Yeah I know... I was a little off schedule. What? Thanksgiving can make anybody feel too full to do anything for days! So far I have had only one person submit a story for my challenge. I need at least one more person. Unless you all want said person to get to pick a marine AND an elite to be featured in my story? Well, if you are interested visit my profile and get the details. By the way, I do not own Halo or anything related to Halo and stuff.

ALSO: Finals are coming up. You know what that means? It means I will probably be too swamped with real life crap to actually submit any more chapters for up to but not limited to 3 weeks. Sorry guys. The story will be continued after said crappy life crap.

/\/\N\/\/

Nurse grunted unhappily.

He knew he needed supplies for the Trauma Center, but he hated that he had to leave Mistress alone with the elite.

He needed a lot of items, and he knew that Mistress would be mad if she saw how depleted he had let the supplies get. Despite his exhaustion, he puffed out his chest when he imagined Missy going all commando and drilling "Suck it up you pussy!" The thought made him chuckle and brightened his mood despite the dreadfully long walk.

Above the next hill was the large covenant encampment; it lay sprawled over the once fertile human city park. Covenant were milling about the yard, running errands, carrying weapons, trading war stories.

He could easily slip in amongst them, after all, who would bother to notice a small Unggoy? But still, he felt the need to tread carefully. He stuck to the shadows of the purple barrack units. And finally found what he was looking for.

Nurse came in through the familiar dark alley-way that led to the back of the Unggoy barracks. When he entered a pair of large Unggoy charged with guarding the door eyed him.

Nurse "kept his cool" as the humans say. The guards were large for Unggoy, they both towered over him, fierce and imposing. They appeared identical: Green armor, thick muscles, beady eyes, angry glares. Save the one on the right bore a blackened mark above his breast that could easily be mistaken for a scorch mark.

He waddled up to the one on the right and said nonchalantly,"Just got back from the Left Wing Trauma. Medic had me run an errand." Nurse smoothly gave the guard a slip of paper with Mistress' signature.

The guard looked over the paper, then nodded knowingly and let him pass. Nurse nodded back and quickly slipped into the grunt barracks.

He took off his breathing apparatus and gave himself a good long scratch on the nose. "Ughh…" That felt great. It felt good to just walk around in here without that thing on. It felt good to just take a lungful of sweet, non-metallic-tasting air! After taking a few seconds to just breathe easy, he shook himself from his moment of bliss. Back to business.

Inside sat a feeding nipple, a few lockers, and a rack full of Unggoy methane tanks and breathing apparatus'. His destination lie between the small space between the feeding nipple and methane tank racks.

At first glance, you wouldn't even give a second thought to the slim shadow between the bright purple equipment. He knew what lay beyond, and he was one of only a handful that did. It was a tight fit and a short walk through a dark maze.

A dim light flickered from around the next curve. The cramped maze widened into a medium sized, cozy chamber, furnished with luxurious chairs, ornate tables, and intricate rugs (all appeared to be a mixture of human, jiralhanae, and kig-yar origin). From behind a large table and chair sat Fayay, his black armor made him seem to melt in with the shadows in the dimly lit room.

He was a rather small Unggoy, but he was in no way to be underestimated. He was an untouchable grunt smuggler of the black market, and his alter ego a rather well-noted special operations Unggoy.

A lithe looking female Kig-Yar with a breathing apparatus of her own was sprawled across a delicate looking reclining chair. She was Fayay's companion, though some say mate; he heard she went by Jak.

Fayay abruptly cut off the conversation he was having with Jak as soon as he saw Nurse. "Ahh! Haven't seen you in a long time Palip…Nurse…whatever the hell you call yourself nowadays. You and the human girl still helping our brave Unggoy soldiers?" Nurse handed him the note and replied "Mistress does all she can to help our people. She has taught me many things. And I learn more every day."

The little smuggler leaned forward, his large eyes sparkling mischeivously, "You learn any new bedding techniques from the human girl? Saw a couple Jiralhanae having a bit of fun with some poor human a couple days ago. Always wanted to try that you know..." Nurse looked uncomfortably at Jak, but she either didn't care or was used to her companions bawdiness. None-the-less, Nurse shifted his feet uncomfortably.

Fayay seemed oblivious to Nurse's discomfort as he rattled on, "Not with a male though...yeesh, are they ugly. A female wouldn't be too bad I suppose. I heard some stories about those females having some rather nice handholds on them; I think it'd make up for their looks. You let me know when your Mistress decides to teach you something I can relate to." Nurse could feel the blood rush to his face, making him blush. When Fayay saw Nurse's shocked expression he laughed darkly, a surprisingly deep throaty roar for his size "I'm just messing with you. I have to admit; I really admire what you two are doing." Jak had slunk from her recliner and was eyeing the note Fayay clutched in his hand. "And if you need anything, let me know. I'm always willing to help out…"

Jak quickly squawked, "To an extent." She spoke in the language of Unggoy, but her screeching native tongue gave her a strange accent.

