A Spartan's War

A/N: I am close to 100k words! That's pretty exciting for me :) I know one of the listed side effects of the Spartan's thyroid implant is a possible suppressed libido, but we're going to ignore that little tidbit for the sake of the story. Please review!

Thanks to reviewers: KAT9033 and Boop

Chapter 28: Respite

REBEL BASE-12:00 HOURS

True to 'Astiree's word, there were actually things of value to be obtained from the rebel base. Marines stood at a few consoles working to extract the intel from the hard drives. The UNSC had also successfully captured stolen nuclear warheads and eliminated rebel activity in the sector.

The Master Chief was talking with the squad that just checked in while Tiffany attempted to help the marines on the terminals with her rudimentary skills.

S'rin was in another part of the base finishing cataloguing the recovered warheads with Fred. Janu and Niro were on recon and Vora was the one currently tasked with keeping an eye on 'Astiree. Who was perfectly well behaved at the moment other than his way to keep himself away from boredom was to watch Jessie. She had removed her helmet and was picking at the cracks on the visor. Vora crossed his arms and gnashed his teeth together. Telling himself it was nothing other than simple curiosity. But the teeth grinding did nothing to keep Bof's previous words from coming to the front of his mind. "I'd-hmmm-take care of her before someone else, uh, does."

In the next few minutes, Niro and Janu walked back into the makeshift control room. Niro was displaying a common nervous habit of his, so Vora knew something was up. He glared at Bof once more before going to the Chief. The four met near the door.

"Niro…" Vora warned. Janu was the first to speak.

"We found the Insurrectionist leader. Suicide in the store room on the second floor. Him and what seems to be his next in lines." The old Sangheili shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal.

"Damn," John swore. "I was hoping we could take them in for questioning, but dead is not a bad solution."

The large man stepped away from the three Elites as a call came in through his helmet.

"Keyes wants us back on base. The marines can hold this one for now." John told the Spartans and Sangheili in the room before radioing the ones not present. Acknowledging the order, Tiffany picked up her rifle before pushing past Jess to walk out of the room with John. Niro and Janu followed suit. 'Astiree needed no prompting and set off at a lazy walk just behind Jessie. Vora was the last to leave the room.

'Ledum observed as a small frown graced Jessie's lips as they trekked back to the Warthogs. The rain had tamed her frizzy curls and turned her hair a dark brown. The Sangeheili remembered hearing something about human women not liking the effect rain had on their hair, he smiled internally at the simple thought. The cracking on her visor had rendered the helmet practically useless and a potential danger if they engaged in combat, so she had opted to leave it off for the return to base.

The group piled back into the Warthogs in the same seating order as before and sped back to friendly territory. The promise of a warm meal and showers pushing the pedal even closer to the metal.

UNSC BASE-13:30 HOURS

Bof 'Astiree was granted a four hour reprieve to eat and shower with relatively low supervision before needing to be returned to his cell. He had already showered and cleaned his armor and was now standing in the mess with a tray in hand. He scanned the sparsely filled mess for a place to sit. He was going to seat himself in a quite corner, when an individual sitting along the far wall caught his attention.

He crossed the mess and plunked his tray on the table, sliding into the booth. The Demon did not look up from the datapad on the table, fork held loosely between two fingers.

"I thought you said you were going to shower first."

"What?" The smoother voice made Jess look at the individual across from her. When she spied Bof rather than Vora, her eyes hardened.

"Get the fuck out of my booth."

"I see you were expecting someone else?" The comment did not rattle 'Astiree at all.

"Yes and he should be here soon. Now go away." She swiped the datapad from the table and dropped it onto her jacket piled on the seat next to her.

"But he is not here yet so I will stay for now." That did nothing to soften her gaze or language.

"I do not want to eat with you, 'Astiree. Does that get the goddamn point across?"

"I understood the first time. I am sure you know Sangheili are a stubborn people." He fully scooted into the booth and adjusted his long legs under the table. Pointedly grazing his shin against her calf. He felt the muscle bunch through the thin fabric covering her lower leg.

"You know what? I was just finishing up anyway." Jess grabbed her jacket and pad then reached for the edge of her plate.

"You are waiting for someone. I do not think he would enjoy finding you gone once he arrives." Bof gently reached out and wrapped a hand around her wrist. Jess' hand immediately dropped her stuff back onto the bench and smacked his hand. The swat knocked his loose grip off her.

