Chapter 7

Time: 12:30

Location: Female Barracks

(P.O.V: Kará)

I was carefully thinking of a strategy to make it out of here in decent condition. I was looking at the map of the ship, the simple blueprint design and saw there were at least 3 ways to get to the hangar from the main hall. I routed out the quickest route, though probably the most deadly. Once the operation begins, the entire ship will be firing at Scotty and me. I had to leave no margin of error, for one slip can be havoc enough to kill the both of us. I had a belief of how the execution may be. The Prophet always loved a good bloody show, so it will most likely be violent: a firing squad, or a decapitation.

"Decapitation sounds more reasonable, for he can spend minutes trying to torture Scotty," I thought.

I scanned the map for all exit points. If we take the main route to the hangar it would lead to a second floor opening up onto the first, so snipers could gain leverage there. I continued to map this out and formed a strategy best fitting this; it seemed as though I was planning an executive mission that I normally would for the Covenant, but now against them. I chuckled at the thought. One day I was the one of the best warrior enlisted, but now I am one of the worst enemies they will fight.

The main route had branches leading to it, so if it became too hot we would have to fall off of it and take the alternate route. There is a maintenance route, that will suffice, to arrive at the hangar.

"They will likely shut down the doors leading out, so the maintenance route will be best if it happens," I thought, now looking at the route seeing how far it would lead out to the hangar, "it will lead to the hangar, problem is that there is only one exit and one entry, a very small one at that. They could surround us on the exit and set up explosives."

I was in deep thought on how to do this, and I jolted as I was buzzed on the intercom to return to the interrogation room to try to retrieve any information from the human. I stored my plans in my chest with my other belongings, but I put it under the false bottom and everything back on top. I quickly went to the room as I would usually be there earlier; I did not need them to catch any clues to my detailed plan.

I arrived there, and both Scotty and the Prophet were in there already discussing.

"That was a very large move and mistake on your part for attempting to escape like you had," the Prophet said with admiration and disgust.

"Well if you were in my position you would do the same," Scotty said in a monotone voice.

"Well if I.," the Prophet said, raising his voice, but stopped as he looked at me, "Ahh Kará, so glad you can join us."

"Yeah, now the whole Covenant fuck party is here. Great, you honestly think you can get any information out of me at this rate; you're a fool to believe that," Scotty smirked, taking off his helmet in an awkward way as his wrists were cuffed.

I felt like I would soon be the peacemaker of these two as venom was being spat by both forces.

"We have other ways of making you talk," I said, still following the plan of interrogation, "it depends entirely on you. You can make it easy or difficult."

"Did you not learn your lesson yesterday? I'm going to tell you again as well I am going to tell your 'Prophet' that I can't be interrogated. So try to torture me," he smiled.

"Then we shall see," the Prophet said, "bring in the DTC needle, the pressure pins, and straps," and two of the guards went to bring in the table of equipment.

I instantly knew he was going for the physiological/physical oxygen deprivation, and it usually works on the weaker mindset beings. The DTC is a paralysis drug when refined, and the pressure pins is a clamp system that is adjustable to fit the neck of any being.

"You two," the Prophet signaled to his other honor guardsmen, "position him to be laying face up for this." I watched on, hoping Scotty does not break for this is just a small test on us, but it may be different to him.

The guards had set up the steel table and laid Scotty on it, and I was watching helplessly and just hoping he can laugh in their face at this.. The other two Sangheili brought in the table of instruments and started tying the human down. The needle was handed to the Prophet, and he jabbed it into the side of Scotty's neck.

"Fast working drug isn't it, Kará?" he smiled, turning to me.

"Well yes, as it does rush through your bloodstream when you have a fast heart rate or adrenaline," I said agreeing to the statement, rather not the practical use in this situation.

"Now put the clamps on his lower neck and dial the pressure to 3," he ordered.

This system had 10 levels, one more excruciating than the last, and the pressure will squeeze the very life out of you when you reach 10, but not one person has made it that far before passing out or dying. The clamp was placed on his neck, and he started coughing.

"Now can you tell me, where is the location of Earth?" asked the Prophet.

"Hahaha, is this best you've got? I have experienced more pain in early boot camp," he laughed.

I sensed the anger building up in the Prophet, and I knew he was going to double the pressure, which he did. I saw Scotty wince in pain as his arteries were being crushed.

"Now will you continue your behavior or will you break?" he asked.

"You're going to have to dial that all the way up if you want to even get any information from me," he chuckled, his skin changing color slightly..

"So be it," he looked at the torturer, "turn it up to 10,"

"But sir, not one person has survived on 10," the guard pleaded.

"Do it, or I will have you charged with insubordination," he yelled.

The guard turned the dial to the max, and Scotty shouted in pain as his neck arteries were being pulverized.

"NOW TELL ME WHERE EARTH IS!" he roared.

"Kiss.. My… Ass!" Scotty smiled, breaking on each word as he could hardly breathe.

I watched as his skin started to turn to white. His blood pressure is being lowered to a trickling phase by the brain's neurological system thinking the pressure is raising.

