I'm back, again, with the next chapter. Thanks to all of you reviewing, I really appreciate it. In this one, I made a few ties to Halo 2, which may give you a new way to play it now, maybe. Hope you like it.

Chapter 8:

Species Smackdown

"Careful Chief," Cortana said as she and the Master Chief slinked past Covenant guards in hopes of finding Grievous unarmed and easy to take out. "Even if Grievous is unarmed, he will still be a powerful foe, carrying those light sabers around all the time."

"I don't need her to tell me that, I've fought Grievous twice." The Master Chief thought, hopeful that Cortana wasn't able to read his thoughts. With the light saber tube in one of his supply pouches, and an assault rifle in his hands, John was ready for a battle alright.

'Letomee, cautious for 'Hetamee's welfare in a base full of Brutes, for he knew that if a Brute were to angrivate the unstable Elite at this time and moment, 'Hetamee might snap, go insane, and attack him, and the Covenant Major didn't want that to happen to one he looked up. his yellow eyes glanced at 'Hetamee's hand, his clawed fingers wrapped tightly around a plasma sword tube, the Prophets must've assigned him a new one after the Master Chief destroyed his other one. The scarlet-armored Elite led the gold-armored Ship Master past a pair of sliding doors into the common's area, where Covenant were eating and drinking to their heart's content.

"Sir, you should rest up in here, have a few conversations with fellow comrades, and get something to eat, I think I shall speak with Grievous about your condition. I'll be back to check up on you in a few units." And with his words, 'Letomee left 'Hetamee in the massive chamber. His mandibles clacking nervously, the gold-armored Elite walked cautiously to the food court, maybe eating something and getting a fine drink would get his mind off the Brutes.

"How is Hular?" Grievous asked, looking out the window of his cabin, 'Ritamee and 'Jemomee stood side-by-side behind him.

"He is better General, the wound is healing nicely." 'Ritamee said. "And...as for the new recruitments, they seem to be rather aggressive towards your leadership." Grievous scowled under his skull mask.

"I hate Brutes." He muttered.

"And word has come to us from messenger Elites that the Prophets may be favoring Tartarus and his kind over Elites now." 'Jemomee added. Grievous rose from his hunched position and turned to his Elite comrades.

"Tartarus...he's going to get what's coming to him sooner or later." The cyborg growled.

"Yes sir." 'Jemomee replied. The doors behind the Elites opened and 'Letomee walked through, nodding his respects to 'Jemomee and Grievous.

"'Letomee." Grievous said, returning the nod back to him.

"General, it's 'Hetamee, he's in horrible condition. I fear that once a Brute crosses his path, he will loose it." 'Letomee said. 'Jemomee looked at him.

"'Hetamee? No, he is too laid back to do that." He replied. 'Letomee looked at his superior officer.

"Sir, he is shaking, refuses contact with other Covenant, and I nearly had to drag him into the common's area."

"Hmm...that is odd, may I see 'Hetamee?" Grievous asked.

"I will come as well." 'Jemomee added. Grievous walked past 'Ritamee, telling him.

"'Ritamee, stay with Hular until he gets better."

"Yes General."

'Hetamee tried to relax, but something else was bothering him, he kept getting flashes of himself, only in the legendary Arbiter's armor, with the Demon, acting almost as allies. His shaky fingers tried to grab the food on his plate, but everytime he would pick up the fresh piece of meat, it would fall from his grasp.

'Letomee, 'Jemomee, and Grievous walked through a pair of sliding doors, now overlooking the chamber atop a staircase. 'Letomee pointed to the food court.

"There he is." The scarlet-armored Elite said, extending a clawed finger at 'Hetamee. "Uh oh..." He muttered, when he saw the pair of Brutes, Waralter and Patark approached the unstable Elite.

The Master Chief rammed the butt of his assault rifle into the back of an unaware Grunt's head, bringing him down quickly and silently. Checking his surroundings, John figured he was safe for now and continued his way down the hall. He jumped back when a piar of doors slid open and he used the wall beside the doors for cover, yet he managed to steal a peak in the room. He saw as two Covenant he had never seen before began to give a gold-armored Elite a hard time, and that's when he saw him, and his heart skipped a beat. Grievous, along with a gold-armored and a red-armored Elite walked down a flight of stairs, approaching the Brutes.

"What's Grievous doing?" Cortana asked, the Master Chief thought the same question.

"Stand down Brutes." Grievous boomed, enough that his soldiers, and everyone else, stopped. "He is a superior officer to you." On the other side of the room, watching, with his arms crossed, was Tartarus, waiting for one screw up on either Grievous or 'Hetamee, so he could report them to the Prophets, and have either one of them killed for their actions. Weralter and Patark backed away, though they hated Grievous for his loyalty to the Elites, they had to respect him, or get killed. "Excellent, now if I am see something like this again, you just might wish you didn't do it." Grievous snarled.

"Yes sir." Weralter muttered. Patark glared down on 'Hetamee, and struck his dish with his backhand, the plate shattered on the floor.

"PATARK!" Grievous boomed. He ignited a light saber and stepped forward. "This is a warning!"

"Hmm..." Tartarus thought. "Can I write up Grievous for this? No, the Prophets would be displeased if I did that."

"I apologize." Patark said, nodded his head in respect, and turned, shooting a glare at 'Hetamee. Unfortunatly, that was enough for the Elite to finally snap. He jumped up, ignited his plasma sword, and flared his mandibles in frustration.

"Ha! Assault on another Covenant, I can write 'Hetamee up on that one." Tartarus turned and walked towards the Prophet's chamber. 'Hetamee raised his weapon when Grievous brought a hand up.

"No my friend, he is my soldier, I shall punish him for his actions against you. Go get some rest." 'Hetamee, scowling, lowered his weapon, and walked off, 'Letomee ran up to guide him to his cabin. Grievous turned to Patark, but from the corner of his eye, saw a pair of doors open. "Now why are those doors...?" Grievous began, turned his head toward the doors, and froze. He saw as the Master Chief realized he was spotted, and jumped back into the hallway. "YOU!" The cyborg roared and ignited another light saber. "You have to come to your own death!"

"We've been spotted. Do what you do best chief." Cortana said. The Master Chief nodded, turned, and opened fire on Grievous, striking several other Covenant, Patark, and barely missing 'Jemomee as he jumped back. Grievous, like always, spun his hands around, blocking the bullets with his light sabers.

"You have one of my trophies, come and fight me with it." Grievous ordered. The Master Chief, remembering the light saber, and since his assault rifle was out of bullets already, since he wasn't counting on a confrontation like this, dropped his rifle, and pulled out the tube, pressing a button and igniting it. Grievous smiled behind his mask. "You are indeed a very formidable opponent, able to defeat me and take one of my own trophies, but this will end." He said. The Master Chief's hands tightened around the light saber tube.

"You can count on it..."

No fighting? Again? WHY! Don't worry, next chapter will be like their last fight, nothing but fighting, just wanted to get this one out of the way before the big bam, and again, it won't be the last battle, so you can just sink your teeth into the next chapter. :) And there is a tie-in with Halo 2 to this if you didn't notice, 'Hetamee is the one who will be the Arbiter you know and love from Halo 2! As least in this fic he does. I read somewhere the Arbiter was once a gold-armored Elite, so I figured 'Hetamee would become him. I know that the Arbiter was one Halo 04 and failed there, but that will all be explained later on. Hope you liked it and don't forget to review!