Back to Created and Consumed: Ch 1

The next morning I woke quickly, ready to face the close walls of my chamber, but my eyes opened to a broad and bright room, the roof was high, the walls far apart and every essential one would ever need were present. Ado, however, was not. As promised, there was a plate of food on the counter and a flask of water for me to drink. I walked over and tested the food, at this dangerous stage, I couldn’t be too careful with what I consumed.
After establishing that the food was edible I finished off a couple of pieces of meat then left the rest for later. I proceeded to investigate the dwelling, running my hands over the smooth surfaces and testing certain things out like the different buttons in the walls.

I managed to find where most things came from and what buttons did. There was one which would make a window in the wall glow and become warm. I liked to touch it with my hands, the ship was cold. Another button opened up a compartment in the wall, to my astonishment I found some plates of armour and a range of firearms. Each was labelled as if they were on display. I stared at one which I recognised as the same weapon I had used against Ado the night before. I took it from the display, closed it up and began to pick apart the gadget with my nimble fingers. It had obviously not been built to accommodate for large hands.
I became engrossed in the device, sitting in the corner of the room, taking apart and putting together the pieces over and over. Eventually I could disassemble and reassemble it without many mistakes and at one stage. I managed to make it rapid fire into the floor, much to my surprise, and quickly changed it back to its normal setting before causing too many scorch marks.

"Oi, what are you doing in here?” I jumped; the voice was surprised, “Get up from there!" he was angry now, "Make haste or I'll cut you through, female!" He sounded strangely familiar to me. This thought made me shudder. I dropped the weapon and scrambled from the floor, remaining quiet while I stood before the elite.
"Come here. Now." he ordered, I bowed my head and obeyed. He was grasping a device which buzzed and flickered bright white and blue light, and it looked dangerous. "What are you doing up here in the Commander's Chamber?" he asked me.

I couldn't answer truthfully, Ado had saved me, I couldn’t put him in danger, "I escaped..." I sort of lied, "I mean, I snuck out, followed him here, he had no idea I was behind him..."

"I doubt that. Commander Ado is one of the Covenant’s finest and at best, females are clumsy, usually bearing. We is your child female?" I didn't like how he spoke to me.

"I bear no children for the Covenant; you incompetent snobs care only for yourselves, never for the tears shed for the Great Journey…”

The blade was at my neck in a split second, "I dare you to tell that to the Prophets, female..." he growled in my ear then softened his tone to a whisper, "Whoever designed you females with such negative views of the Covenant should be murdered…”

“It’s your types who make us see our people this way… you who loathe the voice of truth…” I struggled a little but the blade was coming perilously close to my skin, making me cease, “… because you know that one day someone will realise your wrongs and enforce your own wish upon you…” he growled but I continued, “You only view us as bits of meat, we are held in small rooms and preserved until wanted… or wasted…”

He tightened his grip, “But I don’t like to waste a good piece of meat… and you are one who should be preserved, you are fresh, supple, sweet…” he nudged into my neck, “… you would make a fine mother for my children…” he exerted his Sangheili tongue and covered the side of my face with saliva. I couldn’t move; the electricity of the sword was already burning against my neck. I swallowed. The feeling of impending doom was upon me once again and I no longer felt safe in Ado’s quarters.
He shifted the sword but I stayed stock still. “You are one from the depths; you are practised in this, are you not?” I nodded, the lump in my throat began to rise, “Have you experienced a true warrior before, female?”

“I do not believe so. Few who have visited me have displayed the honour or respect which is expected of the Covenant…”

The elite laughed, “Honour is a formality, yes, but a useless one. Honour doesn’t get me what I want, nor does respect.” He turned me to face him, deactivated his weapon and forced me down. His mouth entirely covered mine, I couldn’t breathe. I could feel him; he was searching for any sign of weakness. It didn’t take him long for him to find my scorched skin and seize it painfully. I gasped and he moved in, pushing himself down onto me and holding my shoulders back. I couldn’t let him, not again. I felt down his body for something, anything to distract him. The plasma weapon, there was one attached to his belt, I clasped it in my hand and charged it.
His petting became rougher; he was too absorbed in his own lust that he didn’t notice me bring the charged weapon up to his neck. My fleeting breaths were shallow, I could have just blacked out, it would have been so easy just to let go of consciousness, but I wouldn’t let this warrior have me, there was something about him that I didn’t like at all. I let go of the trigger and the plasma splashed over his neck and face, showering me also but not with sparks as had happened when I struck Ado.
Blood flecks pattered over me and the male howled in pain. I then kicked him in the chest, making him reel backward. I took this opportunity to move away from him, and as I looked back, I saw him cradling the new wound on his face. He looked at me, “You will regret that, my dear…” his sword activated at his side and he wiped some blood from his neck, “… oh my, yes… you will regret it very much…”

