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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D
Aaron awoke in the middle of the night. The female Shade, Lena, was curled up in a ball, her head resting on his chest. Their bare, gray skin pressed together, and Lena's warmth flowed into Aaron, then seeped back to her, like blood running through a single being. That was what they had become, one.
After failing to fall asleep again, Aaron left the bed, and tucked its covers around Lena's slender body. She had the qualities of a muse; beautiful, but deadly.
Aaron noticed a worn leather book on the bunk's table. When he examined it, he spotted the name Lena etched into the front cover.
Aaron quietly opened it, and looked at the small writing on the first page. His biologically enhanced eyes easily comprehended them.
January 6th 2522
It is my birthday today. I wish I was home with my parents, where they would celebrate with me. The people here don't seem to care at all. I'm not surprised, though. They never seem to care about anything but my fitness, my health, and their clip boards.
I tried to read what they were writing once, but it was some sort of shorthand that I don't understand. I stay up every night for hours, wondering what they want from me. I guess I won't know until they try to get it.
January 8th 2522
Everyone had been acting strange lately. They seem to be nervous. Nobody looks at me, and they avoid my gaze when I speak to them. I'm starting to get scared.
January 9th 2522
The people around here insisted that I get a lot of sleep last night, and I am to report to a room that I have never even heard of before until today. This is it, the moment of truth.
October 14th 2523
What have they done to me?
October 15th 2523
Why?
October 16th 2523
I feel nothing
October 17th 2523
I feel nothing
October 18th 2523
I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel nothing I feel n
June 2nd 2524
I am not alone.
Aaron gently closed the book, feeling tired. He saw Lena, teeth gritted, eyes squeezed shut, and a grip so firm on her pillow that her fist was white.
The male Shade walked towards the bed, and put his hand over hers. She relaxed instantly. Then he released her fist, and she began to writhe again.
Aaron touched her skin, and she was still. He noticed that he felt strange standing away from her as she shook. This feeling dissipated when he touched her arm.
Aaron looked at her with childish eyes. There was a certain innocence about the two. The way most things social confused them was a large part of that, and when they slept together, the thought of any intimate activity never crossed their minds. Aaron climbed back into bed, and pulled himself close to her.
****
Victor sat in the dark of the deactivated gym, thinking about what had happened to him. All he could sum up was that he was becoming increasingly numb to everything around him. His world was black and white.
All of the world's life and beauty had slipped through Victor's fingers. He took the picture of Kayla out of his pocket, and stared into her eyes. They were distorted, due to the tape that was required to hold it together after Colonel Lark had ripped it in half.
Colonel Lark, the man he had murdered. Was it justified? No, he tore a picture, that's it. This pushed Victor into killing another man.
What was happening to Victor? He had changed so much since Kayla's death. She was all that held him together, preserved his inner beauty that had shattered when his wife left the world.
Victor was left to put himself back together, but he didn't know how. The heartbroken man withdrew his knife from its sheath, and gripped its blade.
Blood trickled from his palm onto his pants. There was no hint of pain on his face. Victor was as empty as the space the Hell's Fire coasted through.
Small flickers of hope were extinguished before they could grow, holding him under the water, drowning him in misery.
*****
An Unggoy patrol walked through a field of tall grass. The Humans fancied the element of surprise, and the Covenant forces on Harvest weren't willing to give them that.
The stubby creatures made short barks and grunts, conversing as they combed the area. Their party of twenty started becoming more and more quiet. Many had stopped talking.
Over time, only five Unggoy were still chatting amongst themselves. That was when they became aware of what was happening.
The creatures looked around, and noticed that they were alone. Their original group had thinned immensely. The creatures shifted nervously.
A sharp, but short squeal came from the Unggoy on the far left. When they turned, he was gone. Another yelp marked the disappearance of another comrade.
The next two died before they could make a noise, leaving one left. He looked around, and charged his plasma pistol to the point where it was shaking violently in his hands. Then he felt something touch him from behind.
When the Unggoy turned, he fell to the ground in fear, causing his plasma pistol to discharge into the sky. In front of him stood a grotesque creature. Long, greasy black hair ran down its shoulders. It showed a menacing grin, allowing saliva to ooze through its black fangs.