Fayay glowered at her but smiled a wide toothy grin when he looked back at Nurse. "This could be tough to get, though. A most difficult endeavor, and worthy of my smuggling talents!" Fayay's laughter boomed in the small room.

Jak glared at Nurse and whispered something in her partner/mates ear. His laughter broke off and he turned to the note again, hastily scanning. "Sangheili rations? I thought you said the human couldn't facilitate Sangheili scum?" Fayay's expression darkened, and as if on cue, Jak slithered over towards Nurse.

He gulped. Oh shit. The jackal clacked, "You know our contract…Palip." His heart was beating rapidly; it felt like it was in his throat. Jak ran a clawed hand down his spine. His heart beat faster and faster. Jak circled him as if she was a lioness and he was a particularly juicy piece of meat. One of her longer claws tore his skin, making vivid blue blood run down his back. She brought her long, sharp toothed mouth to his ear and hissed, "You know what will happen if you cross usssss."

"Mistress said she can make groundbreaking antibiotics for…Kig-Yar! With this food..." Stupid. They aren't going to believe that.

Jak clacked her beak, a look of interest sparking in her eyes. That…That might actually have worked.

Jak clacked her beakish mouth twice more, "I have come to understand that your…mistressss is quite skilled when it comes to medicines." She slowly withdrew her claws from his back and looked him over, thinking. She replied with hesitation, "I might be able to get you the required amount of rations…but only if you promise me some of those antibiotics." Jak glided back over to where her mate sat and he looked thoroughly pissed.

Whew. Glad I got out of that with only a scratch…still hurts though. Nurse weighed the consequences of his bluff, while tenderly rubbing his wound.

Mistress was super smart…she could concoct an antibiotic no problem. But she is going to kill me for making her have to do more work, especially when she is hurt.

Suddenly Fayay smashed his fists on his desk, rattling whatever was inside…waiting for Nurse's agreement. After a moment of thought, Nurse bashed his fists on the ground, each pound echoing in the small room, sealing the deal.

The supplies would arrive at the usual time. Plenty of rations and medicines to keep Mistress happy at least.

\/\/\M/\/\/

Without knowing how long she had been unconscious she decided it best to check on her other patients (a single jackal and two grunts). At first she was scared that they might have starved to death or worse…but, thankfully, they were fine and fast asleep.

Nurse must have sedated them before he left. All she had to do was wake them up and give them her remaining rations.

After all that, she returned to the surgery room. I really wish I could wear my armor. But I guess I shouldn't freak him out. Her already nervous heart jumped into her throat when she saw that her Sangheili patient was awake. He sat on the edge of his "bed" and was scratching at his leg bandage. He looked up at her when she walked in.

"Uhh…" She said stupidly. Fuck. Nurse I need you! You're my freaking translator! How the hell can I talk to him? Missy tried to think of something. She had heard elites talk before…on the battlefield. What the hell, give it a shot. "So, uhh…Wort, wort, wort?" From the way the large elite cocked his head at her, she knew that she her attempt at speaking Sangheilian had failed miserably.

No surprise there. "Fuck. You don't understand a single thing I'm saying." Missy could feel her cheeks getting hot from embarrassment.

The large elite boomed "I can understand you fully, human. And I do take offense at your attempt to communicate."

Her jaw dropped "How can you understand me?"

He clacked his lower mandibles, whatever the hell that means, and replied "Part of my training. English is child's play…Where is the Spartan that chopped off my leg?"

That caught her off guard. She hadn't thought he would remember so much after the trauma he had endured.

But Missy kept a poker face and simply replied "Probably left you for dead on the field. He probably had better things to tend to." He eyed her suspiciously but seemed to take her word for it. He doesn't know I'm a Spartan. Thank goodness. Who knows how mad he might get if he found out I did that to him.

Still, his behavior was unnerving. She had come in here expecting him to be angry, or at least dead from suicide. Whenever she had tried to heal other Sangheili in the field, they had all either blown themselves to smithereens with a grenade, or made her have to kill them.

She couldn't help feel a little suspicious at how easily her patient was taking all of this, especially his missing leg. He doesn't even look bothered. What the fuck? Shaking away her suspicions she tried to be polite,"So… your name is?"

The elite growled at her, his mandibles chewing at the air "You shall never speak my name. Nor shall you ever hear it, human." Oh, so that's how it's gonna be? You gonna be all high and mighty now?

Missy just shrugged, "Fine. Have it your way." She cautiously walked over to the metal table and motioned for him to lie down.

He didn't seem to understand her hand gesture, so she in an exasperated huff, "Ok Splits. Gonna need you to lie down so I can check out your leg."

The elite she dubbed Splits snarled "You mean my stump?" But surprisingly, he lay back on the table. That was a little too easy.

She made sure to keep a wary eye on him while she was so close.

Carefully, she cut away the fabric and observed the healing tissue.

Oh dear.

The bandage had appeared fairly clean…but the wound underneath was definitely infected. Puss was seeping from the violet stump, and it reeked of decay.