All I saw was a white flash and I was against the wall. An itch had spread across my chest and when I reached up to relieve it, I found a gash where my skin should have been. My clothes around the wound had been burnt away from the plasma energy, Ado was right; they and my strength amounted to nothing in the presence of superior weaponry. I staggered a few paces, clutching the wound closed with my soaked hand. The elite caught me and shoved me to the floor. I coughed, I gasped, I couldn't breathe, a ruptured lung perhaps.
He stood over me, he wasn't at all large, he was my height but his strength surpassed mine, as did his skills.

He breathed loudly and madly, "You were a fool to think you could defeat me…" he plucked a palm-sized ball from his belt and rolled in his hand, "... and now you will become a lesson for those other females down there, to learn, nobody challenges Morta Serracree..." he pressed a button on the ball and shoved it in my mouth, I shook my head to try to get it out but it was beyond my mandibles and I was having difficulty removing it, I felt it in my mouth, cold at first, then gradually warmer. It was an explosive. I still couldn't breathe. This elite was a killer, a born cold killer. I began to panic, I was broken and lying on the floor of Ado's domain, Ado was nowhere near as far as I knew, nobody knew I was here. I would be dead in seconds.
I closed my eyes and prepared for the inevitable.

My mind filled with memories, flooded with visions of past events, the gentle press of Prophet Sanctuary on my brow, Ado's soft and amused voice, the touch of those who cared. Then it was replaced by screams, darkness, fear, oh yes, fear...

"By the rings!" I only faintly heard the exclamation, "Who did this to you Eia?" the orb was gently taken from my mouth and I heard a muttering something along the lines of, "Only mere seconds to spare..." I was carried from the room with haste and placed on a cold bench. Still I saw flashes of my past revisit me, my first child, stillborn, discarded as if it were a more thing, my second, she was female, I wept for her. She would have suffered the same fate as I, but no, she was destroyed and I was punished.
"Eia..." the soft voice returned, "Eia, please, speak to me..." I couldn't, it was not my place. “Medic, I demand you revive her!”

"But... Zealot Ado-"

"I don't care if it's against the Prophet Truth's order! Heal her immediately!" he was hysterical, in pain, why? He clutched my hand, I weakly responded, a twitch as my chest was cleaned of blood.

"Zealot, she is going into shock, you must leave us so that we can help her..."

"I will not leave my Eia's side..." he responded sharply, "You will heal her under my watch, do it now."

I drifted, my head was swimming, he squeezed my hand and begged me to stay awake. I could not. I let him go, looking up to his green eyes and attempting a smile, my conscious thought slipped into a dream state and I closed my eyes.

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"Eia..."

"Mmm?"

"Eia!" I was caught in an enveloping hug and I struggled for a while before relaxing into a soft rocking motion. Ado had been crying; I could feel his cheek wet on mine. "Eia I was so worried, are you alright?"

I took a moment to compute where I was and what was being said, I was dressed in new robes, the colour was hard to see under the dimmed lights. I saw the concern in Ado’s eyes and to his relief, responded, "Worried? About me?"

"Yes! Eia, I found you in death's grasp on the floor of my room, why wouldn't I be worried?" Ado took me in his arms again and this time squeezed me a little too hard and I yelped, "Sorry." He apologised.

"It's alright, Ado." I said through gritted teeth, "Just promise me you won't hug me again..."

Ado agreed to these terms, I, thankfully, was allowed to rest. He stayed with me while I slept and I managed to drowse for a few hours, I hadn't slept properly for ages so this felt quite pleasant. Ado stroked my hand throughout my slumber and aided the Medics in my recovery.

I rested quietly awake for a few hours and Ado had fallen asleep beside me. I leaned over and placed his hand over his lap then covered him in a thermo blanket before heaving to my feet and walking to the window of my ward. The environment outside was filled with Flagships and Dreadnaughts, Ado had described these vessels in very little detail to me but I had heard about them during my time in the depths of the City. I shuddered at the thought of returning there.

The door opened behind me and Ado woke immediately.

“Zealot Ado Mortumee?” asked a burly Sangheili warrior, he had to have been at least eight feet tall and he had to duck to enter the ward. His armour glowed orange and red like fire through the darkness of the room, I had only seen this armour in one kind of situation, “I have come under the order of Prophets Truth, Mercy and Regret to bring you and your er… charge… before the Council,” he looked me over once then directed his attention back to Ado, “Immediately.”

