Present Day Heretic HQ…
The Heretic leaders sat there, in a round circle in the same dark room which the high one inhabited for months on end. Only a small torch in the middle of the group gave off light.
"Are the repairs complete?" the high one asked, still keeping the tradition to never show his face. All that was known about his face was his gleaming red eyes.
"Yes my lord, all damage was repaired." The underling reported, bowing as low as he could.
"Yes… What caused the damage?" the calm high one asked.
"We… we expected a traitor."
The room fell silent, no one dared to speak. An air of dread fell over the room, no one stirred. The real traitor, commander Bendat, sat there silently, laughing loudly in his head. The high one leaned over, so close to one general that he could feel the hot breath on his face.
"Let's hope there isn't one." The high one whispered, but everyone heard.
…New York, Steven's dorm…
I lay on the bed, lazily looking at the smoke that came from his cigar. Right now I was living off the government until they got me a spot in collage.
Music started in the other room, very loud. I got up, and walked over to the other room. Stride stood there, watching the radio with wide eyes, gripping his plasma sword.
"Don't worry, it's not hostile." I joked.
It was met by an unimpressed and tired face.
"Hear that?"I asked, snapping my fingers to the beat.
"What?" he asked still agitated.
"Can't you hear that? The beat of the song." I asked.
"Is this what you humans do in your free time?" he cynically asked, walking out the room.
"Come on man, this is important stuff!" I insisted, turning off the radio and following after him.
"You didn't have music back in your home world?" I asked with amazement.
"We didn't do irrelevant things." He answered, sitting down on the couch. It sagged under the weight of his armor, which he never took off. At least the time he spent in my dorm.
"No wonder you guys lost the war." I said, and by doing so, stirred up a hornets' nest.
"We never lost the war; our great Prophets simply decided that enough lives were lost fighting the infidel." He replied, burning anger fueled by faith and furry.
"Billions of advanced alien soldiers losing to a few million Earth soldiers?" I asked.
"We did need to purify this galaxy. Kill all non-believers." He zealously said an attitude not uncommon in Elites. He was blinded of all those propaganda statements and the teachings of the "Holy" prophets.
"So this wars point was to just feed the egos of your insane prophets?" I countered.
"I was saying-."
"What? That you needed to start a war that killed Trillions?"
"We needed to purify this galaxy!"
"God… I would have loved to meet you on the field of battle, given a good chance to kill you."
"I would enjoy the same."
Our eyes linked, as tension filled the room and were waiting for the other to pull his weapon. The moment brought back the hatred the two sides still had against each other. All that was needed to condemn more billions to death was a act of hatred. My disliking of the Elite was outweighed by the thought of my brothers lost in the flames of war. I did not want others to suffer what I did.
A knock at the door ended the hostilities… for a moment at least. I promised myself that if a war ever happened again, and the Humans and Covies were somehow allies. Stride would be the first KIA'ed by "friendly fire."
"I'll get it." I said my voice devoid of all emotions. Stride seemed to also back down.
I went to the door, listening to the slightest footsteps behind me, still clutching my service pistol. I opened the door; half expected a officer to give me some crazy lecture. But at my door, was a 20 year old American raw recruit. His hair was short and black, finely kept. His uniform was completely spot free; he stood a little shorter than me. His brown eyes matched the bag he hauled behind him.
"Can I help you private?" I asked, easing of my pistol.
"It's an honor to meet a surviving trooper from the Covenant wars! It really is an honor." He said, as if I were a superstar.
"Any reason you're here?" I asked.
"I am making aquatints with my dorm mates."
"Right… What's your name?" I asked.
"Wheaton, sir. And my specialty is Communication skills. I speak 6 languages, Mandarin, French, German, Spanish, Advent (Covenant language) and Japanese."
"Amazing." I bluntly said, "Shouldn't you report to your dorm?" I asked, trying to get rid of him.
"Who's this?" Stride came up behind me, startling me by his fleet of foot.
"A new dorm person." I replied.
The new guy shock Strides hand and started talking to him in an alien tongue. Stride seemed intrigued by the human being able to speak his same tongue. The phone rang in the "kitchen", and I went to answer.
"Steven here." I preemptively said into The phone.
"Steven, this is Dan." The cheery voice from the recognizable accent.
"Hey man, how's things holding up with you?" I asked, wiping my forehead.
"Good, all good. But the real reason I called. The Army vs. Navy football game is coming up. And I hear that they have an open tryout on Friday. You should check it out." Dan reported, expecting I'd like the news.
It was pleasing news indeed; I played football much of my life, always hoping to get a chance to play in a big game.
"Sounds, good I'll be there. You playing?" I asked, trying to curve my anxiety.
"Not my type of game, I hear the Italian and some others are in."
"Thanks see you." I said, hanging up. I felt overjoyed; I waited for a chance like this almost all my life. I jumped up and hit the ceiling with my hands.
… Pentagon...
The room filled with chatter as both Covenant and Human military personal sat, waiting impatiently. They sat divided, Covenant on the right, and Humans on the left. Quite like the real thing. But they did not know that if they stood divided, they would both fall.
A hush came over the crowd as the president walked in. The Human generals rose up and saluted, the Covenant didn't give such a luxury. The Covenant leader then came in, and the entire Covenant rose.
The president had fading grey hair, and the war had a drastic affect on his age. His eyes looked always tiered, but this only masked the brilliant mind he had. He alone held the Spartan project together, even
amongst huge disapproval amongst the staff. His name is Gorge. Gorge Walker. And he is the 189th president to take office.
"It's an honor to meet you." The president said, shaking the hand of a former enemy.
He came up close to the Elites ear and whispered, "I can never forgive you for what you've done to us. I would like nothing better than to see you burn."
"I did not come here to be scolded by an old fool." He responded with growling hostility.
"Nor did I. Truth is… we need your help…"
...