"I am sure he would understand." Though she did not make another immediate attempt to stand up.

"May I ask who you are meeting?" Bof took a quick bite of food.

"I don't know you. What the hell makes you think I'd tell you about my lunch plans?" Jess rolled her eyes in frustration. The Elite did not understand the rude human gesture.

"It is the Shipmaster isn't it." It was more of a statement than a question. He already knew the answer based off her causal comment when he sat down and the pheromones he could smell around her.

"Not only are Sangheili persistent, you are nosy as well." She scowled at the man simultaneously eating and questioning her.

"It comes with the ability to better read our surroundings," He tapped his nose and gestured to his head in general. "Decent smell, sight, and hearing plays into a lot of things."

"Still doesn't explain why you want to know about my meeting the Shipmaster."

"Ah, so it really was him." Bof's mandibles spread in a grin before being filled with a bite of food.

Jess sighed in defeat. "Beside the point now," She tossed a hand dismissively. "Something you haven't explained is why you decided to take your meal with a human." She settle an even gaze on him. Similar to the disinterest Niro had tried when guarding his cell.

"Killing you would not have helped me enjoy my few hours of freedom, now would it?" 'Astiree had a knack for rhetorical questions.

Jessie pushed a frustrated hand through her hair. "You very easily could have eaten at an empty table."

Bof cocked an eyebrow ridge and responded, "Maybe I wanted to interrupt a lunch date between the Shipmaster and his female."

It was obvious she had put on her Spartan-mask and stoically stood once more.

"You have three and a half hours until your ass is locked up again. Don't waste it." He let her go and watched the irate Demon leave the mess hall. With a chuckle, 'Astiree returned to his meal solo.

UNSC BASE-14:00 HOURS

Vora has received Jessie's message about diverting their meeting from the mess hall to her room. She did not provide a reason for the change, but he wasn't about to argue. He made his way to see her as soon as he had a chance.

He walked into her quarters when he heard her call the door was open. The sight that greeted him was different then what he normally saw. Jessie was laying on her stomach draped half off the bed. She knees were bent and her legs propped against the wall. She had a datapad resting on the floor and a finger scrolled down the text. She was dressed only in a tank top and sleep pants and her curls were somewhat collected in a low ponytail.

"What are you doing?" He questioned at her incredulous position.

"Trying to read a sappy novel," She admitted. At his continuing confusion she elaborated. "My back is sore. Laying like this helps it feel better."

Vora plopped down next to her datapad. "It does not look comfortable."

She lifted her head to meet his gaze with a small smile. "That makes two of us. The rest of me doesn't like it, but my back does." She tapped the lock screen and pushed the pad down the floor towards the foot of the bed.

Vora had had human physiology instruction throughout the war and was aware of human females possessing mammary glands. The mounds of flesh had never meant anything to him, but right now he was quite enjoying the view her tank top and bed pressed against her front was presenting him. He intertwined two fingers in the chain circling her neck and lifted it. Two silver plates were attached to the end of the loop.

"These are military ID are they not? I have seen almost every human wearing them." He pulled the dogtags closer for inspection, reading the information engraved on them.

"Yes. They are called dogtags. Has a bit of important personal info on it. Used primarily for ID of a person dead or alive, proof of enlistment, and say if someone needed a blood transfusion." She explained. He continued to tangle his fingers in the chain but his eyes had slipped lower then the tags.

"What is your hair doing?" He managed to remove his eyes from the decently modest display of her chest to her blue eyes.

"Oh, I pulled it back. It gets annoying after a time hanging in my face while I try to read."

"I like it down better." Vora lifted one hand to the back of her head. He tugged at the hair tie until it came loose and her curls fell down around her shoulders. Vora dropped the tie to the floor by his knee. He looked at her until something caught his attention. 'Ledum gingerly gripped her chin and tilted her head up to see it in better light.

Jess had a green and purple bruise developing below her right eye and a thin red cut that crossed the bridge of her nose and hooked under her right eye.

"From the grenade." She offered as an explanation.

"Will it scar?" He carefully traced the cut with the tip of an ungloved talon.

