleep after mocking her. Come to think of it he hasn't even mocked me today. The elite growled and stamped over to the holo panel.
"Tell the Prophets that it's time." He said after pressing a floating shape on the panel.
There was a moment of silence before a scratchy voice came on. "An escort is being sent."
The elite stood and stared at Kat the whole time they waited for the escort. The time it took for the escort to get there seemed short, the Spartan guessed it was because she was used to the slow moving time of the prison. The doors slid open and the escort team stepped out. The team was made up of two blue, heavily armored aliens and 5 elites with shinny orange, flashing armor. One of the big, blue armored aliens stepped into the Spartan's cell when the prison master put down the force field. Kat became as tense when the alien drew near and grabbed her shoulder. The plasma rope dissipated when the prison elite pressed another floating shape on the panel and the armored alien lifted Kat to her feet. She stumbled and almost fell if it wasn't for the armored aliens hand still on her shoulder to keep her standing.
"Don't crush her bones before we get there Hunter." An orange armored elite said. Hunter, that must be the name of this massive pile of armor. Kat thought as she was pulled to her feet and out of the cell.
"No!" Dr. Tyler screamed, running up to the plasma field. "You're not really going to do it are you?" The scientist asked, looking from one elite to another before her eyes rested on the Spartan. Kat gave a start and looked back at Dr. Tyler. What is she doing? She going to get herself killed talking like that to a Covenant. Kat thought, but she couldn't stop from wondering what the doctor was talking about.
"Cell master," One of the orange armored elite said, staring at Dr. Tyler. "Make sure this one knows not to speak against the Covenant again." The gray armored elite nodded and dropped the force field on the cell.
"Don't!" Kat yelled, jerking toward the Doctor but was only held back by the Hunter.
"I do believe that's the first word you've said since you arrived here." The orange elite said, rounding on Kat. The Spartan bit her tongue as she realized her fault. "Well, since you appear to have an interest in this human we'll stay to watch." Kat scowled and swore she saw the elite grinning when he turned his back to her.
Dr. Tyler back up a step and horror filled her eyes as she watched the prison master advance. He took a rod from the wall outside the cell and activated it by twisting the two ends. Electricity jumped from the end and he pointed it at Dr. Tyler who jerked back as it ran through her body and screamed. Kat gasped and struggled to break free, wiggling back and forth in the Hunters grip. She had to reach the elite that was causing such pain, the doctor had done nothing wrong. Suddenly the other Hunter's massive fist was in her stomach. Kat choked as the air was knocked out of her and crumbled to the ground.
"Stop hurting her!" Johnson suddenly yelled, running up to the elite and punching him in the face. The elite stumbled back and then swung the rod, hitting Johnson's side and sending him flying into the cell wall. Dr. Tyler collapsed to the ground and the two other scientists crawled to her side.
"Humans are so feeble." The orange armored elite said, watching the prison master walk towards Johnson. "But you are no average human now are you?" He said, tilting his head toward Kat as the Sergeant began to scream. She scowled as the Hunter picked her up and forced her to her feet.
There was nothing Kat could do as screams followed her out of the prison. The Cries seemed to stick in her head and they still rang in her ears even after they had gone up a gravity lift. She made no effort to walk on her own and was dragged in between the two Hunters. The Spartan did record how many turns and lifts they took and put it into her memory. Even if the moment did seem bleak, the future could give her access into using the information. That is if the future was kind enough to Kat. In fact the last time her luck was good to her was when Sarah was returned safely to her parents. Then it had steadily gotten worse after that. Could her luck actually run out? She stifled that idea. If she thought that way she wouldn't be able to keep fighting and she had to keep fighting, she lived for the battle.
They finally stopped in front of door and Kat lifted her head as the doors opened. Three old looking aliens, sitting on top floating chairs, were at the far end of the room arguing with one another.
"This will never work! What if this human's body rejects the liquid? How will we ever replace such a valu-" The one who was speaking was cut off when Kat and her escort walked in.
"My prophet we have brought the human." The orange elite said, getting on one knee as the other elites stepped back to the walls.
"Ah, the human." The prophet that looked like the higher rank of the three spoke as Kat was dropped on her knees in front of them. After the Hunters put her down they stepped back to block the door "We've been expecting you. Tell me, did you like your stay here so far?" There was a long, silent pause. "Well speak up! We don't have all day!" He said with more emphasis in his voice but there was still another pause. "This human does have a voice doesn't he?" The prophet asked, turning his head toward the elite. He? They think I'm a man? Kat thought, looking over at the elite, also waiting for the response.
"Yes Higherark. He spoke a word back in the prison." The elite responded.
The prophet turned back to the Spartan. "I command you to speak human!" Kat frowned and lowered her head. "This shall become difficult then."
An elite walked up to Kat from the side and whacked the Spartan on the back of her head with a glowing stick he held. "Speak when the Prophets command it!" He yelled, kicking her in the stomach.
Kat hunching over from the pain in her abdomen. What is it with these aliens hitting me in the stomach? I don't think my wound there has even healed and their just making it worse. "I am commanded by no Covenant." She finally said with a hiss, not wanting another kick to the stomach, fearing her wound would only get worse.
"We shall see…" The prophet replied simply and Kat lifted her head. "Now remove his helmet. I wish to see this human in his true form." He said, pointing a curved finger at the Spartan. The elite that stood next to Kat grabbed her head and tried to pull her helmet off to no avail.
"Only I can remove my helmet." The elite stopped and with a nod from the prophet he back away. "I'm going to need my hands." Kat said, looking up at the prophet. The prophet paused before waving to the elite who then walked up behind Kat. All the other elites stepped forward, tensing up as the restraints were snapped off from her arms. Slowly, Kat raised her hands to either side of her helmet as it hissed and lifted it off her head. Her waist long braid fell onto her back from being rolled up in her helmet.
"A female!" A prophet to one side of the higher ranking higherark gasped. "But our records show that female humans are more fragile than the males."
"You must have deluded records then." Kat stated sourly. "Here, catch." She said, tossing her helmet at the elite that had taken off the restraints. The elite gave a start as he caught the helmet and suddenly his face was caved in from Kat's punch. Grabbing her helmet from the falling elite, Kat pivoted around on her foot and hit an elite behind her with her heel. The Spartan jumped in the air, avoiding a beam from one of the hunters, and flipped over an elite. She landed facing his back and punched his spine. It gave a horrible crack before she crouched down and swept another elites feet from under him. Quickly she flipped into the air, avoiding another beam from the Hunters. Her foot landed on top of an elites head and there was another crack from breaking bones. Shooting up in the air again, she flipped over the two Hunters in front of the door and ran out.
Authors note: Hey! Look! A bar! I've never found that before! Ok, well, so this isn't a very long chapter but I had to update before I had an angry mob on my hands. Well…at least that's what I would be if I was the one reading the story…anyway, I'm going to work hard on the next chapter this weekend so it can be better. Oh and thanks again for the reviews! It keeps me going when I know people out there are actually waiting for another chapter!