The Prophet was more than fuming; he hated how Scotty was being stubborn. I knew that this may be short with his temper showing. The Prophet hit Scotty in the chest with his fist, trying to knock the air out of his lungs and make the blood loss go faster. Scotty groaned and he looked in pain, but still not willing to give any information. He broke the record by now on the length of time before breaking, passing out, or death.

"If you.. think I'll break.. under these.. agh.. conditions, you.. clearly are wrong," Scotty said trying to get air into his lungs, "you must have.. never met.. a SPARTAN."

"You are being too stubborn for your own good," I said still keeping my act up, "it will most likely be the death of you."

He gasped for one last breath, "We will see," and passed out.

I panicked a little and looked at the Prophet, he had the guards take off the clamps and put them away. I felt his neck and checked for a pulse, and there was one, very small. The poison given was making his heart rate slower by each second. "He needs the antidote," I said.

"Why should I give it to him, that would be a reward, that which he doesn't deserve for not giving any intel."

"If none is administered to aid him, there will not be any details given at all and this would be a waste," I said resorting to reasoning.

He groaned and said, "Very well, give him the medicine, but he will remain in here until he wakes up,"

The guard injected the antidote into Scotty while he remained passed out.

I nodded in agreement, "I can stay here if needed and will call for you when he wakes. He is my prisoner after all."

The Prophet was going to argue, but he knew I made a valid point. Though I suspected he knew I may be up to something, but I would not risk it, for Scotty had made an attempt for an escape.

"Very well, but I will post two of my personal guards outside the door to ensure the human doesn't try anything," he said, looking at the the guards as they went to their new post.

I had figured he would do that. I was thinking of bringing in Jen to speak with us about the plan more, but now that will be postponed or maybe I can have her come in here.

The Prophet left with his two guards following behind him. I waited a few minutes, then used my tacpad to message Jen to come here and bring my map in my false bottom chest . She would receive the message on her datapad. I turned to look at Scotty, and his skin was starting to regain its color again. I checked his pulse, and it was gaining its speed again. I started to feel better as my confidence was regaining from earlier. I noticed he was starting to move again.

"Your hands are really warm," he said, being snarky as usual.

"Well it is good to see you are awake, I still need you alive," I said harshly.

"Aww, were you afraid I would die and leave you behind?" he grinned, sitting up.

"You are so egotistical,"

"Apparently you like it, if not you wouldn't be treating me so special," he chuckled.

"Only because I need you to escape from my death," I said.

"What if I don't want to bring you with me? What if I were to shoot you as soon as I get to my vehicle?" he asked.

"Then I will have you shot down with the defenses of this ship. Keep in mind this is my ship now, and I know its controls well," I said, "Now I know you will not do that, so I am having my friend come in here to help my plan on escape."

"So have you figured out how to get out of here, like what route we'll be taking after the execution room?"

"I am in works of that, and I will show you the map once I receive it. I believe that there are three ways of exit, one is the main hallway, but if we take it, it will..." I stopped as Jen entered the room, but she was telling the guards she was sent by the Prophet to watch me.

The door was shut behind her, and I released the straps on Scotty. He groaned as he got up and slipped, but I caught him, holding him up. He smiled, and I looked away. Meanwhile Jen rolled the paper out, and pictures were placed on the corners where they corresponded.

"As I said, if we take the main route, we will run into the second floor opening, but before that there is a maintenance route before it begins, we may be able to take that," I said, pointing at the route.

"If you look there are sealing doors in between that will go on lockdown," Scotty said, pointing at the archways, "they are almost impenetrable if shut down."

"Well, we will think of that when we get there," I said.

"Also I found out, the variant is arriving in two days, and it a gunship variation on the Phantom, with more plasma cannons and energy shields," Jen said, showing her datapad with the details of the weapon armament and defenses. "I believe this will be the best transportation yet that is made for the Covenant."

Scotty took her datapad and looked through the blueprint's analysis of the ship. "Hmm.. A gunboat phantom, a very tactical and efficient way of fighting. Four mounted plasma turrets armed with explosive rounds used for the main armament of the chin mount used normally, an aft-mounted turret for guided protection on long range, and finally the ultra-heavy plasma cannon for short range explosive attack," Scotty said, smiling at the weapons, "Ohh energy shields that can deflect missiles, though can they deflect your own missiles used against it? I noticed a while back on Jericho VII that your own vehicles are weaker to your weapons used against it."

"The original intent was never to have our own weapons used against us," Jen said, taking the information into consideration.

"Well, if we're going to be leaving in that vehicle, I want to be able to leave the ship without being in flames from the plasma weapons," Scotty smirked.

"I will have the armor checked and see if it has any changes, or I will have it modified," Jen typed in on her datapad.

"Well, I think we may need explosive weapons and automatic if we want to power through this," Scotty said, still reviewing the blueprints.

"I will have the weapons assembled nearby in a cache, so that if the execution is decapitation then maybe we can reach them along the way to the hangar," I said.

"Hmm.. I think they may be it as far as the plan. I guess we just wait for the execution," Scotty said.

"Since you are awake, I will notify the Prophet and we can continue the 'interrogation'," I said, removing the plans and handing them back to Jen.

"Fine, let's get this over with," Scotty sighed while getting back on the table and strapping himself down.

I watched as Jen left and immediately the Prophet entered.

"Good, you're conscious; let's continue," he smiled evilly.