"Yes, but I don't mind. It will be faint anyway. Better a scar than loosing my whole head in the explosion," He growled quietly at the comment. "Hey, you don't have your gloves on."

She pulled her chin from his grasp to look at his uncovered hands.

"You are comfortable with my hands, so I left them off." To his ears, Vora thought he sounded sheepish, but the statement made sense.

"I don't mind them at all." Jess gently entwined a hand with the one previously on her chin. The touch felt more intimate and real. Many of their previous stolen touches had been through thick gloves or armor. Now, both of them had their bodies relieved of such restrictive coverings. It even looked like 'Ledum had a pair of casual clothes retrieved from his ship. Vora pulled on the dogtag chain to bring her closer to him.

"In your message you did not explain why you decided to meet me here rather than the mess hall."

"That was the original plan, but 'Astiree decided he wanted to eat his meal with me as well."

Vora's voice hardened, "And?"

"I didn't want to sit with him so I tossed my plate and came here," At the look in his eye, Jessie added, "It was not anything serious, Vora."

"I am glad you came here. I do not trust 'Astiree." His hand had unconsciously tightened around her's.

"I can handle myself. There wasn't much he could really do if he tried. Let alone in the middle of the mess hall." Jess rubbed her thumb across Vora's hand.

"I know that, but it does not mean I have to like it." Jess' other hand came up to rest on the back of his neck.

"He did help me after the grenade fiasco, you can give him that." She said with a small smile, eyes dancing.

"Only because I was not covering you. And your team was spread out." He dropped off into a tiny purr as her hand worked the back of his long neck.

"I think the biggest savior of the day was my armor, but anybody not purposefully trying to kill me was a bonus." His eyes slid close when he felt her dull nails dig into his leathery skin and the pads of her fingers apply and release pressure.

"I will have to thoroughly thank your armor the next time I see it." Humor laced his voice and he opened his eyes once more to watch her break into a larger smile. Jess' work typically called for a stoic mask or she could commonly be found with a scowl, so he greatly appreciated the smile. He thought she looked much better with it. Vora was unsure about human practices related to commenting on attractiveness, it was untested water for him.

"I would almost pay to see you do that." Her voice was quiet and his mandibles contracted as her face drew nearer to his. He had his fingers crossed internally she was going to do what he thought she was. They had been interrupted enough times he was sure his agitation and slightly fouler moods were not purely work related after recent developments.

What he was not expecting was her lips to press against the tips of his closed mandibles. He was confused for only a moment before he remembered humans would mash their lips together in a show of affection and intimacy. Her nails pricked at his neck again and her hand tightened in his. Vora pushed his mandibles back against her lips as her eyes closed. They were soft, but slightly chapped and surprisingly malleable compared to his firmer mandibles and jaw.

He released his grip on her ID tags and moved his hand to cradle the back of her head. Vora's fingers twisted into her loose hair and scratched against her scalp. Jess emitted a small groan as his fingers further tangled in her curls. Their mouths continued to press against each other as Vora shifted himself onto his knees.

With the proper leverage, he used their conjoined hands and the one holding the back of her head to sit her up. Jess grunted while she pulled her legs down from leaning against the wall and tucked them against the bed. Vora silenced her by pushing his mandibles hungrily against her lips. Since she was sitting properly on the top of the bed, he was able to guide her to lay on her back. Making sure to continue the lip connection, Vora crouched and felt Jessie help haul him onto the bed as well.

He braced his knees next to her thighs and leaned over her. They had to break apart to catch their breath. Jess' lips were red and Vora's mandibles tingled nicely. He had never experienced that human action before and was certainly not abject to it. The Shipmaster dropped her hand to trail his fingers down her side to her hip. Vora snaked his fingers under the hem of her shirt and splayed them on the bare skin.

"Last time we were like this you had tried to best me while sparring." His hooded eyes watched her mouth quirk into a smirk.

"It was a draw if I remember correctly." She pat his neck. He hummed his appreciation.

"Consider this the rematch." He felt her hands trail down his back to the bottom of his casual shirt. She was able to bring it up to his shoulders and successfully free his arms.

"Curse your long neck!" She huffed as it became more difficult to rid him of the excess clothing.

"Sangheili find long necks attractive." He teased then reached up to help pull the shirt over his head and toss it to the floor. Jessie appreciatively took in the muscular form hovering just above her body.

