I do like how this story came out, and I really hope that I have some ideas how to handle a sequel. But for now, this stands alone, or as a prequel, what ever works for you. Thank you, everyone who has read, and as always, reviewers get cookies. And cake. Lots and lots of cake.

Chapter 6

"What are they?" Lazar asked.

"Do not touch it," Orff said sharply. "Do not even step near it."

"But what is it?"

Sornelus gave an embarrassed shrug, he was as lost as the youth.

"It is Flood. A parasitic organism. You should read our archives, we have extensive records of them."

Lazar looked closely at the squirming, gangrenous mass of flesh that shriveled and expanded, sucking on the glass that separated it from the Jiralhanae. He jumped when a hand touched his shoulder, but it was Orff, who simply guided him backwards.

"Chieftain," he said. "We cannot be sure these are the only Flood. We have to destroy this entire complex. Our mutual disdain aside, the Flood is too dangerous. It infects Jiralhanae and Sangheili alike."

"You are right. But how do we destroy it without leaving us vulnerable?"

It would appear that the entire complex was built around this single laboratory, a vast thing, with no less than twenty test tubes keeping Flood of various shapes, sizes, and forms. Though not fluent in the human's language, he knew enough, and by glazing the computer screens, learned several disturbing facts.

"Show the humans the most dangerous creatures in the universe and they decide to make pets of them," Orff snorted. "Ideally, this entire moon should be glassed, but that may take too long. If the humans are desperate they may release the parasites, sacrificing themselves in order to kill us. And we cannot allow the parasite to escape." He typed at the computer, placing a hand on a large red button and applying pressure. A burst of flame opened from the vial's base, engulfing the Flood in an orange burst. There was a hissing sound, like an animal, and when the flames died out, there was nothing left.

"It would be best if we leave, chieftain, we need to get to get to the Red of Nail. Is it or is it not capable of glassing this moon?"

"We could glass a large portion, this base specifically. Then contact a fleet and have the rest done.

"Thantus," Sornelus said into his radio. "Thantus, Cascus, do you copy?"

"Yes chieftain." That was Cascus. His voice strained. Out of breath and tired. A residual gurgle implied damage to his lungs, perhaps filling with blood. "The resistance is more than we anticipated. We have found several laboratories, they seem to be what the humans were defending. They are all filled with creatures, fleshy mounds."

Orff turned on his radio. "There is a large red button on the control panel. Please press it and incinerate the Flood."

"Chieftain?"

Sornelus barred his teeth. Orff put his head down in mock submission. "Do as he says."

"There may still be more Flood, chieftain. I would strongly advise that we return to the Red of Nail and order the glassing."

The laboratory was built in a circular lay out, with six doors, each a set distance apart. Three of the doors opened and squad of humans poured forth, battle rifles singing and spraying. Orff overturned a table and ducked, holding his head down as shot after shot poured above him. Lazar lifted both Spikers and fired, until Sornelus took him around the waist and hoisted him out of the room through the door they had come through. It didn't surprise Orff, he supposed. It was what he would do, if the tables were turned. But his mandibles were open slightly as the door closed. Perhaps he would have abandoned the chieftain, but a part of him felt a kinship to Lazar, however slightly.

He lowered his head farther, crawling into a fetal position, praying to the Forerunners that no stray bullets would catch him. His cover was breaking apart behind him.

He tipped his assault rifle over the cover and sprayed fire. But the bullets kept flying over his head. Then they flanked him. Of the group of ten, six stayed and continued firing at the cover, at the sides when he peeked out, at the top when he tried to return fire. Two went left. Two went right.

Bracing his legs, he leapt over the cover. The humans followed him, opening fire, his shield struggling to stay up as the bullets hit it like rain drops. It fell, and a dozen bullets embedded deep in his armor before he landed, drawing his sword and swinging, cutting one of the humans to pieces. He danced to his left, slicing through two more. He felt something wrap around his throat, a human had leapt onto his back and got him in a choke hold. He thrust his head back, knocking the human down, before turning and dropping a hoof onto his chest. A knife bit into his hand, just between the top thumb and index finger. He caved that humans skull with his unwounded fist.

They all had knives now. He was in their ranks, they couldn't risk wounding their own with stray bullets. These weren't normal soldiers. Orff had seen normal soldiers draw their combat knives in pathetic attempts to defeat their opponents, even a decently trained Unggoy could match them. These weren't normal soldiers. They ducked and weaved, finding any opening in his damaged armor and jamming their blades into his skin. He swung and sliced through them, and the five that were left still bit him with their little daggers. To attack he had to leave himself open, and these humans were far too smart to leave such an opportunity alone, to keen not to find the openings in his armor.

He was bleeding profusely by the time only one was left, their commander judging by the fact that he was still alive. He was their best. Their leader.

He ducked beneath a swing and tried to bring his blade into Orff's mandibles, a fatal wound, should it connect. But Orff was faster. He took a step back and leaned his weight fully on his back foot so the knife only cut through the air. His sword sliced neatly through the human's forearm. He stumbled back, holding his stump, as Orff brought a knee into his chest, crushing his ribs. Another knee to the jaw. He lifted the human, bashing his helmet into the skull before throwing the body against a wall. Perhaps a tad brutal, but he was in no mood to play around.

And his wounds. He breathed heavy, though refused to show his weakness to any of the cameras. It seemed doubtful that the chieftain would wait for him to return to the ship, but it would take time for the ship to be ready, and if he could find a fast mood of transportation, perhaps he could beat them. If they would even allow him onto the ship was another matter entirely, but one he didn't concern himself with at the moment.

---

It wasn't until they made it out of the human complex, following the crimson smears on the walls to lead them out, as all their Unggoy had been killed and none of the Jiralhanae could wear the human's helmets properly, that Thantus asked his chieftain where the Sangheili was.