Ado stood calmly and considered the warrior, “May I ask something warrior?”

He inclined his head a fraction; he obviously had some respect for Ado, “You may ask, but I cannot guarantee that I will be able to answer your query.”

Ado nodded knowingly, “So be it.” He replied, not asking any question at all, he outstretched a hand to me and I walked forward, I figured I was in little position to argue at this stage, and we followed the luminescent elite through the dense passageways of the City.

I looked to Ado for some sort of inclination as to where we were being taken but he just stared straight ahead. I took it as one of those ‘don’t ask’ moments and left it at that.

“Honour Guards…” Ado said after a while, slowing his pace from its usual regent swiftness to a relaxed stroll, “The Sangheili with the glowing armour, they guard the inner circle of the Council. Not many stand up to them. It explains why they’re valued so highly by the Prophets.”

“Zealot Ado Mortumee.” I jumped and clutched Ado’s arm; I had forgotten that the Honour Guard was still there, he was so silent in his march that he had completely left my mind, “We are almost in the Council’s Chamber.”

“I have travelled these halls before, warrior,” Ado responded courteously, “perhaps you should be addressing my charge?” There was no reply from the immense wall of flesh; he was obviously under command not to speak to me, “Will this take long?” I sensed a twinge of annoyance in Ado’s voice this time.

“That all depends on the will of the Prophets…” there was no mistaking the elite’s amusement as the doors to the inner Sanctum opened revealing the fully assembled High Council. Various collections of Covenant including the Unggoy, Kig-Yar and surprisingly, even some dregs of the Hunagok, who usually didn’t involve themselves with much above-ground activity, had come to attend.

“What is this?” I asked cautiously.

“This is what every member of the Covenant dreads…” Ado said; he didn’t show any fear as the overwhelming chatter of the Sanctum engulfed us; he marched forward and stood before our three monarchs, silent and strong. I sided with him and he knelt before them, I mimicked his behaviour, lowering my eyes to the floor.

The chamber silenced.

“Do you know why the Council has summoned you?” I recognised the young voice as Prophet Truth and chanced a look. I was met with a sharp slap between my shoulder blades with the end of an Honour Guard’s staff and I yelped. Ado did nothing to stop the assault. I looked to the floor again, belittled and humiliated.

“I have my theories, honourable Prophet, but the exact reason remains elusive to me.” Ado replied; his voice was unreadable, robotic.

“I had expected better from you, Zealot. Do not expect leniency purely because you are a commander of the Sangheili, you are quite easily replaced, I assure you of this.”

“Honourable Prophets, I did not come here in search of forgiveness or leniency. I understand that you have the power to demote me of my position and feel that I am in no place to argue with your decision.” Ado didn’t look up from his deep kneel, “But I beg that you explain precisely the reason why both Eia and I were summoned before you do so.”

There were murmurings in the Council, it obviously wasn’t routine that the Prophets be questioned during a trial. Ado had agreed so graciously with their decision yet he posed a query which surely had to mean death. To my surprise, Prophet Truth laughed. It was a cold, amused laugh and a few of the Council added with their own nervous chuckle. A staff was brought to my chin and I was forced to look up. I obeyed hesitantly.

“You are the Eia..?” Prophet Truth asked. I nodded, not daring to speak. “You entertain this warrior do you not?” I automatically nodded, then realised it wasn’t true and shook my head.

“Out with it girl, are you or are you not a plaything for this Zealot?” Prophet Mercy snapped, I cringed and gulped, the staff was still within swatting range.

“She is my plaything, yes.” Ado interjected. A resounding murmur of agreement sounded from above us and a couple of Sangheili in silver crested armour nodded to each other, perhaps settling a past wager on the conditions of the trial.

“I see… and what was she doing alone in your chamber?” Prophet Truth recovered quickly from the interruption and the Council quietened.

“She was not alone, Holy Prophets, I am quite sure of that…” I could have sworn I saw a small grin etched in Ado’s eyes at this comment.

Prophet Regret came forward, infuriated at Ado’s arrogance, “Why was she in your chamber in the first place?” he demanded furiously.

Ado stood to his full height, the glee in his expression was unmistakable now, “I could ask General of the Special Operations Unit, Morta Serracree the same question…” there was an overall gasp of surprise at this new information, “… Isn’t that right Morta?” he looked to one of the observation platforms where Morta stood, furious and embarrassed.

Onward to Created and Consumed: Ch 2 Pt 2