Without thinking she reached up to feel if he had a temperature. Splits smacked her hand away painfully and roared "Do not touch me vermin!"

Not thinking yet again, Missy growled right back, "You better shut up and let me work, you ungrateful worm! I'm trying to check if you have a temperature so you don't die!"

She was taken aback by her own stupidity. Oh fuck. I called him a worm… Now he is going to kill me. They were so close; he could easily grab her. Even with her super speed, there was no way she could skip out of his reach in time. She cringed, waiting to be utterly destroyed…but Splits didn't crush her into a bloody pulp like she thought he would.

Instead, he watched her with a sort of veiled fascination…kind of creepy.

Pushing the thought aside, she reached up cautiously. When he made no move to reject her, she pressed her hand against his throat, just under his lower mandibles. He felt very hot to the touch, and clammy with a sweat. "Oh, no." Missy picked up her nearest scalpel and fished out a bottle of elite-grade antiseptic from her medical bag.

Splits weakly called after her, "What is it human?" After finally yanking out what she was looking for, and spilling most of the bag's contents on the floor, she rushed back over to Splits. The medic used her left arm to gently but firmly hold his stump down.

"I need to cut away this infected tissue, and then clean it out." She expected him to object…but he baffled her again.

"Do whatever needs doing, by all means." he replied nonchalantly.

She hoped she didn't look as shocked as she felt. Whatever. Save now, worry later. The elite gasped when she began cutting away the infected flesh, and he banged his fist on the nearest kitchen counter, but he held in like a trooper.

Even when she poured the stingy antiseptic and scrubbed the wound he did little more than grunt occasionally.

On a particularly tender portion of stump he screeched at her with what she assumed to be Sangheilian curses. And his fingers curled in front of him, as if imagining strangling her.

He did not lay a finger on her, but as soon as she finished she jumped back from him and sighed. Missy was just glad the wound was clean now. Splits was looking at her through narrowed eyes. She matched his glare "You're still alive aren't you? Be happy." Splits just growled and tenderly rubbed the newly bandaged stump.

After cleaning up her mess, and packing up her supplies, she felt her stomach growl. Man, am I hungry! Her thoughts went to the elite nursing his wound "Hey, Splits!" He turned an orangey eye towards her and grumbled.

"You hungry?"

/\/\/V\/\/\

"You're still alive aren't you? Be happy." growled the Spartan.

He should have killed her.

She was standing right there. Right. There. And yet…he couldn't kill her. That had been his chance.

Wasn't that what he had been so patiently waiting for? But his curiosity had stayed his hand. That had always been his downfall.

That was why (despite his massive size and superb swordsmanship) he had become a stealth major. Curiosity. And this conundrum was just too tantalizingly strange.

The questions buzzed in his mind. Why is she so secretive about her being a Spartan? Where is her team? How does no one know of this place? The most intriguing question of all was: Why is she helping The Covenant?

At least he thought she was helping The Covenant. He had heard Kig-Yar and smelled Unggoy in the building, anyways. He had also noted several canisters strewn on the counters labeled things such as: Unggoy antiseptic, Unggoy smelling-salt, and Kig-Yar Capsaicin. He assumed she was a human healer…only, she healed her enemies. That is why she is trying to heal me…but why is the real question.

If he killed her right away, he gained honor, but he would lose answers. The very thought of losing potentially vital information made him cringe. However…If I go along with this a bit more, I might be able to learn something worth great value. I can always kill her afterwards. He was the best in his fleet at decoding and retrieving information. His talents were widely respected and commended. This was a challenge he could not pass on. Think of what he could learn from a Spartan! He could present his findings to his commander and rub it in his face. The thought made his blood boil with excitement.

The Spartan interrupted his musings "Hey, Splits!" He glared at the human girl. If she keeps calling me that I might have to kill her early. "You hungry?"

Truthfully? He was starving. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten. Should I eat the food the Demon brings me though? What if it's poisoned?

He blinked at her dumbly, not sure what to say.

She just rolled her eyes...peculiar, "Whatever, I'll try and find something that your body can handle." She turned on her heel sharply, her white long coat swirling after her. She doesn't want me dead, from what I have been able to gather. But I do not know that for sure. There really wasn't a choice though. Either he died from poison, or from starvation. What did it matter?

He growled angrily to himself. He will just have to play the part of patient…as much as that annoyed him. The Tuyok didn't look down on medics as much as other Sangheili family did, but this was still an embarrassment.

Voro' just wanted to get off this damn bed and do something. He wanted to disappear and explore this trauma center. He wanted to decipher and pry apart the secrets of this place. But how can I get any information in this state? His armor was gone (which meant no active camouflage), his leg was chopped in half so he couldn't walk, and to top it all off he was sick from infection. I should have killed myself. Curiosity held him captive, filling his mind to the brink with wonder, keeping him from doing the only sensible thing in this situation: suicide.

As he puzzled over what to do next, a smell wafted through the air and made his mandibles quiver.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I love you all. Please continue to read and review and I will love you more though! Also check out that challenge I have made...seriously.