"Lost, to the humans," Sornelus said, shuffling along. "Red of Nail, this is Chieftain Sornelus. Prepare to leave. Contact the fleet and have them prepare to glass this moon."

"Chieftain, what happened to the major?" Thantus asked again.

"The Sangheili is dead," Sornelus snorted, gripping the chest piece of Thantus' armor.

"Did you do anything to aid him, brother?"

"Do I detect sympathy in your scent? Have you so quickly forgotten their crimes? The children we have lost to their hand?"

"That Sangheili had proven time and time again to be a creature of faith. You are too blinded to see that. This entire operation was the doings of a fool."

That was when Sornelus took Thantus by the collar of his armor and lifted him off the ground with his free hand. His feet dangled loosely under him. The hammer stroked Thantus' cheek in mocking fashion. "The only thing keeping you alive is my patience, brother. You would be wise to bite your tongue."

"I would rather die than continue to serve under a fool."

With a roar, Sornelus threw Thantus to the ground. Swinging his hammer over his head, he intended to bring it down and crush Thantus under the weight. Thantus rolled to his side, avoiding the fatal embrace, before stumbling to his feet and charging, tackling Sornelus to the ground. Swinging his Spiker, he sought to slice into cut into the chieftain, but Sornelus caught him by the wrist. They struggled for a moment. Sornelus was larger, but Thantus leaned his full weight down, gravity aiding the push, until Sornelus brought his knee into Thantus' side and batted him away.

Lazar was at a loss of what to do. Aid his father, aid his uncle, was this even an official fight or the settling of a feud between brothers. He took a step forward, but Cascus placed a hand on his shoulder. Lazar looked up to the adult, who stared on.

"You are weak brother," Sornelus said, smashing a fist into Thantus' snout. "A herd of Unggoy, a Sangheili, a miniscule price to pay for what we now know. The humans using Flood, the San 'Shyuum must be made aware of such a development." He broke another fist into Thantus' face before massive hands found his brother's throat.

"Gorgon," Thantus spat. "Grevus. They are dead by your hand. Was it worth it?"

Sornelus' grip loosened. Thantus thrust his hands forward and caught the chieftain's skull, before jamming his thumbs into the fleshy eyes, pushing until he broke through the gel and felt the oozing blood. Sitting up, and dragging the chieftain down, his teeth found Sornelus' throat and cut through the thick fur and skin. When he ripped his head back, a large chunk of meat came with it. Thantus released the chieftain's head and reached into the open flesh, taking a handful and yanking his hand out. Reaching farther still, he pulled out another pound of flesh before the chieftain lay still. Noticing the low rise and fall of Sornelus' chest, Thantus reached out and took hold of his spiker. The sharp blade cut nicely through the skull of his left ear, a bit of blood dribbling out and saturating the fur, but above him, his brother ceased to draw breath.

Thantus was quiet as he pushed the corpse off of him. Quiet as he took up the hammer, and went about the methodical process of stripping his brother of his armor, replacing his own. He accepted Cascus' aid in walking, as they began to make their way back to the Red of Nail, but didn't say a word. No joy, to take his packmate's life. No bragging, no boasting.

---

Perhaps what few humans that were left understood what was happening, the immanent glassing, or at least a probable invasion, because they seemed to be in a panic. Rushing through the labyrinth of hallways. Concealed by his armor's camouflage, he stalked a few steps behind as this little group swelled with what he assumed was any remaining personnel. It didn't seem likely that they would hear his boots over the sound of their own scuffles and rushing, their questions, asking aloud what is happening? Where was their precious captain?

When they reached the hangar, the humans gathered together like Unggoy caught in the cold. They bantered loudly, dividing into squads and deciding who should go where. The humans would take every vehicle they could, hopefully if they all took off at once, not everyone would be caught by the Covenant who were now floating over their head. There were only a few vehicles anyway, a Pelican and an assortment of smaller fighters, Longswords he believed they were called. He didn't have a compatriot to help pilot the larger ship. The Longsword would do fine, he could take it and make it to space, then join back up with his comrades. He would have to open a radio quickly or be shot down by the Covenant's dragnet.

Some of the humans noticed the Longsword as it powered up, some even opened fire, realizing that it wasn't there own. Orff didn't bother with them, he fired several missiles at the hangar's closed doors and sped out, incinerating one or two of the humans from the burn of the engines. The vehicle handled surprisingly well, and he glided gently over the ground, learning the controls and what every blinking light and flashing switch did before he dared to attempt to climb. He found the radio easy enough, and opened a transmission in a Covenant frequency. A fleet would be coming in any time now, and he would rather not die by friendly fire. Better to mention he was piloting a human ship as soon as possible.

"This is Major Orff 'Schulwerkee, does anyone copy?"

If indeed your opinion cannot be swayed, I must voice my concerns. You still believe this war can be won with morals in place? We, humanity, cannot afford to cling to such ridiculous notions in this time of darkness. With respect, sir, we are presently at war with a covenant of aliens who single purpose is our destruction. But I respect your orders. I will keep the parasite spores under lockdown, cease any tests, but I will not destroy something with this much potential. And, should you change your mind, I will be quick to initiate the operation. Everything is set, it just awaits approval. Perhaps after another dozen of our planets falls to the orbital bombardment. Perhaps when your entire squad fill the bellies of a pack of Brutes. Perhaps when you see your wife and children torn apart by an Elite who then refuses you a quick death. Perhaps when you realize your precious Spartans are not our salvation, but our damnation. Until then, I will be waiting.

Sincerely yours,

Semper vigilans,

Captain Grigori Leonivich Kalashnikov