"That's all good and well but they make it difficult to get your clothes off." Vora chuckled at her pout before leaning back down to brush his teeth along her shoulder. He too tugged the hem of Jess' tank top up and had an easier time freeing both her arms and head from the material, dropped forgotten on the floor.

Her hands rubbed up and down the length of his back drawing satisfied purrs from dropped himself lower and she could feel his growing need as he ground his pelvis against her. Vora's hands played at her sides and she emitted quiet moans. His mouth made good work of the junction near the bottom of her neck.

Drawing back for a moment Vora kicked off his boots and slid his hands up her stomach until his knuckles brushed the bottom of the contraption covering her chest. Jess hooked one leg around his and lifted her middle to push against him, hands still firmly toying with the muscles along his back. As her back left the bed, Vora stuck one hand behind her to fiddle with the clasp on her bra.

"How the hell-?" He breathed. Jess laughed and reached back as well to guide his hands to unhook the frustrating piece of women's clothing. Once the clasps were undone, Vora threw the offending piece of black cloth away from them.

Jessie moaned as Vora nuzzled the space between her breasts. A hand grazed along the side of one and she arched her back to increase the contact. He groaned and pushed his pelvis into her to further contact that was just barely keeping him satisfied enough not to rip of the rest of their clothes and just have his way. By now his member was at full attention and demanding more notice than it was currently receiving. Vora focused on the mounds of flesh his hands were playing with instead and periodically rubbed his need against her leg. He wanted this to last and not be some quick fuck soldiers sometimes partook in to relieve the stress of military life.

One finger softly passed over Jess' nipple when the room gained another noise that was not heavy breathing or the heady grunts of need. She was slowly drawn back out of the lusty cloud into clarity. Vora, already a step ahead of her, was growling frustratedly with his head pressed against her. His mandibles wrapped over the junction of her shoulder and tightened momentarily. The tips of his sharp teeth pressing into, but no where near breaking the skin.

As soon as he heard the noise he new someone was trying to reach him via the small communicator he carried when not decked out in full battle regalia. His shirt lay rumpled on the floor and the device he had set down as soon as he took a seat before the bed was calling for his attention. He was very much occupied and would rather pay his mind to Jessie than whatever professional business was promised on the other end of the line.

Jess gave his arm a consoling pat and lightly kissed the side of his head. "You better get that. I don't think we want anyone pounding on the door."

"Duty calls." said Vora dejectedly. He sat up and climbed off Jessie then the bed. Ignoring the communicator a moment longer, he retrieved Jess' shirt and bra. He picked up the device once she had pulled the shirt over her head, blocking her half exposed body from his hungry view.

He exhaled an angry sigh and cleared his throat to answer the comm. Vora was going to eat his helmet if he got interrupted one more time. His comm seemed the most popular when he was trying to spend some quality time with Jessie. Better yet, he would make whoever decided, unknowingly, to disrupt him this time eat their own helmet. "I will stuff it down their throat myself."he thought.

"'Ledum." Vora was successful at keeping his anger and lust out of his voice.

"It is time the Elite prisoner is returned to his cell. One of your men recommended you be there. He had mentioned subsequent interrogation." Vora did not recognize the human's voice.

"Let him know I will be there momentarily." He shut off the device and stuffed it in his pants pocket. 'Astiree was the root cause for his interruption and now discomfort in his pants. Such a problem was well on the way to being solved with the Spartan sitting on the bed, but now it would have to do with straining painfully against the clasp. Vora could think of worse things to do to Bof than merely force fed him a combat helmet. Plus, it would give him an outlet for what he thought were two veiled go's at Jess. The female he was subconsciously claimed as his. But was currently not physically marked as both S'rin and Bof had pointed out to him. "Too bad I need him alive." Vora thought.

He looked to Jessie ready to explain, but she said, "Go on. A Shipmaster never sleeps." She waved him on as he gathered his discarded shirt and left her room with a longing glance.

And that's the end of this chapter. I realize the last bit of this chapter is such a tease :) I couldn't help it. Kept building the sexual tension people have been pointing out in reviews. It keeps on growing! I also haven't decided if I'm going to try writing a full blown/possible triangle (Bof being one-sided) or if he will just come off as a dick time to time. Till next time, my lovelies!

-Masterful-Mind