Eve decided the Unggoy was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted.
****
Al'Katal and Zemala touched down, and exited the Phantom into the outpost that had emitted a distress call. A recording showed a slaughter.
Whatever was doing the killing was too fast to make out. Al'Katal was sure that it was his weapon. The two Sangheili were as quiet as they could be as they avoided stepping on the bodies of their fallen comrades.
Blood soaked the dirt beneath their feat. The turrets on the high walls of the encampment were unmanned, and the fresh air around them smelled of death.
The absence of a roof let the moonlight cast menacing shadows around Al'Katal. Zemala signaled for him to halt, "Zealot, it is here."
Al'Katal looked around, but saw nothing, "What makes you think this?"
Zemala motioned to the roof of the only building in the camp. On top of it stood a thin figure. Long claws began to extend from its fingers.
The moon floated behind the monster, obscuring the details of the creature. The Sangheili withdrew their energy swords, knowing that the creature preferred hand to hand combat. It crouched, and leaped into the air.
When it seemed as if it would spatter onto the tall wall it was heading for, it pressed its legs against it, and launched at Al'Katal.
The Zealot took on a defensive stance, waiting for the right time. Zemala was caught off guard when it switched targets. A powerful punch to his chest sent him flying into the purple metal behind him.
Zemala's shields were eliminated on impact, and he lost his grip on the energy blade. The creature took advantage of this, and caught the blade in mid air.
A quick slice at Al'Katal destroyed his shields, and cut him across the chest. The Sangheili flexed its mandibles in pain, but continued to fight.
The sharp cracks of the energy blades colliding echoed through the walled in area. Waves rippled across the blades every time they touched.
The Zealot's weapon was more than a match for him. The Sangheili found himself on the immediate defensive, slowly being backed into a corner.
The monster cried out in pain as a bolt of plasma impacted its back. Al'Katal took this opportunity to cut the sword holding hand off his beast. Green blood spattered his armor. An arm came around from behind its neck, and began to choke it.
The beast thrashed around, and sent a tendril out of its hand into the soft spot between Zemala's shoulder and chest plate. The Sangheili didn't flinch. His heritage poured out of the deep hole, and with it, precious honor.
This made Zemala furious. He tightened his grip on the monster, threatening to break its neck.
Al'Katal saw this, and quickly pulled Zemala off his valuable abomination. It took that moment to send a claw at Al'Katal's throat. He narrowly avoided it, slipping through death's fingers as he had done many times before.
Zemala brought an elbow down on the creature's head, dazing it. Al'Katal finished the mission with a direct punch to the temple, causing the monster to black out.
Sangheili bound it with energy cuffs, and pulled it towards the ship. Zemala spoke in a worried tone, "We are wounded, Zealot."
"Indeed." Al'Katal winced
"When we reach our ship, we will surely be disgraced." Zemala's voice was quivering.
"Not necessarily. We can cover ourselves with cloaks."
"But, that would be heresy, my friend."
"Is it more honorable to spill your blood line for the Covenant, or hold back like a coward, not wishing to make a sacrifice?"
Zemala's eyes widened, "Do not speak in this manner! We can not violate out people's ways. It would disgrace us all!"
"Silence!" the Zealot snapped, anger building in his voice, "I will not lose my rank, nor my honor."
His friend scowled, "This is not about honor, is it? No, you wish to keep your power. I was wrong to think you pure, Al'Katal."
"I am your superior, Martyr; do not speak to me that way."
"No, you are no longer one of us, you are as good as dead to the Sangheili. When we return to the flag ship, I will not conceal your disgrace."
Al'Katal stopped in his tracks. Zemala knew what was about to happen. The two Sangheili reached for their energy blades. Zemala was fast, but Al'Katal was faster. By the time the Martyr had activated his blade, Al'Katal had begun a swift lunge that ran Zemala through. He lurched forward as dark purple blood jumped from his mouth. "Heretic!" Spat the Martyr. Al'Katal's eyes were wide with surprise, horror, guilt, and disgrace. He withdrew his blade, and Zemala fell to the dirt, dead.