- soulguard
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- Exalted Mythic Member
Stage 15: Walk the walk, Talk the talk
Elite Cruiser: Life and Sacrifice
12:00 October 25, 2552
Rose sat motionless on the floor and pondered everything going on around her. She had been threatened three times in the past four days, and she wasn’t happy about it. First Wesley threatened to kill her for touching the crystal artifact, then the UNSC brass wanted to execute her for treason, and now she had been threatened by the mind of a jealous AI. She hadn’t spoken in nearly two hours, but Siren would occasionally check in every few minutes to see if she was alright. So frequent were her attempts to talk to her that Rose had figured out the exact amount of time between each attempt; five minutes.
“Rose, would you like to know the status of the trials?” Siren stated softly, but on schedule. With a huff Rose stood to her feet and walked to the oddly shaped bed.
“You don’t have to continue trying to talk to me, Siren.” Rose voiced as she stretched across the bed. “I’m fine.”
“You say that, but your tone of voice suggests otherwise.”
“Fine.” Rose snapped. “You want to talk? Let’s talk, but unfortunately the only thing I want to know is the extent of your relationship with Eric.” Rose stood up and folded her arms. She wanted to look into Siren’s face so that she could have someplace to direct her aggression, but instead she simply gazed at random points on the ceiling of the room.
As if acknowledging Rose’s mental plea for a face to look at, one of the video monitors in the room powered up and Siren’s image displayed on the screen.
“I cared for him, nothing more.” Siren’s virtual eyes trailed to the ground so that she would not look Rose directly in the eyes. “Military protocol prohibits dating within the same branch of service.”
“Damn that. You threatened to kill me based on memories from your past. I’m an engineer, I know system structure, and I know that you would not have had that emotional outburst if you only cared for him.” Rose stood from the bed and walked away from the display, planting her hands on her hips. With a deep sigh she closed her eyes and calmed herself.
“He’s an amazing man, he always has been, and I know how the girls in school wanted him. Being popular has its drawbacks, so don’t tell me that you merely cared for him if there was more to it. Tell me everything Siren, I deserve to know.”
“Based on what? You met him in your freshman year, you knew him for less then a year and you never went out with him. I served with him, watched our comrades die with him, shed blood with him, and fought beside him. He pursued you back then and you turned him down…”
“I had my reasons.” Rose mumbled
“… but you think you have the right to know everything about him? Speaking of emotional, you need to do your own self evaluation. You, Rose, deserve to know nothing about him. Three weeks working together in that ONI lab does not justify learning his entire history. I may not have full control of my emotional sub-routines but I am at least willing to admit my limits. Have you ever told Eric why you couldn’t be with him?” Siren’s tone was once again fluctuating as she struggle to maintain control of her emotional stability.
“I had my reasons, and they were my own.” Rose sensed the hostility in Siren’s voice, but she wasn’t going to back down again.
“Considering that we are in a war, don’t you think it would be wise to tell him now?” Siren continued to question. “He may not live long enough for you to tell him later.”
“I was recruited heavily by every major collegiate athletic department on Earth. My grade point average was perfect, and I come from a political family.”
“Right. Your father was a UEG representative, Patrick Santos.”
“My father was determined for me not to go to war. When the draft was initiated, the only thing keeping me out of the military was his political power and my performance on the field. Sports were viewed as a major civilian distraction from the war, and the UEG wanted all collegiate athletes to put on a performance. But then my father got involved with something and was killed, a year after I graduated from college.”
“The speculation on your father was that he was supplying Governor Jacob Jiles, of the rebel faction, with weapons and ships. Your father was murdered outside the UNSC High Command courthouse facility after he agreed to testify against the rebels. He was shot by a man believed to be a rebel supporter.”
Rose paced around the room and folded her arms tightly across her chest. The memories of the past rushed back into her mind and she detested recalling the torment she lived with because of her father’s decisions.
“He wasn’t murdered, he was assassinated. Needless to say that while I was in school every eye in the world was on me and I couldn’t let myself be distracted. Eric was a distraction. He wanted a serious commitment, I just wanted him. You know? I never stayed with any one guy for more than a night.”
“If memory serves me correctly, the rumors were that you were rather easy.” Siren bluntly stated.
“I never lacked for attention, if that’s what you mean. I wasn’t easy.” Rose huffed at the statement.
“Rose, would you like for me to pull up your collegiate clinical visits, procedures, and results?”
Rose gazed intently at Siren’s image and stated, “No. I remember the checkups. I went because I wanted to make sure that I didn’t catch anything. Better safe then sorry.”
“I think we called you a whore.” Siren continued to giggle.
“Funny. But that’s exactly why Eric and I never got together. I liked men. I liked them a lot. Eric was different. He wanted me exclusively. I was a stupid kid having way too much fun. I cared for him and I didn’t want to hurt him. I knew that I wasn’t worth his time, but he kept pursuing me.”
“And then he left for the war. Your performance that season set world records. You were a star, but you also had several encounters with the law.”
Rose sat down on her cot and stared at Siren’s image from the corner of her eye.
“I didn’t care. My dad was able to get the charges dropped no matter how much trouble I was in. I was such a spoiled brat. But now that I’ve told you, how about you tell me what went on with you and Eric.”
“I wish I could say, but in all honesty I only cared for him. I wanted him, but he wanted you. The funny thing was that he always said you weren’t his type, yet he chased after you so blindly sometimes that he would ignore any and all other women.”
“He really is an idiot sometimes.” Rose added with smile.
* * * * * * * *
Dorenth
Elite Inner Sanctum
12:25 October 25, 2552
Deep beneath the surface of the elite capital city, four elites walked a dimly lit path toward a massive door leading into the outer caves of the Inner Sanctum. Behind them hovered a large steel cage, however the darkness hid its contents, but every elite knew what it was. Its eyes seemed to glow from the limited light of the cavern. It slowly moved in the tight confines of the cage and it shifted. The sudden movement startled the four elites at its side and they quickly took aim with their carbines. They approached the entrance to the inner sanctum and a lone guard stepped forward from his post.
“What is the meaning of this, watchmen? This female Dabdough should not be here.”
The steel and brick walls of the cavern echoed with the roars of the monstrous beast as the elites pulled the cage closer to the doors of the inner sanctum.
“Brother, would you be willing to ignore what you are seeing?” One of the watchmen questioned toward the guard. “We are merely giving these two prospects a fair challenge.”
The elite guard blocked the path toward the door, stopping the group from approaching.
“This is unacceptable. Only males are to be used for the trials, this is how it has always been. The council will not allow for change. And using a female will guarantee the death of the Prospects.”
“Brother, would you have yourself continue to call a grunt your superior? I shall not serve a creature that is beneath me. Stand aside and act as though you have not seen any of this transpire.”
“I understand, but your actions go against everything the council stands for. A female Dabdough running free in the Inner Sanctum would be a threat to the councilors as well as the Prospects.” The guard pleaded to the watchman to not go through with this plan.
“I have faith in the honored warriors, they will be able to handle this beast, but the human and grunt will surely parish. This cage will not hold it much longer. Let us pass.” The mighty female Dabdough shrieked from within its cage sending the guards scattering about.